Red, White and Benda

To the Editor:

For those concerned about the current course of our country, we have a unique potential to have our very own southern MN graduate represent southern MN at the United States Congress. Matt Benda was raised on a farm between Jackson and Alpha, graduating in 1988. Matt got his law degree and has been a partner in a successful law firm for 25 years in Albert Lea, specializing on representing farmers. Matt is setting aside his career to run for our next Republican Congressman.

I want to make you aware not only that Matt is running to be our congressman, but also the moral fiber of my lifelong friend. I am not knowledgeable to the real character of many that are supposed to represent us in government, however too often many seem to be repeat offenders of a lack of integrity.

We all have made selfish decisions or been dishonest in our lives, the differences between a person with integrity or not is the one that does not repeat this behavior, in my opinion. I believe Matt to not only have integrity but also blessed with instinctive high moral fiber.

I’d like to share just one story to help explain why I believe Matt to be a man of high moral fiber. When we were in high school, we had a classmate who was getting picked on by several bullies from another town. Matt wasn’t a big kid, nor had wrestling skills but Matt took them on to defend our classmate. Matt got bruised and beat up, but he took a stand to these handful of bullies.

That’s the kind of guy Matt Benda is. He won’t back down from what’s right. His 25 years of developing a skill set in presentation and debating would also serve us well at Congress.

Matt is a devoted Christian with a strong belief in life, devoted husband to his wife of 22 years, Heather, and excellent father to his son Ashler and a daughter Avery. Matt has been active in politics since a teenager and a strong community advocate of Albert Lea for decades.

Matt doesn’t need the job, but I believe our country needs him. Please join me in supporting Matt Benda for Congress at the Republican special primaries on May 24th, or you can vote earlier.

Jeff K. Johnson

Jackson