WINONA, Minn. – Legislative candidate Aaron Repinski has declined repeated news media requests to explain whether he had a role in a campaign mailer that cast rival candidate Sarah Kruger, a woman, in pinkish tones and in a context that likened her to the fashion-obsessed and somewhat inept Barbi doll. The mailer rankled voters sympathetic to women’s issues. Repinski acknowledged a Winona Journal request for an interview about the mailer but then failed twice to follow through on requests to set up an interview. Unclear is whether Repinski helped create the Barbi mailer. The mailer was sent to House Distctm26-A households in early September. The mailer, issued by state Republican office, carried a disclaimer that it was “not coordinated with or approved by any candidate nor is any candidate responsible for it.” It would seem easy enough for Repinski to say he was blind-sided by the mailer and even to disavow it. He has decided to do neither. Attempts to reach Repinski’s campaign manager Jerry Papenfuss, have been unsuccessful. The question to Papenfuss also is whether he participated in creating he Barbi mailer or knew advance it was coming. For her part Kruger has been silent about the mailer publicly as an unfortunate distraction from issues.
Repinski. Silent on whether he had advance knowledge about Barbi mailer.
Repinski on women issues
Repinski, a family man with a son, has avoided a firm position on women’s issues during his first experience in public office as a member of the Winona City Council. Pressed recently on abortion by a Winona Daily News reporter, Repinski was contraductory on values. He said he was both pro-life but believed abortion should be between a woman and her healthcare providers. He expressed no interest in leadership in the Legislature on Minnesota’s law that permits abortion. Sidestepping abortion as a looming public policy issue in the 2024 election, Repinski tried to get off the hook by saying that both sides need to get together to find a solution. At the same time, he said politicians should avoid “weaponizing” the issue, as if resolution is possible without robust dialogue that that includes the policy-makers who write the law.
House 26-A profile
The District, comprising most of Winona County, is one of the most closely watched statewide in the 2024 election. The 26-A seat has been held 38 years by Democrat Gene Pelowski. His retirement has put the seat into play. Democrats desperately need their candidate, Sarah Kruger, to maintain their slim majority in the House. Republicans are no less desperate for Repinski to win to help them take control of the House. For Winona Republicans, Pelowski’s popularity has been an unending frustration. It’s hard to ignore the evidence of Pelowski being elected 19 times in a row. There have been years when the local GOP fielded weak candidates, some absurdly so. Once they didn’t even put anyone on the ballot