MEDIA | Wikstrom for Minnesota

A special election to elect a representative for Minnesota House District 40B has been scheduled for March 11 to fill a vacancy after Curtis Johnson, the DFL candidate who won in November, was later disqualified by a Ramsey County District Court judge who determined that Johnson didn’t reside in House District 40B as required by state law.

When allegations that Johnson didn’t live in the district were raised by Paul Wikstrom, Johnson’s opponent, prior to the November election, fellow DFLer David Gottfried told the state’s largest newspaper that he was aware of the residency allegations but didn’t bring them up in his own endorsement contest with Johnson because he felt they were untrue and also said at the time, “To the best of my knowledge, the claim that Curtis doesn’t live in the district is false.” Just prior to Election Day, Gottfried posted a selfie touting that he was door-knocking for Johnson. Wikstrom later filed suit in Ramsey County District Court, presenting the overwhelming evidence of Johnson’s non-residency that led to Johnson’s disqualification.

In recent years, more and more accounts of fraud in programs administered by Minnesota state government agencies have emerged, cumulatively totaling over $600 million by one estimate. How can taxpayers trust Gottfried to support efforts to uncover such fraud when election fraud was occurring right under his nose and he did nothing to stop it? Voters in 40B who care about fighting the fraudulent use of their hard-earned tax dollars should vote on March 11 for Paul Wikstrom, the candidate who called out the fraud in the prior 40B election.

Kathy McCarthy | Shoreview

Shoreview Press Publication

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Feb. 25, 2025

Coverage for House 40B Election

Over the past several months the Shoreview Press has missed multiple opportunities to report on the fraud and peculiarities of the open seat in HD40B despite a deadlocked Minnesota House and major media attention focused on our little slice of the world.

To wit, in the February 11 edition under Political Brief, Shoreview Press states “ …writ of special election to fill a vacancy in the House District 40B in Ramsey County following the resignation of Representative-elect Curtis Johnson.” That’s an awfully kind way of putting it. Curtis Johnson was found ineligible for HD40B by a Ramsey County Court District judge because he never lived in our district. He committed election fraud and voter fraud. Shoreview Press should stick to the facts and not run cover for politicians.

Sharon Peterson | Shoreview

Shoreview Press Publication

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Feb. 25, 2025

Changes Need to be Made to Election Laws

There needs to be a change to our election laws, which are currently written to benefit cheating. If someone is found to have cheated in an election, they shouldn’t get a “redo,” which is pretty much what is happening in Roseville and Shoreview with this special election March 11 in HD40B. As it stands now, there is no penalty for election fraud — if you get caught, no problem; we’ll keep having elections until we get the predetermined result.

Dale Oden | Shoreview

Shoreview Press Publication

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Feb. 25, 2025

Dear Neighbors in 40B

We have a rare opportunity to restore a balanced government in Minnesota. Fraudulent residency representation by Curtis Johnson, the 2024 DFL candidate in 40B (Roseville/Shoreview), has resulted in a special election on March 11, and your vote is now more important than ever. Truth has a second chance in Minnesota!

For the past two years, one-party control has made Minnesota less affordable for all Minnesotans. Fraud due to lack of oversight and accountability has ballooned to over $610 million. The $18 billion surplus was recklessly spent, and we are now facing a $5 billion deficit. Businesses and higher-income residents are fleeing our state in droves, which is leaving us with a higher tax bill. Seniors are being taxed out of their homes and Minnesota, with ever-increasing property taxes, high income taxes, taxes on Social Security and other fees. All while our tax dollars are funding so-called “affordable housing” projects, which are anything but affordable.

The governor’s new tax proposal, while nominally lowering the sales tax rate, will expand goods and services that are subject to sales tax, resulting in a net tax increase of $184 million for the next two years. During the League of Women Voters forum, the new 2025 DFL candidate for our district proposed even more taxes on interest earned, investments and estates. This will hit all Minnesotans hard, but especially seniors, as many rely on investment income for daily living expenses.

That is why I am voting for Paul Wikstrom. Paul has a record of exposing fraud and is committed to holding government agencies accountable. He will fight on our behalf to restore trust and oversight in our state government and fight to make Minnesota affordable once more. Please make a plan to vote and consider voting early, as absentee ballots will be available for this special election.

Denise Kruse | Shoreview

Shoreview Press Publication

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Feb. 25, 2025

Special Election House 40B

Special elections like the one scheduled for HD40B, which includes the southern part of Shoreview, happen from time to time for legitimate reasons.

This is not one of them.

