Austin Winkelmans - Experience as a candidate

Hi, my name is Austin. I have been running for congress, I just want to share some of the experiences I have had with you. Because well, the world looks a lot different than when you are on the other side as the voter. Not a lot of people talk about it. Ready for the ups and downs? The uncertainty of it all? Well then sit back and I will attempt to tell you a story’s. So, I suppose starting out at the beginning would be of benefit, back in November me and my family were just coming off of being destitute, in every sense of the word, homeless, jobless and we spent the summer in a tent. No one could take all of us in, but that is all the past and beside the point, this was the point I said I was going to run. I should not have; I should have kept my job. But at a certain point you can only take sabotage and being called “boss” in a condescending Toan. So off I went like a fool into the unknown, to run for congress.

I think my first mistake came from trusting my local DFL CD-6 leadership, the first thing I did before I filled out any paperwork before anything I contacted them. Let me tell you it was not exactly easy to find them. But irrespective of that I went from meeting in person for coffee to a zoom meeting in a few days, but I played along had a wonderful time and walked away thinking I had a shot. As time went on, I worked on the back end of my campaign and by December I was ready to start fundraising. But not entirely sure what to do I reached back out to my District leadership to let them know, I was told “a team” would be in contact in March. There was no contact, there was no team, if I had known I would have been looking for local DFL district events. But as there was no team and no contact, I had no idea they played me. But on I marched, attempting to figure it out the best I could on my own. What I lost most was time and the endorsement of the DFL.

My google admin log showed on December 11th I was hacked by an unknown state actor, I must say was one of the most annoying things I have ever had happen to me. It took from December to march to get them out of my Email, see I fully expected to be spied on. Everyone’s personal data is just up for sale anyway so whatever, after I wrote the 28th amendment – A woman’s reproductive rights. That is when they went from spying to attempting to destroy my work, the first thing I tried to do was report it to the FBI using their website. Was not able to, so I pulled my hard drive to protect the data. Then decided to just talk to someone in person, GPS told me there was a place in St. cloud, Mn. It took me to a parking garage, I stopped for a second pulled up, the FBI office closer to the city’s I knew about and walked in the front Door. Totally something they are not used to, got a nice business card, and went on my way. Then after a week or two of assault and retaliation, finally I just called the FBI. Nice people who hang up on you after telling you to report it to the website you cannot use, I wanted to facepalm at that moment.

Then there are simply weird random events that happen like the guy at the parade who wanted to fistfight me and actually put his hands on me and tried to push me around. I made him out to be an alcoholic, he reminded me of a shorter version of my father drunk at noon at a public event. Once I made my point that what he did wasn’t cool I gave him double middle fingers and backed off, he spent the remainder of the parade shouting about how we have to fight and every thing we know is a lie and wandering past trying to stare me down, it made me sad to see what some people have been lead to believe, I can tell you he wasn’t a democrat as I triggered him to boo the DFL by shouting and cheering for them as they walked by, it was unintentional. I just wanted to mock Jeanny a bit. one other thing that comes to mind is when I was in the Elk River, MN parade we usually end up in the back 10, the DFL marched by one of the marchers said loud enough for my wive in the car to hear her say, He shouldn’t even be allowed to run, he should just fallow the DFL rules and drop out. To which I say, why even vote if all we are going to do is go for the “endorsed Candidate,” why even have a primary process? If you cannot survive a primary, you are not a strong candidate to begin with and that is exposed. As well I am not a member of the DFL and due to the treatment, I have received from the DFL, I will never support the DFL as an Organization.

It has not all been bad, 95% of the parades have been a blast. I have actually had people cheering my name, which has to be for me on the most bizarre things for me. At first, I did not really know how to respond the first time it happened in Blane, Mn. I just wanted to hide, but there was no place to hide in the middle of a street full of people. I tried to respond after with gratitude, I just try to have fun at parades and remember that its mostly for the kids with the opportunity to get Infront of a lot of people. The parade in Foley, Mn, actually gave me a chance to meet some of my relatives. As my old man tends not to interact with his family much. last, I had seen any of them I was 16 years old at a family reunion. I remember I spent most of my time skateboarding. Everyone was hanging around listening to Babe play guitar and shooting the shit.

There has been so much exploring and just finding interesting things, I think at this point I have spent countless hours traveling, approximately 3,000 MI. traveled, I would not trade a second of it. Some places like Young America, MN East bethel, MN New Germany, MN. I wish I had more time and resources, so I could better get into the community. That is one regret I have so far, I home come August 13th I win the primary so I can have the time at the vary least to spend there. But being new in experienced and lacking a campaign manager has put me at a disadvantage in planning and executing events. Still, we march on.

A lot of the people I have had the opportunity to speak to and meet have been amazing, full of interesting ideas. Like the guy I met in an Elk River parking lot. He had an idea that if Native American tribes used there allowed it, abortions could be performed in their clinics. Interesting idea and it has potential. But he is just a random guy, he is unlikely to ever get his idea heard. Something I can sympathies with, sometimes it seems like none of them are listening. Lot of the People in Monticello, MN. after being away for so many years it Made me feel back at home, seen some people I recognized. I can guarantee none of them Would have seen me as the type of person to run for congress, in all reality nether did I. by middle school I adopted the mask of a fool. People do not like being shown up, or talked down to about how wrong they are about something. So, I quickly learned playing an ignorant fool is the best approach to fitting in and avoiding negative attention.

After much thought and damage to my ego, witch ego needs damaging from time to time. I have decided I will not be running for congress or any other elected office again, it is like I said at the start the world looks a lot different when you are the candidate opposed to the voter. As this has never been about me, its been about my proposed 28th amendment for woman’s reproductive health. If I get rejected for who I am, rather than that for which I am fighting. well then, I think we are all screwed, I can only bang my head against the wall so much before I give up. So come August 13th if I cannot secure the nomination, I will make you promise today to go away, if I lose. I have no intention of being a career politician, I just wat my damn 28th amendment and I go home. Part of me keeps telling me I have no shot. but another part, a louder stronger will not let me stop, it is annoying.

So, on we March.