Renee Van Nett Launches Campaign For State Senate Seat

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth city councilor Renee Van Nett launched her campaign on Monday for the Minnesota 8th district state senate seat as a DFL candidate.

Van Nett, who served as the council’s first-ever indigenous city council president last year, is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

She said that she is for strong environmental regulations, especially when it comes to issues like building oil pipelines.

Van Nett said she is also pro-union and a proponent for getting people to work, as she has family ties to Iron Workers Local 512.

“I’m ready to take on, take my strong iron-working grit to St. Paul, and speak for the city of Duluth and work for the city of Duluth,” she said. “I’m ready to put you back to work, give you a voice and help you obtain your voice like I did at city hall when I got elected some years back.”

Van Nett will challenge first-term state senator Jen McEwen in the primary on August 9th.