I found out today that I will be a delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The decision was made by delegates to the CD3 congressional district convention. Thank you to all the CD3 delegates who voted for me. 

I have wanted to be a national delegate for a long time, but this was the first time that I submitted my name. I was hoping that all of the Democratic volunteering that I have done in the past four years would give me a chance to be selected.  

Minnesota will have 91 delegates to the national convention. Forty-nine delegates are elected at the congressional district conventions, 16 at-large delegates are elected at the state convention, 16 are automatic party leaders and elected officials, and 10 are DFL party leaders. 

I submitted my name to the CD3 congressional district convention. The 49 congressional delegates were divided among the eight congressional districts and CD3 was allocated three male delegates and four female delegates. Based on the primary election in March, the delegates were divided between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders: two male and three female for Biden and one male and one female for Sanders. I submitted my name to be a Biden delegate. 

I had thought there would be about 50 males applying to be a national delegate but there were only about 12. I’m guessing that the possibility of a viral national convention versus a live national convention with large parties every night reduced the appeal of being a national delegate. 

All of the Biden delegates to the congressional district convention voted online for the Biden national delegates. To win the voters, I submitted a video which they could view online, mailed a postcard to all of them, and sent an email that gave them more information about my background and the political issues I support. 

Here is a link to the video: https://youtu.be/4uhDj855t0M
As you will see, I held up seven political t-shirts during the video to illustrate the campaigns I have supported. I thought I was pretty clever. 

Below is the email about my background and issues and below the email is the postcard. 

All of the male Biden candidates for national delegate were highly qualified so I feel lucky to be selected. I will promise to be the best national delegate I can be no matter if the national convention is held in Milwaukee, divided up among several regional conventions, or is entirely online. 

Email to CD3 Convention Delegates 

 I’m Jerry Gale and I’d like your support to become a Biden delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

 Hopefully you have already received my postcard, watched my video, and read my statement. All three discuss how after I retired and lost my wife of 42 years to colon cancer in 2017, I decided to change from an occasional DFL volunteer to a dedicated volunteer. All three also outlined my volunteer activities for Tim Walz, Dean Phillips, Mellissa Hortman, Amy Klobuchar, and NARAL ProChoice Minnesota and my dedication to making Joe Biden our next President. 

 What I’d like to do here is tell you more about my background and the issues that are important to me.

 I grew up on a farm in central Iowa with three brothers. My dad and mom were Roosevelt/Truman Democrats and I learned early that the Democrats were the ones who care about the working folks. I attended Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, IA, met a young woman from Edina, got married, and moved to Minneapolis. 

I remember my excitement moving to Minneapolis, the land of McCarthy, Humphrey, and Mondale. I was going to get involved in politics, but life happened. I got an MBA from the University of Minnesota, started working in business, and started a family – a daughter and a son. But I never gave up my interest in the political process and I volunteered as much as I could on many campaigns over the years. 

The issues that motivate me include:

•   Education. My wife was a math instructor at Anoka Technical College and my daughter teaches math at Osseo High School so I understand the importance of fully funding education.
•   Environment. One of the most crucial issues dividing Republicans and Democrats. Climate change is real. Believe the science. Save the planet.
•   Supporting Farmers. I grew up on a farm and still own 80 acres in Iowa with my brothers.
•   Medical Aid in Dying. Not an issue that is discussed much, but after watching my wife die from cancer, I believe people should have this option.
•   Sensible Gun Regulations. No one needs to own a semiautomatic weapon.
•   Reproductive Freedom and Abortion Access. Obviously, this is an important issue for me since I serve on the board of NARAL ProChoice Minnesota and volunteer monthly as a patient escort at the Robbinsdale Clinic.

 I hope this email provides you the information you need to support me as a Biden Delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention. If you have questions or comments, please call me at 763-354-4637 or email me at jerrygalemn@gmail.com. You can follow me on twitter @mndemsvolunteer and on my blog at www.mndemsvolunteer.com.