Defeat Of 3 Iron County Board Members Not An Anti-Mining Victory, Say Local Officials

Many people couched Tuesday’s Iron County Board election as a referendum on a proposed open pit iron ore mine in the Penokee Hills, but elected officials aren’t seeing it that way.

This was an election in which the conservative group Americans for Prosperity sent out mailings calling seven of the 10 challengers for the Iron County board “environmental radicals.” Terry Daulton, an organizer for the nonpartisan Iron County Citizens Forum, which sponsored candidate debates, says Americans for Prosperity got it wrong.

“That tried to pigeonhole which candidates were for or against the mine,” said Daulton. “Most of the people on the county board have been, while generally favorable, somewhat skeptical. So I think there’s a mixed bag.”

In fact, Americans for Prosperity called one challenger who is an avid mine supporter an environmental radical. Brad Matson was another candidate targeted, and is one of three people who defeated incumbents.

“I’m just very frustrated that all I’ve heard is, ‘Are you for the mine or against the mine?’ and whatever,” said Matson. “I know that’s the issue and why it’s news, but it does get a little frustrating.”

Board Chairman Joe Pinardi defeated an anti-mining candidate. He says they’re unified in trying to figure out a way to end chronic double-digit unemployment in the area.

“We’re all looking for progress of some kind, something to turn our declining population around and declining school enrollment around,” said Pinardi.

Matson says Americans for Prosperity may have gotten out more of the vote, but he says overall, he’s not sure it influenced this election: “I heard a whole lot of people on both sides of the mining issue saying ‘Who the heck are these guys telling us how to vote?’”

Matson does say the new board will probably put Gogebic Taconite under closer scrutiny.