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My Point of View by Robert Hoffman

We just shared an amazing and well-run campaign during this midterm election in Minnesota. This 2022 election included very heated statewide and without a presidential race or any U.S. Senate races from Minnesota it felt very focused on us, even locally. Especially locally.

I am very concerned about crime and for the safety of our families locally and especially in metro Minnesota but now nearby in Rochester as well. If the larger, more Democratic, communities that are 90 minutes or less in each direction of us chose to do a better job of addressing crime and violence and start to push their mess our way Albert Lea will pay the price. Albert Lea (and Freeborn County) is a more moderately conservative region; we are a very beautiful area and have a lot to offer those moving here to live and start businesses. Not if we become the dumping grounds of southern Minnesota. Albert Lea’s and Freeborn County’s law enforcement teams should be given every resource available to also make us not only one of the most beautiful places to live in Minnesota but also the safest. I hope after this midterm election my concern stops being crime and is growth.

I asked a handful of others, “now that the campaigns are done and the polls are open today but the results won’t be available until later tonight what do you hope to see happens in Albert Lea after the elections?” We got some great responses from people from 16 to almost 90 years old.
Jackson Cox: As a 16-year-old student with a job, I hope we see a change in the candidates that are running to help out the community of people like me that will be voting in the next election.

Lindsey Kramer: Due to it being a mid-term election I know many do not think our vote matters. Until 2020, I thought our president had an overall control over our country. I hope to see a record number of Minnesota voter turnout. And I look forward to seeing the Albert Lea community come together and work for the betterment of our community, no matter what the election results prove.

Jessica Craig: Local elected officials set the tone for the direction of our city. I hope we can accelerate growth and attract a multitude of businesses. This will increase our tax base to provide strong infrastructure and lessen the burden on homeowners. We have such potential!

George Marin: My hope is to see some fresh new faces on our school board and city council. We have needed this for some time now. I believe we have some great candidates that would serve with humility, transparency, accountability, and human connection.

Mandy Grzybowski: I’m hoping for leaders who are willing to do what’s necessary to keep our city, schools, county and country in line with our great Constitution.

Brenda Sorenson: Republicans take control back. Our southern border controlled. Better fiscal control of our runaway government (all levels) and removal of CRT and Wokeness in our school.

Lorenzo Moreno: It doesn’t necessarily matter who wins the election today. What really matters is the future and the well-being of our community, in Albert Lea, Minnesota. I hope with whoever wins this election that they help bring peace, good values, strong work ethic into our community.

Cheryl Freitag: I hope to see candidates win who see the struggles of the average Minnesotan and have a plan to ease those struggles. I want representatives who support law enforcement and recognize we have out of control crime that can only be fixed by supporting and empowering our cops. I want to be represented by people who support the Second Amendment. These are reasons why I voted all Republican.

Al Arends: I’m almost 90 and with so much anger and turmoil, let’s get the election behind us, agree with each other, forget the things that have caused so much anguish and like Jesus says love one another.

Thank you to all the candidates who have made us proud to campaign for. A special thanks to the many people from their teens to their 90s who have done so much to help during this campaign. I am very proud to have spent so much time with each of you. My name will not be on any ballots, but I enjoyed being our Freeborn County Republican’s chairman and serving so many great candidates. I will run for another term as our county’s chairman again because now, we have a presidential campaign to run.

Robert Hoffman is chairman of the Freeborn County Republicans.