I'm Jim Cohen. For nearly forty years I’ve been organizing, mobilizing and activating people. I’ve been a citizen activist, environmental and consumer leader, grass-roots organizer, civil and constitutional rights advocate, teacher and union member… fighting passionately for the rights of workers, the middle class and under-represented citizens all across the country.
As a candidate, I will be running against the slash and burn, no-holds barred, winner-take-all super-partisan politics that’s routinely practiced in Washington these days by the Republicans… and, yes, by too many Democrats as well.
Extreme partisan politics has created a huge gap between our ideals as a nation and the reality of our politics, between the enormous size of our problems and the smallness of our partisan bickering.
If you will, call me a Democrat Different: a DFL pragmatic progressive committed to getting results.
NEWS
2.6.2008
Jim Cohen Supports Al Franken's Campaign
Statement by Al Franken
"Jim Cohen has spent a lifetime in the cause of social justice, fighting to give voice to the voiceless and hope to the struggling. So, while his campaign for the U.S. Senate has ended, his cause endures for all of us who believe, as Jim does fervently, that we can rise above the politics of fear and division to meet the challenges we face.
"During our months together on the campaign trail, Jim and I have shared many a rostrum. I've enjoyed getting to know Jim and listened carefully to his call for a new kind of politics and a Washington where leaders work across party lines to get things done. I share Jim's desire to create new jobs through a "green collar economy," to provide universal, affordable, and quality health care for all Americans, and to fight for meaningful campaign finance reform which will break the stranglehold of big money on politics in this nation.
"So, I am thrilled to receive Jim Cohen's support for my campaign. I value his passion and cherish his friendship."
2.1.2008
Jim Cohen Exits Race for Democratic US Senate Nomination. Urges Supporters to Vote for Barack Obama in Presidential Caucuses.
Statement by Jim Cohen
I entered the race for U.S. Senator to offer a different kind of politics and representation.
My message is simple and clear: We must stop the slash and burn, winner-take-all super-partisan politics practiced by Republicans and Democrats alike in Washington. I ran for Senate because I am appalled that partisan advantage has become more important than solving our nation’s problems. I ran for Senate to offer a politics of coalition building, cooperation and hope focused on what we have in common as Americans, not what divides us.
Many heard my message at forums, debates, and on TV and radio. With little money and no support from powerful interests, I knew I was making a difference when other candidates began adopting my words about the need to, and how to, overcome paralysis and gridlock in Washington.
I knew I was making a difference when the other major issues I raised- advocating single payer, publicly funded universal health care, creating a green collar economy with new jobs in renewable energy industries, and getting our combat troops out of Iraq now- became the central focus of our candidate forums.
I am inspired by the fact that one presidential candidate “gets it.” Barack Obama has the unique ability to rise above the politics of fear and division to bring the change we so desperately need. Like myself, Barack Obama offers a politics of common sense and common good over ideology, straight talk and truth over spin. Like myself, building coalitions to create change and getting results has been the cause of his life, not just rhetoric of a campaign.
I believe that Barack Obama can bring about real change in our health care system. He can break the stalemate of our politics and make health care what it should be in this country: a fundamental right for all, not just an expensive privilege for the few.
In withdrawing, I am urging my supporters to vote for Barack Obama at the caucuses, and I will work hard before and after the caucuses to elect Obama as our President.
While I have advocated fundamental campaign finance reform for years, I am a much more determined advocate now, having experienced first-hand the destructive need for millions of dollars to compete on a level playing field.
Barack Obama courageously supports public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time to reduce the corrupting influence of moneyed special interests.
Obama introduced public financing in the Illinois State Senate, and is the only 2008 candidate to sponsor Senator Russ Feingold’s tough bill to reform the presidential public financing system. For his courageous support of public financing alone, Barack Obama deserves our support.
I have been gratified by the opportunity to participate in such an important race. I have met many wonderful people in the course of this campaign, for which I shall always be grateful. In particular, I thank my supporters and staff for their generous and loyal assistance. It is with great hope that we as citizens of Minnesota will now come together to get behind the best DFL Senate candidate to represent us in Washington D.C.
All of my fellow DFL opponents are superb candidates and fine individuals. Despite our differences, I have enjoyed our civil competition. Any one of them would serve our state and country far better than Norman Coleman. In the coming days I will look carefully at the race and determine whether to support of one of my former opponents. I will also lend a hand where I can to DFL State Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates.
I have run a principled campaign focusing on progressive policies that affect all Americans, especially working men and women. I plan to continue to be involved in the growing movement for fundamental change in our country, by recommitting my energies in the future to working for the public interest.
1.14.2008
Minnesota Public Radio: Meet the Candidates
Jim Cohen on Midday with Gary Eichten
"DFL U.S. Senate candidate Jim Cohen answers questions from the Minnesota Public Radio audience"
Listen to program
12.28.2007
Duluth Bugeteer News
Article by Jana Peterson
In the battle for Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) nomination for U.S. Senate, Jim Cohen is David and fellow candidates Al Franken and Mike Ciresi are Goliath, at least in terms of money raised.
