Don Samuels Wins 5th Ward DFL Endorsement, The Story In Pictures

Photos By John Hoff

Here are images and anecdotes about yesterday's 5th Ward DFL convention, which handed an endorsement victory to City Council Member Don Samuels.

From top to bottom, the young man in the first picture is...

Damonta Hodges (pronounced Dah-Mon-Tay) who was with the Samuels campaign. He was introduced to me by Samuels campaign worker Megan Goodmundson. Damonta didn't want to wear a red Samuels t-shirt because he had worked so hard on his outfit, but he was definitely a Samuels supporter, as were the approximately one dozen young women who there with Damonta as a kind of "Samuels campaign cheerleading squad." 

In the next picture, Al "I Am The Community" Flowers helps an older lady to her feet during the convention. His longer-than-a-long-shot mayoral speech was, if anything, anti-climactic. 

In the red shirt and do-rag, Tyrone Jaramillo models Don Samuels apparel while putting up yard signs outside the park building, where Saturday's convention was held. Jaramillo is on the "New Majority" JACC board.

Next, Samuels campaign manager Vladimir Monroe didn't get all dressed up like that to have people NOT take his picture. Monroe later told me he'd been approached to run against Don Samuels. For the record, one of Don Samuels' young daughters has not given up on the notion that SHE is the rightful campaign manager for her daddy, and Monroe is some kind of unwanted interloper.

The next photo really shows the humble, servant-like spirit of Brian Bushay, Fifth Ward Convention Coordinator, reelected this year. Note how the color of the floor seems to merge with Bushay, as though he and the convention floor are one and the same.

Next, Jerry Moore and Jackie Cherryhomes confer.

Democracy on the gym floor: members of the Credentials Committee huddle together to get something settled prior to the convention. Jerry Moore makes a motion that somebody kick Kip Browne's Ass. Motion dies for lack of a second.

Baby Avery and one of her two mommies. I tried to get a good picture of all three of them, but the baby was being wiggly and this was the best photo. Avery is a very delicate, pixie-like child.

Next, Jerry Moore shares info with Steve Brandt, Star Tribune reporter.

Here, please note, no meaningful recycling effort was made at the 5th Ward DFL Convention. What's up with that, DFL?

Next, after the convention at Broadway Pizza, a lone McNight supporter shows up to share her views with Donald Samuels. In the next picture, a member of the Samuels "cheerleading squad" poses next to a stylishly modified Samuels shirt. The final photo shows pizza, pizza, pizza.

Sometimes--especially in grass roots campaigns--victory goes to the side that throws the best parties. This is the kind of stuff they teach in Poli Sci 101.