When my car was stolen, it wasn’t surprising. It felt inevitable.
In the months leading up to it, half a dozen people in our circle had theirs stolen as well. My husband and I had already started talking about selling mine. Before we had the chance, it was gone.
Living in downtown Minneapolis, you start to notice patterns. Certain kinds of incidents become more common. Certain outcomes become more predictable.
Over time, it becomes less about any one experience and more about what those experiences seem to reflect. Criminal cases with questionable charges. Repeat behavior that doesn’t seem to meet meaningful consequences. Conversations with neighbors that sound less like frustration and more like resignation.
My family used to spend time walking down Nicollet and riding the light rail. Our son loved it when he was little—watching the pigeons, which he called “chickens” at the time, finding the perfect seat on the train, just being part of the city.
But after enough encounters that felt unpredictable, uncomfortable, or outright scary, we stopped going.
Not because of one moment, but because of a pattern.
At a certain point, the question becomes more direct: why is this happening, and who is responsible for how it’s handled?
For most people, the role of the Hennepin County Attorney isn’t something they think about day to day. But it plays a central role in what happens after an arrest—how cases are handled, whether they move forward, and what kind of consequences follow.
The County Attorney isn’t responsible for everything people experience. Policing, policy decisions, and broader social factors all play a role.
But over time, those prosecutorial decisions shape whether accountability feels consistent—or uncertain—and whether people believe what they’re seeing is being taken seriously.
That’s what led me to take a closer look at who is running for that role.
I’ve spent time speaking with Diane Krenz, who is running for Hennepin County Attorney.
She is seeking to replace the current County Attorney, Mary Moriarty, whose approach to prosecution—including policies that factor in considerations such as race when making charging decisions—has drawn significant public scrutiny.
What stood out to me was her focus on how decisions are actually made and carried out, particularly when it comes to charging, follow-through, and repeat offenses. She speaks in terms of victims, and of making sure the response to a crime reflects its seriousness.
She is a career prosecutor who understands the mechanics of the system and the consequences when it doesn’t function as intended. Her perspective is grounded in the day-to-day reality of how cases are handled, and what happens when there isn’t a clear and consistent response to criminal behavior.
That kind of experience feels more important than ever.
It also stood out to me that Diane is the only woman in a field of male candidates.
As a mother, I recognize that perspective isn’t incidental. It shapes how you think about safety, risk, and responsibility in a community.
This race will likely be framed in political terms. But for many people living here, the concerns are more immediate than that. They show up in what we expect to happen when something goes wrong, and whether the response matches the severity of what occurred.
Supporting a candidate for Hennepin County Attorney shouldn’t be about ideology. It should be about competence, judgment, and the ability to carry out the role with common sense and accountability.
For me, that’s the difference, and why I’m supporting Diane.
Looks like just what we need. Will the fraud epidemic swamp her electability? The machine is powerful. She appears to be a strong and brave woman. She deserves our supporr.
I was a defense attorney for many years and worked against Diane. She is a highly qualified and will do a great job in this position.