My name is Patrick Cusack and I am running for City Council. I am proud to live right here in the great city of North Mankato. As an AFSCME Council 5 member and endorsed candidate of Local 404, I work alongside many of our neighbors as a Security Counselor at the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center. From advocating at the state Capitol to fighting for fair wages and transparent government, my career in public service and union leadership has always been about working families. As your next City Council member, I’ll bring that same dedication home to serve the working families of North Mankato.

I was born on May 14th, 1988, into an Irish-American working family of seven on the South Side of Chicago, and raised across state lines in Northwest Indiana. Growing up was tough, and it was deeply humbling. But in athletics, I found purpose. I wrestled, and that earned me a scholarship to Southwest Minnesota State University to wrestle and study political science in 2007.

I knew Minnesota was the right choice not just for its rich wrestling history, but for its political spirit, inspired by leaders like Paul Wellstone. What I didn’t expect, coming here as a high schooler on a recruiting trip with my dad, was the culture. I was greeted with such warmth and openness by everyone I met. That was the moment I knew Minnesota would be my home.

When my father passed away in 2010, it hit me hard, and I moved back to Chicago to be close to my family. But by 2011, I missed Minnesota too much. I returned and moved to North Mankato, enrolled at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and took a job at the Verizon Wireless call center.

In 2017, Verizon closed that center. Like so many, I faced dire options, which led me to make the hard choice to transfer to Atlanta, and later to Maryland in 2019 to work on Verizon’s government contracts side. But after seeing firsthand how corporate greed mishandles taxpayer dollars, I spoke up. And when layoffs were announced, my name was on the list.

That experience ignited something in me. I became deeply passionate about local government and fighting for working families. In 2022, I ran for the Maryland House of Delegates. I didn’t win, but I gained the experience and conviction that shape who I am today. I moved back home to North Mankato in 2023. I see the greatness in and our City, it’s only right it deserves a neighborhood-first future. Thank you for your time.