From the Background to the Ballot: Why This "Wallflower" is Running for State Senate

There is a particular kind of exhaustion that comes with parenting — especially when you are raising children with substantial special needs. It’s a world where your focus narrows to the immediate safety of your family, navigating the complexities of specialized support, and trying to keep everything from unraveling.

For a long time, that has been my world. It’s why you may not have seen our family often besides one season at Flying Cloud Fields or community events like Harvest to Halloween at the Barn. My husband Todd and I have been deep in the trenches of parenting our two wonderful, complex boys, doing our best to provide them with the stability they deserve.

But lately, with so much affecting the community I serve and the people I care about, I’ve realized something: The very reason I haven’t been able to be everywhere is exactly why I need to be somewhere specific right now.

I am excited (and terrified) to share that I am running for the Minnesota State Senate in District 49.

My path to this decision wasn’t predetermined or born out of a desire for public office. In fact, if you see me at a crowded event, I’m usually the guy standing near the wall, observing rather than jumping in. I am a self-confessed wallflower. But I have learned, through a career that has taken me from reading letters in the Obama White House to serving as an executive leader for Eden Prairie Schools, that leadership isn’t about being the loudest person in the room.

Leadership is about the hard work of listening — and then knowing how to turn that into action.

Throughout my career, I’ve navigated complex systems to get real results. When it comes to being an advocate for my community and advancing shared values, I don’t watch from the sidelines; I step into the arena. Whether leading teams to make sure Americans felt heard by their President, managing difficult crises, or supporting financial stability for our schools, I’ve become an expert on making systems work for people. (As Minnesotans we’re not supposed to brag much, but it’s these communications, engagement, relationship, and leadership skills that led me to be named the first-ever National School Communicator of the Year.) 

I pour my heart into building a bright future for Eden Prairie Schools students because I believe strong schools are the backbone of a strong community. But professional experience is only half the story.

The other half is personal. It’s the late nights worrying about the future of my sons. It’s the realization that so many families in Eden Prairie are like mine: deeply caring, hardworking, and just trying to keep their heads above water. We are active and engaged, even if our engagement looks more like writing letters and supporting behind the scenes while managing IEPs and therapy schedules. 

Part of why I’m running is to give voice to those families — those who are doing the quiet, heavy lifting of keeping their loved ones safe and supported while also building bridges and promoting shared values with their neighbors. 

I am running because I refuse to cede my children’s future, or yours, to gridlock and division. With Senator Cwodzinski’s retirement, we have big shoes to fill. We need a Senator who can carry forward his legacy of kindness and collaboration and be ready to move beyond the “why” and focus relentlessly on the “how.”

How do we fully fund our schools so every child, especially those with complex needs, gets an exceptional education? How do we protect our neighbors’ rights and ensure every person has an equal stake in the future? How do we make life affordable so families can focus on thriving, not just surviving?

I believe we answer those questions by breaking down walls, not building them. We do it by finding the common thread that connects a family struggling with mental health, a worker looking for a job, and a neighbor in need. We do it the way I’ve been doing it my entire career — through listening, then leading.

To the quiet ones, the busy parents, and the people who feel overwhelmed by the state of the world but still want to do good: I see you. I am you. And I want to be your voice in St. Paul.

I may be a wallflower, but when it comes to fighting for our community, I will stand up. And I won’t be standing alone, because I’ll be carrying your stories with me.

I hope you’ll join me at the Precinct Caucus on February 3. Let’s do good and move forward, together.

Dirk Tedmon is a candidate for the Minnesota State Senate in District 49. He serves as an executive leader for Eden Prairie Schools and enjoys attending community events and Doordashing from too many local restaurants with his husband and two sons.