To the Editor,

Every two years, we vote for our representative to the federal government. In the Congressional Seventh District, our choices are limited. The Republican party was split by two factions, and the Hard Right won. Our Representative is Hard Right.

The federal government is complicated and busy. No time to be wasted. It was designed for 435 representatives to debate, negotiate, and ultimately reach a consensus on the federal budget and move on to the next issue. The Hard Right stopped the government in its tracks. That is bad governing.

How about an independent candidate to represent the moderate middle on the ballot? Imagine, no party strings. Imagine a ballot with more choices. An independent candidate needs 1,000 signatures during two weeks in May to get on the general election ballot. I would like to earn that spot.

I agree with Minnesota women’s right to autonomy over their own bodies.  The Hard Right has a federal law ready to overrule the state law.  I welcome in-depth discussion on that difficult topic and others.

Good fiscal governing means being aware and vigilant about waste, fraud, abuse and special interests. It is the most important job in Congress. That means negotiating to a moderate middle.

The southern border is a mess. A bipartisan group, including a senator from a border state, negotiated a plan to address it this year. The Hard Right stopped it. It will be an issue again next year, as well as so many more.

We have more than 700,000 people in the Seventh District. Yet less than half of us vote. For the next two months, I will be in towns across the seventh district, to meet you and learn about what’s important to you. If you want more choice on the ballot, then help me get a spot on the November ballot.

Look for dates and times to talk one to one, and for news about Get on the Ballot Petition Rallies on my Facebook page.

Next week, I will be at the Wadena Public Library 5-6 p..m on March 28, Park Rapids Public Library 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on March 30, and at New York Mills library 5-6 p.m. on April 1. Find me at Muckala.ontheballot@gmail.com or at www.facebook.com/Muckala.ontheballot.

Teresa Muckala,

New York Mills