A candidate lied about his residency during the general election despite calls from his opponent and the media to come clean with the voters and correct the situation.

s a result of shenanigans, the voters of HD40B have to do it all over again, the Minnesota House has been thrown into chaos and we, the taxpayers, are stuck with the bill and the inconvenience. Unbelievable.

Lisa Elvidge | Shoreview

Shoreview Press Publication

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Feb. 25, 2025

Election has not Received Enough Coverage

We have a special election in Shoreview March 11 because a candidate in the general election lied about his residency and was given support and cover by other elected officials and activists with firsthand knowledge of the fraud and deception.

This story has not received enough coverage, and the people responsible have been given a pass.

What a shame!

Kristy Hubbard | Shoreview

Shoreview Press Publication

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Feb. 25, 2025

Vote Paul Wikstrom for House 40B

Voters in House District 40B (southern Shoreview and most of Roseville) will be choosing their representative in the Minnesota House on March 11 because the purported winner of the November election was disqualified for not living in the district.

Now voters can choose between Paul Wikstrom, a candidate who has lived in the district for the past 28 years and, with his wife, has raised three children who completed all of their education in one of the two public school systems in 40B, and his opponent, David Gottfried, who has lived most of his adult life far outside 40B, including years out of state in New York City. Wikstrom has consistently pledged that, if elected, he will make restoring academic proficiency to public education one of his top three priorities, a commitment that evolved from his hard-fought campaign for the Mounds View School Board in 2023. His opponent only occasionally references education among a litany of items in his campaign materials and couldn’t even vote in the school board elections for Mounds View or Roseville in November 2023 because he first moved into the district in December 2023, just in time to register his campaign committee less than two months later for the House District 40B election. (He lost the endorsement to the candidate who he knew didn’t live in the district but has now been endorsed as the replacement for the special election.)

I’m voting for Paul Wikstrom, the candidate for House District 40B who has been a long-time member of our community who we can trust to make improving academic proficiency in public education a top priority.

Jodi Thurner | Shoreview

***GOVENOR WALZ

ISSUES WRIT

2/5/2025***

Click to read this writ from the office of Govenor Walz, State of Minnesota.

Writ 40B 02_05_2025.pdf

*** UPDATE TO PUBLIC STATEMENT 01/17/25***

SUPREME COURT AWARDS PAUL WIKSTROM SECOND BIG WIN

While DFL House Representatives Remain Absent

Shoreview, MN - Paul Wikstrom wrote, “I am gratified by the Supreme Court’s decision. It is clear that all of us must follow the rule of law, or we have chaos. I look forward to the governor issuing the writ for special election that conforms to statute and recognizes the duly seated legislature.”

Wikstrom is ready to represent the Shoreview and Roseville communities, where affordability, crime and education are especially important. Paul emphasized the need to return to a state of public trust and transparency. “We need to bring people back together in the public square to listen to each other and draw on our collective gifts to make Minnesota a better place to live. We need to bring balance back to our governing bodies.”

The Minnesota Democrats continue to operate with deceit, overspending and ineffective solutions for reducing crime in our communities. If elected Paul Wikstrom will show up to work - every day - for the residents of House District 40B | Roseville/Shoreview, and in effect, all Minnesotans.

Paul Wikstrom

2024 Endorsed Republican Candidate

Minnesota HD 40B Roseville/Shoreview

Email: FriendsForPaulWikstrom@gmail.com Phone: 612-643-0060

*** STATEMENT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE 12/20/2024***

We are gratified by Judge Leonardo Castro’s ruling which conforms to the law. He conducted a fair and impartial hearing.

I want to acknowledge the great team effort by the volunteers on my campaign team, and the exceptional work by our legal team: Nicholas Morgan and Erick Kaardal.

We look forward to the resolution of this matter so that the residents of House District 40B will be represented in the Minnesota House as soon as possible.

Paul Wikstrom

2024 Endorsed Republican Candidate

Minnesota HD 40B Roseville/Shoreview

Email: FriendsForPaulWikstrom@gmail.com Phone: 612-643-0060

**UPDATE FOR PUBLIC RELEASE 10/29/2024***

**UPDATE** Minnesota House District (HD) 40B Candidate Paul Wikstrom statement on Curtis Johnson’s ineligible non-resident status, media stonewalling, and DFL Party dishonesty toward the voters of Minnesota (10/29/2024)

On October 15, my campaign released a video ad that further supports publicly available information and records that suggests Curtis Johnson is not a resident of HD 40B. It appears that he is not qualified for the office he seeks according to MN Statute 204B.06 “Filing For Primary: Affidavit Of Candidacy” Subd. 4a(4).

There is a growing pile of evidence including the very recently recorded Oct 14th homestead property tax payment from Curtis Johnson on his Little Canada residence. Coincidentally this property tax payment was posted on October 14, the day before our campaign video ad began running on October 15.

