Phillips, Lunde Emphasize Bipartisanship at State of the Union

When Brooklyn Park Mayor Jeffrey Lunde worked with Congressman Dean Phillips to help secure a pathway to citizenship for Liberian refugees, he had no idea it would send him to Washington, D.C. The cooperation between the two prompted the congressman to invite Lunde to the State of the Union address as his guest.

The mayor says reaching across the aisle in politics is key. And even though sharp divisiveness was seen at the address itself, he says he still has hope that the country can start to work together again.

“We had immigration reform for Liberians in the most divisive time on one of the most divisive issues and we got through it by focusing. So, I’m an optimist,” said Lunde.

Lunde added that despite the overt tension on Capitol Hill, just being at the State of the Union was, for him, historic.

Brandon Bankston, Reporting

Brooklyn Park