Thoughts on the previous weeks events and conversations

9/16/2026

“AI will strip us naked, sexually assault us and kill us all within 10 years.” At least that’s what some of our political leaders want you to believe in their newest fear mongering election tactic. “We must pass laws now to take political control from these horrible engineers creating this monster.”

The truth is that AI is a powerful tool that allows individuals to get access to information and viewpoints that the politicians do not want them to have and take action on that knowledge in ways they may not previously have had the skills for. As with all tools, the information can be accurate or inaccurate, it can be biased, it can be friendly or mean. None of that has changed since the first person put pen to paper. In fact, that’s what AI really is, print for the 21st century with some skill enhancement thrown in.

What’s new is AI’s ability to create new information pulled from various sources and combined in such a way that no person had yet thought of. It also has the ability to act on that information either by direction of or in the absence of human intervention. As AI, like many politicians, has no moral compass; this can be either a positive or negative outcome depending on the viewpoint, and one cannot be legislated away without removing the other.

I am far more concerned about the natural intelligence that is actively trying to harm us now. Scammers trying to steal our wealth (and I don’t just mean politicians), hackers trying to disrupt our water systems, politicians trying to use laws against companies as a back door route to eliminating our natural rights and violent repeat offenders that keep being let back into society. Let’s work on preventing harm by these real threats of today, and that will in itself address the potential threats of AI in the future.

9/8/2026

We have been hearing the word “Bipartisanship” a lot recently. The politicians that were shouting “this is how you use a majority” in 2023 now want you to believe that they are bipartisan, working with the other party to get things done. Unsolicited political consultant emails that I receive tell me to use bipartisan when I talk to people. What does that really mean?

Bipartisanship has gotten us over $40 Trillion dollars of Federal Debt, with over $2 Trillion being added every year driving up inflation and costing every American over $2800 each year just in interest.

Bipartisanship has avoided passing additional laws protecting our elections even though 80% of Americans want it.

I believe in Nonpartisanship. While I tend to agree with Republicans far more often than Democrats, I do not work for the Republican Party. I will work for, listen to and represent the citizens of Apple Valley, Rosemount and Eagan in a manner that I believe will be best for their long term success. I cannot promise that everyone will always like my decisions, but I will always make them in the best interests of my constituents and not the political parties.

8/24/2026

Friday, the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board announced the distribution of over $5 million dollars of taxpayer funds to political campaigns throughout the state. This money will be used to flood your mailbox with junk, air attack ads while you try to relax watching tv and incessantly bombard you with text and phone calls. I declined to participate in this giveaway and value your privacy and intelligence too much to continually harass you for the next 10 weeks until election day.

This week I was reminded by MNGOP members that my opponent will be receiving these taxpayer subsidies in addition to fund raising, all while collecting a Senate salary while out campaigning. I heard suggestions that I needed to quit my job, place aside my beliefs that Minnesotans have already suffered enough over the past 8 years and start fund raising every day until election day. I won’t do it; and since I don’t owe MNGOP anything for my primary win, I don’t have to. I am not running for a political party, I am running for the people of Apple Valley, Rosemount and Eagan.

I believe in “practicing what I preach.” I have continually heard the refrain from all parties to get money and lifetime politicians out of politics. Maybe we will now find out if that is what people really want. We have seen the results of education over experience, identity over achievement and violent attacks over cooperation. I have been told by people of all parties how tired they are of making excuses for MN government.

Remember Normal? If so, tell your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors to check out my campaign and then decide for themselves. Thank you again for your support, Ray

8/16/2026

The last week has been astonishing. We went from being told that I had no chance because I refuse to beg for money, pander for endorsements or perform any of the other political circus acts as everyone else, to receiving your vote to become the Republican Nominee for Minnesota Senate District 56 in the November General Election. I am beyond grateful for the trust you have placed in me.

I have been accused of not being serious because I will not “play the game.” I most definitely am serious, but I ran because I’m tired of “the game.” I’m tired of my home state thinking that they can do whatever they want to the citizens because they had a one vote majority. I’m tired of endless tax increases to fund ever more waste and fraud. I’m tired of children graduating high school that can’t read their diploma. I want change, and that begins with my campaign. If I don’t believe in myself enough to fund myself, then I shouldn’t be doing this. I know however, that I cannot do it alone. I truly thank each of you that has believed in my campaign enough to spread the word to your family, friends and neighbors. This wouldn’t have happened without you.

Now as we head toward November, I will continue to count on your support at getting the word out and then getting the vote out. I have ordered a limited number of yard signs for those that would like to support me by providing a location. Send me an email with your address, permission and preferred contact method and I will personally bring it out when they arrive. Again, there is no charge and no donation. For those that question why I don’t take donations or sell “merchandise,” it is because I, unlike our current politicians, would feel bad if it turned out to be wasted or stolen.

Thank you again for this tremendous achievement. Ray