Money may talk, but, rest assured, so does Jim Cohen.
For close to 90 minutes, the enthusiastic candidate stopped only for an occasional drink of water as he outlined his views on the issues, the challenges he faces in the race for Senate and what’s wrong with government today.
Cohen labels himself a “pragmatic progressive.”
“As passionate an advocate as I am, I’ve learned that the way to get things done is NOT to divide and polarize or even label, but to build partnerships,” he writes on his Web site, www.jimcohenforsenate.com. “Talk with people you disagree with. Listen to them. Find common ground. Don’t demonize your opponents or go around making fun of them. Bridge rocky political divides. Organize. Build broad coalitions, both within parties and between them. That’s what it means to be a pragmatic progressive." Continue reading...
9.28.2007
Interview on Democratic Visions
Jim Cohen, a lawyer and past activist protecting the environment, human rights and consumer protection, talks with Tim O'Brien on Democratic Visions about his current campaign for the US Senate. In addition to the campaign issues, the discussion includes hisplans for single payer helad care modeled after Medicare, his vision for troop removal in Iraq and environmental issues which are high on his campaign platform. He outlines some of the steps he would take to combat global warming.
Democratic Visions is a production of Senate District 42 DFL. The Cohen interview can be seen in Edina, Eden Prairie, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Richfield on Channel 15 on Wednesdays at 5:30 pm and Sundays at 9:00 pm running through October 17th. For additional information, call 952.944.2861 or visit www.dflsd42.org
8.03.2007
Recent SurveyUSA Poll Shows Citizen Activist Jim Cohen Making an Impressively Strong Bid for DFL Senate Nomination
In a poll released by SurveyUSA earlier this week, long-time citizen activist and public interest advocate Jim Cohen showed unusual strength in his bid to become the DFL nominee for US Senate in the upcoming race against incumbent Republican Norm Coleman.
Cohen, who declared his candidacy less than three weeks ago, polled nearly as well as his two other well-known competitors for the DFL nomination, garnering an impressive 37% of the vote of potential voters at this early stage. His showing was strong among women, independents and a broad cross-section of all voters.
The surprising outcome of the poll, demonstrates Cohen’s strong appeal to voters throughout Minnesota. In a head-to-head vote against Coleman, the incumbent received only 49% of the vote, with 14% undecided, against relative newcomer Cohen.
Cohen was only 5 percentage points behind the two other well-known and well-resourced candidates for the DFL nomination, comedian Al Franken and attorney Mike Cerisi who have been campaigning for the nomination for many months (in Franken’s case considerably longer). Both Franken and Cerisi received 42% of the vote in a head-to-head match-up with Coleman, who also garnered 49% of the vote against each of them.
Cohen, who has a record of public service and public interest advocacy spanning nearly 40 years , said he was “gratified and encouraged” by the fact that he has demonstrated such a strong showing at this early stage of the nomination process. While he said it was “still a long way from the finish line” to the nomination, DFL Party leaders and activists have noted that Cohen’s background and leadership experience make him a strong contender for the nomination, particularly in view of his impressive early showing.
Cohen said he hopes that fellow DFLers and voters at large will come to know him better in the months ahead. “As people get to know me and hear my message, I hope and expect to get greater support.” He stated that he felt “humbled and privileged” to be part of the political nominating process, and that it was “important that voters see that Mr. Coleman is not effectively representing Minnesotans’ interests.” Cohen said Mr. Coleman “is out of step with Minnesotans on key issues, especially his stand on the war in Iraq,” where Cohen emphasized that Coleman has been a “strong and steady apologist for President Bush’s senseless and misguided policies.”
Cohen has been characterized as a “Pragmatic Progressive” whose organizing, coalition-building efforts and demonstrated leadership qualities have “gotten results” for average citizens. Cohen said he believes that “Minnesotans in particular and Americans in general are seeking to elect Senators who have demonstrated the leadership qualities and public interest commitments that can bridge the ideological political divide and get the job done in Washington.”
According to Cohen, “extreme partisan politics has created a huge gap between the greatness of our ideals as a nation and the smallness of our partisan bickering.”
Cohen said that “common purpose, common ground and common sense” can bring about a “Better America” for all Americans, and that Minnesotans were tired of the “Old Politics” of partisanship and polar extremes.
A South Minneapolis resident, Cohen said he is building a grass-roots “peoples’ campaign” that is challenging the “old politics that allows only the very rich or famous to seek and achieve high public office.’’
Cohen said that his “pragmatic progressive politics” means speaking honestly to Americans, holding our government accountable, and being bold by “speaking truth to power and wealth.”
Cohen remarked that “he stands firmly with the DFL and Labor who are fully committed to improving the lives of average working families.” He added, “middle class values and rights have been systematically and steadily eroded by the insensitive policies of the Bush administration, which Coleman’s voting record has clearly supported.”
Like Franken and Cerisi, Cohen has agreed to abide by the nomination process and not engage in a primary that he said would divert the DFL focus on defeating Mr. Coleman.
