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Kuster files for District 15B seat

Says he’s ‘fully pro-life,’ promises to keep religion out of politics

NEW ULM — A retired college teacher and ordained Lutheran minister of New Ulm seeks the Minnesota State Representative District 15B seat held by Republican Paul Torkelson of Hanska.

Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party member Tom Kuster, 82, is seeking public office for the first time but he has a long record of public service leadership at many levels including state and national academic organizations and with many local organizations.

Kuster taught many college courses in Mankato and New Ulm over 45 years including critical thinking, problem analysis and solving, conflict management, intercultural communication, and others.

A former president of the Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota and National Parliamentary Debate Association, Kuster has made presentations in Poland, Bulgaria, Germany, Israel, and Peru. He led student debate teams to Romania, Serbia and North Macedonia.

As a Fulbright scholar, he taught courses in China and South Korea.

In addition, he promised to keep religion out of politics and politics out of religion.

However, he did mention in his bio that in the 1970s, he was Brown County Chairman for the Dave Durenberger for U.S. Senate race and he planned publicity for retired New Ulm Judge Terry Dempsey’s run for the Minnesota House.

“That Republican party dedicated to principles and public service no longer exists,” reads Kuster’s bio.

His campaign planks include being “fully pro-life.”

“If you’ve been a ‘pro-life’ voter, I respectfully ask you to consider what I’m saying,” Kuster said. “While every potential abortion is difficult, even tragic, there are situations where it is the leser of evils and should be permitted. Extending legal ‘personhood’ to the earliest moment of fertilization is an imposition of a religious view which violates the First Amendment.”

Kuster said he will always encourage and respect votes, will not impose his religious views on others or write them into law and he will do all he can to preserve our democracy in the face authoritarian threats.

Kuster and his wife Judy of 55 years, raised nine children, seven adopted. They have lived in New Ulm since 1971. The couple received the Sertoma Club Service to Mankato Award.

Tom served on the New Ulm Human Rights Commission for more than a decade. He was Minnesota Human Rights Commission president for three one-year terms.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.)

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