To hear Tom Rukavina’s supporters tell it, his experience in the Legislature puts him head and shoulders above the competition in the race for St. Louis County Commissioner. But how effective was Rukavina as a legislator? Sure, he passed some bills, some good ones, even. But any legislator who sat in St. Paul for 26 years should be able to pass a bill or two, if only by accident.

Truth is, Rukavina was a serious underperformer in St. Paul. While other Iron Range legislators quickly rose into top leadership positions, Rukavina made his mark mostly as the class clown. When it was time to do serious legislating, his fellow legislators rarely relied on him.

And over the years he’s burned plenty of bridges with fellow legislators, and that would limit his effectiveness as a commissioner. His decision to run for Governor after fellow Iron Ranger Tom Bakk had already jumped into the race may very well have prevented Minnesota from electing another governor from our region. Today, Rukavina and Bakk are barely on speaking terms, and only in part due to Rukavina’s late decision to jump into the governor’s race.

For years, Rukavina has waged what he calls his “War on Tom Bakk and Doug Johnson,” because of taconite funding formulas they developed that he complains have taken money from Virginia and Mt. Iron and given it to communities in the Fourth District. Rukavina’s longstanding grudges against those who actually have helped cities like Ely, Babbitt, or Tower is hardly a secret. Sometimes it seems he can’t shut up about it.

It was interesting that during last week’s PBS debate with Christina Hujanen, Rukavina touted his connection to the Senate Tax Chair and said he could pick up the phone any time and talk to him. He couldn’t make that claim, of course, about the Senate Majority Leader, because he’s done nothing but bash him for years. Hujanen, on the other hand, talks to Majority Leader Bakk all the time and she’ll fight to make things good happen in the Fourth District, not badmouth those who do. We’ve got plenty of clowns on the county board, and we don’t need another. I’m voting for Hujanen.

Gerald Williams

Biwabik, Minn.