Despite growing voter concern over several months, the newspaper of record for Shoreview, as well as the broader metropolitan media have been silent on the important issue of Curtis Johnson’s residency status. With the exceptions of printed news reports from Alpha News (Oct 18th), the Star Tribune (Oct 26th) and the Pioneer Press (Oct 28th), the silence of the broader media, in particular television media, has been alarming. Are voters going to the polls uninformed?

Curtis Johnson’s status as a candidate is now in front of the voters to consider, despite the lack of coverage by local television media. I call on the media entities who have remained silent to do their job: to investigate and expose the residency issue of Curtis Johnson’s candidacy. I call upon Curtis Johnson and the DFL party to be truthful and forthcoming with the voters of HD 40B and Minnesota.

My campaign will continue to focus on issues of great importance to the voters of HD40B in the remaining days of the election, which include making Minnesota affordable, reducing crime to improve community safety, and improving proficiencies in our public education.

Paul Wikstrom
Endorsed Republican Candidate
Minnesota HD 40B
Roseville/Shoreview

Email: FriendsForPaulWikstrom@gmail.com Phone: 612-643-0060

*** UPDATE 10/27/2024***

**UPDATE** Minnesota House District (HD) 40B Candidate Paul Wikstrom statement on Curtis Johnson’s ineligible non-resident status, media stonewalling, and DFL Party dishonesty toward the voters of Minnesota (10/27/2024)

On October 15, my campaign released a video ad that further supports publicly available information and records that suggests Curtis Johnson is not a resident of HD 40B. It appears that he is not qualified for the office he seeks according to MN Statute 204B.06 “Filing For Primary: Affidavit Of Candidacy” Subd. 4a(4).

There is a growing pile of evidence including the very recently recorded Oct 14th homestead property tax payment from Curtis Johnson on his Little Canada residence. Coincidentally this property tax payment was posted on October 14, the day before our campaign video ad began running on October 15.

Despite growing voter concern over several months, the newspapers of record for Roseville and Shoreview, as well as the broader metropolitan media have been silent on the important issue of Curtis Johnson’s residency status. One noted exception: Alpha News has served the voters by publishing an article on October 18. Update: The Star Tribune released an article "Roseville House district candidate's residency questioned" on October 26.

Curtis Johnson’s status as a candidate is now in front of the voters to consider, despite the largely absent media coverage. I call on the media entities who have remained silent to do their job: to investigate and expose the residency issue of Curtis Johnson’s candidacy. I call upon Curtis Johnson and the DFL party to be truthful and forthcoming with the voters of HD 40B and Minnesota.

My campaign will continue to focus on issues of great importance to the voters of HD40B in the remaining days of the election, which include making Minnesota affordable, reducing crime to improve community safety, and improving proficiencies in our public education.

Paul Wikstrom

2024 Endorsed Republican Candidate

Minnesota HD 40B Roseville/Shoreview

Email: FriendsForPaulWikstrom@gmail.com Phone: 612-643-0060

*** UPDATE TO PUBLIC STATEMENT 10/25/24***

Minnesota House District (HD) 40B Candidate Paul Wikstrom statement on Curtis Johnson’s ineligible non-resident status, media stonewalling, and DFL Party dishonesty toward the voters of Minnesota
(10/25/2024)

On October 15, my campaign released a video ad that further supports publicly available information and records that suggests Curtis Johnson is not a resident of HD 40B. It appears that he is not qualified for the office he seeks according to MN Statute 204B.06 “Filing For Primary: Affidavit Of Candidacy” Subd. 4a(4).

There is a growing pile of evidence including the very recently recorded Oct 14th homestead property tax payment from Curtis Johnson on his Little Canada residence. Coincidentally this property tax payment was posted on October 14, the day before our campaign video ad began running on October 15.

Despite growing voter concern over several months, the newspapers of record for Roseville and Shoreview, as well as the broader metropolitan media have been silent on the important issue of Curtis Johnson’s residency status. One noted exception: Alpha News has served the voters by publishing an article on October 18.

Curtis Johnson’s status as a candidate is now in front of the voters to consider, despite the largely absent media coverage. I call on the media entities who have remained silent to do their job: to investigate and expose the residency issue of Curtis Johnson’s candidacy. I call upon Curtis Johnson and the DFL party to be truthful and forthcoming with the voters of HD 40B and Minnesota.

My campaign will continue to focus on issues of great importance to the voters of HD40B in the remaining days of the election, which include making Minnesota affordable, reducing crime to improve community safety, and improving proficiencies in our public education.