Minnesota State Representative Huldah Momanyi has stressed the need for bipartisan cooperation and integrity in politics, saying they form the backbone of good governance and effective public service.
Speaking during an interview on Radio Generation, the Kenyan-born lawmaker explained that although the American political system operates along party lines, successful governance depends on teamwork and mutual respect between parties.
“We have a partisan team from communications to marketing to everything,” Momanyi said on Wednesday.
“For me, being a Democrat, we have a big team that is bipartisan—it works. And when we want to focus on topics specific to our party values, we have a sub-team that handles that. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to working together.”
She pointed out that Democrats and Republicans both depend on bipartisan staff who help research, draft, and review proposed legislation before it reaches the debate stage.
“These are the people who help with everything from drafting bills to ensuring that the research on those bills is done,” she explained. “Before a bill comes to the floor, it has been vetted and conversations have been had with both sides.”
Momanyi emphasized that cultivating meaningful relationships across party lines is often the key to moving legislation forward. “It really comes down to relationships,” she said.
“Making sure you have strong relationships with even one person on the other side can make a difference.”
Turning to campaign ethics, Momanyi said transparency and accountability are central to political life in the United States. She noted that bribery, handouts, or inducements have no place in political campaigns.
“You cannot bribe anybody to come so that you can have a crowd,” she stated. “People show up because they are passionate about the candidate and the ideas being shared.”
She added that campaign finances are closely monitored to ensure proper use and openness.
“Every single dollar you get to run your campaign is accounted for. You can’t take money from a non-citizen or push an agenda you can’t back up,” she said.
Momanyi encouraged communities, including African immigrants, to support leaders based on their values and ideas rather than financial influence.
“Leadership is about service. You don’t need to bribe anybody to earn their support—people will stand with you because they believe in your vision,” she said.
