Purple reign: Being a legislator in a swing district means frequent voter contact

LINO LAKES, Minn. ― On a steamy Tuesday evening as some Lino Lakes residents took their dogs for post-dinner walks, mowed their lawns into sharp diagonal stripes and chatted on their stoops, state Sen. Heather Gustafson scrolled through addresses on her cellphone as she stood in the street.

With a lightweight "Tortured Poets Department" tote over her shoulder, the first-term DFL senator from Vadnais Heights was trying to navigate the route for door-knocking. Gustafson won't face re-election until 2026, but in this purple suburban district northeast of the Twin Cities, the campaign is constant.

"I promised my community I'd be different. I wouldn't just show up when I wanted their vote," she said of her off-year presence at the doors. "I want them to know that I'm here for the right reasons and I value their feedback."

Gustafson, a longtime teacher at Centennial High School, represents Senate District 36. She won the seat in 2022, defeating veteran Republican Sen. Roger Chamberlain, of Lino Lakes. She received almost 53% of the vote to Chamberlain's 47%. Of 44,212 votes cast, Gustafson won by 2,510.

The senator said she wants constituents to think of her as just another neighbor, a familiar face, so she tries to make low-pressure connections. She doesn't ask about issues unless the resident raises them.

As she hands over a glossy brochure with her photos to a voter, she notes that her contact information is on it and she welcomes calls and emails. She also encourages them to consider supporting Janelle Calhoun, a DFLer running against freshman Rep. Elliot Engen, R-White Bear Township.

Unlike the Senate, all 134 House members are on the ballot this fall. House GOP executive director Andrew Wagner said those candidates have been door-knocking for at least six weeks already.

Some other senators who aren't up for election this year also see value in getting out. Sen. Jordan Rasmusson, R-Fergus Falls, said he needs the extra time to reach every door in his sprawling Republican district with five counties and the same square mileage as Connecticut. He's a former House member who was on the ballot every two years.

"I door-knock every interim whether I'm on the ballot or not," he said, adding that he always learns of voter concerns that he ends up diving into, such as mental health care and economic instability. "I just find it really valuable."

Stepping up to one house, Gustafson saw she wasn't the only one trying to woo voters. A pamphlet hung on the doorknob from the conservative group Americans for Prosperity. Gustafson knocked. No response. She left a flier.

On this night, she had a list of some two dozen houses. When she's campaigning for herself, Gustafson said she knocks on 350 doors a week. During her winning campaign, she said she hit 10,000.

She keeps it light. Topics include the friendly family dog, a recent high school grad's upcoming plans to enroll at St. John's University in Collegeville this fall and Gustafson's background as a teacher.

One resident asked the senator if she misses teaching. "Sometimes I miss the kids," Gustafson said, adding she doesn't miss their omnipresent cellphones.

Another woman tells Gustafson that she's a supporter and would welcome a lawn sign. Gustafson makes a note on her phone. "I'm making a human connection with them," Gustafson said. "You want to be normal; they're going to look you up."

Her phone chirps. A House member from a neighboring district asks if she will help him door-knock the following night. Door-knocking has its ups (seeing wildlife, including a 10-point buck in a yard) and downs (being yelled by a resident or urinated on by a pet).

Gustafson's been through two legislative sessions now, including 2024 when she sponsored and carried gun safety measures which are difficult to pass even when the DFL holds the majority in both chambers of the Legislature. One bill enhanced penalties for straw buyers and another banned binary triggers. A third bill to require safe storage didn't survive the session.

Taking on those bills added to the workload. Gustafson estimated she had some 200 meetings between the end of the 2023 session and 2024. She saw taking on the issue as a way to pay back her supporters. "We've lost too many neighbors and family members to gun violence, specifically suicides and domestic violence," she said. "Something has to change."