Dai Thao, an IT manager who has worked on progressive causes, says he’ll run for the St. Paul City Council Ward 1 seat that will be vacant when Melvin Carter III steps down in July.
Carter’s aide, Noel Nix, says he’s running, too. He’s been a community development advocate and went to work for Carter in September 2011.
And Johnny Howard, who lost to Carter in the 2011 council election, has said he’ll be back in the race, too.
Carter, halfway through his second term, announced this week that he will leave the council to become director of the state’s Office of Early Learning.
The council will pick a temporary successor for Carter when he leaves in July (or the mayor will make the pick, if the council fails to do so). Then in the citywide November election, voters will elect someone to fill the remaining two years of Carter’s term.
Thao works as IT manager for the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery and has been involved with ISAIAH, TakeAction Minnesota and causes in the Hmong American Community.
He said he was co-chair of state Rep. Rena Moran’s first campaign and has conducted outreach and delegate training in the Hmong American community for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Gov. Mark Dayton.
Howard, a well-known community activist and landlord, couldn’t be reached today but has said he’ll make another run.
