I am running out of both time and steam but I wanted to hit these two races very quickly (even though Hodan Hasan is unopposed) because thanks to redistricting, this is extra confusing.

Hodan Hasan and Aisha Gomez are trading districts. Hodan Hasan represents 62A, but is running for re-election in 62B, and Aisha Gomez represents 62B but is running for re-election in 62A. This has thrown a lot of people for a loop (and it doesn’t help that Hodan Hasan’s campaign website still says 62A — she’s unopposed in the primary, so I’m guessing updating her campaign website has not been a priority.)

If you live in 62B, Hodan Hasan will appear on the ballot, but she’s unopposed.

If you live in 62A, your ballot will have the following two candidates:

Aisha Gomez (Incumbent, DFL-endorsed)
Osman Ahmed

I would vote for Aisha Gomez. Osman Ahmed is endorsed by Jamal Osman, who’s not one of my favorite local politicians, and by Andrea Jenkins. Aisha Gomez is endorsed by basically everyone else. Also, Osman Ahmed has the same treasurer as Don Samuels, which is not a good sign. (ETA: I asked if there was a way to look this up and there is! Don Samuels’ campaign filings; Osman Ahmed’s campaign filings.)

One of her constituents chimed in on the Twitter thread about this:

I did not initially support Aisha the first time she ran, but really like her. She is responsive and you see her out in our district. She also speaks with incredible passion on the House floor with a perspective you don't typically see in the legislature.

— Geriatric Millennial (@RLaker84) August 7, 2022

And that seems to be a pretty common sentiment: that she’s authentic, a good listener, and a good legislator. I would vote for Aisha if I lived in 62A (and for Hodan if I lived in 62B) and I hope they’re both re-elected.

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In addition to writing political commentary, I write science fiction and fantasy. My book that came out in April 2021, Chaos on CatNet, takes place in a future Minneapolis. It’s a sequel to Catfishing on CatNet and signed copies of both books are usually available from Dreamhaven. You will also be able to get them from Uncle Hugo’s when it reopens at 2716 E 31st St! (and maybe by mail order now? I’m not sure how much mail order Don is doing while getting ready to re-open.)

I do not have a Patreon or Ko-Fi, but you can make a donation to encourage my work! I get a lot of satisfaction watching fundraisers I highlight getting funded (or, in the case of the Movement Voter fundraiser, continuing to raise money past their goal). I explained back in May why I’m fundraising for the Movement Voter PAC and that fundraiser is still active. (Also, I owe some embarrassing readings of my juvenalia to the Internet.)

I also went looking and found two DonorsChoose fundraisers for classrooms at Bethune Community School in North Minneapolis: math manipulatives for pre-K students (this is such a good idea) and a nice book organizer for a first-grade classroom where the shelving is coming apart.