Polinaut: July 18, 2006 Archive

Press release of the day

Posted at 6:46 AM on July 18, 2006 by Mike Mulcahy

Paul Ostrow's campaign for Congress in the 5th District put out a press release yesterday noting an endorsement from the president of Minneapolis Firefighters Local 82 and then adding this:

The Ostrow for Congress campaign continued with another series of firsts. Ostrow was the first of the four major candidates to go up on broadcast radio. Ostrow’s radio ads run four times daily on AM 950, Air America.

Three of the ads include the voiceover work of Kevin McNiff, brother of KARE 11 (Minneapolis-St. Paul NBC affiliate) Reporter Tim McNiff. Kevin talks about Paul’s unique track record and vision on three major issues: public safety, education, and energy.

Wow! I guess it's not what you know, but who you know in the voiceover business. But wait...read on:

“When I went to order phones for the campaign I worked with Kevin and he had the most amazing voice. I said, ‘What are you doing working for Qwest? You need to be on the radio,’” said Jason Amundsen, Ostrow’s Campaign Manager. “Kevin has this rich, deep, yet wonderfully Midwest likeability to his voice. I was delighted when he agreed to do the ads,” Amundsen said.

I guess I don't need to worry that any of my relatives will show up in campaign ads.

The Daily Digest: 7-18-06

Posted at 10:16 AM on July 18, 2006 by Tom Scheck

The filings close today at 4:30. We'll be watching for any shenanigans, late challengers, etc.

Mike Hatch, the DFL endorsed candidate for governor, and Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty get some primary opponents. MPR's Tim Pugmire has a story focusing on that race.

Matt Entenza also gets a challenger for Minnesota Attorney General. The strib, the pi press, MPR and the AP have stories

The MN GOP says there are more developments on Entenza and will release it at 11:15.

Minnesota poll says 57% believe the nation is on the wrong track

The Associated Press has a story focusing on churches and political campaigning. The IRS says it's a big no no

Roll Call has a story focusing on the Mayo Clinic's unusual move of hiring a team of lobbyists to fight the D,M and E expansion. Kate Ackley writes:

"The Mayo Clinic and its Rochester, Minn., community have hired a team of lobbyists from Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in the latest move in a high-stakes fight over a proposed rail project in the upper Midwest. It marks the first time in recent memory that the famous clinic - which recently treated Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) for drug addiction - has looked to K Street for help on Capitol Hill, according to lobby disclosures."

Bloomberg has a story saying Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is warning that the economy could slow down. Bloomberg's Rich Miller writes that this could be bad news for the GOP who has been touting the economy in recent months:

"President Bush and his Republican colleagues, trailing in the opinion polls, are counting on the strength of the economy to help them retain control of Congress in the November elections. A slowing economy - in response to repeated Fed interest-rate increases - will undercut that campaign theme."

Governor Pawlenty will try to keep the good economic going in Minnesota. He has a news conference scheduled at 12:30 with Acting DEED Commissioner Ward Einess announce major economic news.

Finally, President Bush is set to use his first veto on the stem cell bill

Entenza's out

Posted at 11:08 AM on July 18, 2006 by Mike Mulcahy

Matt Entenza just ended his campaign for AG.

"While I'm confident that I could win the race for attorney general, obviously in this environment staying in the race would hurt the Democratic Party," Entenza said at a news conference on the Capitol steps.

It's unclear whether the DFL will endorse another candidate. Party chair Brian Melendez says he expects more than one person to file before filing close at the end of the day. Stay tuned....

Johnson statement

Posted at 11:46 AM on July 18, 2006 by Mike Mulcahy

Jeff Johnson's campaign just put out this statement:

"I’ve been traveling around the state meeting with people discussing issues that matter to them, such as keeping our kids safe. Our priorities will remain the same, and we will continue traveling and spreading our message. I’m happy the campaign will be able to get back to the issues important to Minnesotans.”

MN Solicitor General Lori Swanson files for AG

Posted at 12:19 PM on July 18, 2006 by Tom Scheck

MN Solicitor General Lori Swanson, who works in the attorney general's office, has filed to run in the DFL Primary.

David Lillehaug and Steve Kelley are thinking about running for AG

Posted at 12:57 PM on July 18, 2006 by Tom Scheck

Former U.S. Attorney David Lillehaug says he'll call us back when I asked him if he's running (i.e. he's thinking about it and will call when he decides). An aide to DFL Senator Steve Kelley says his boss is also thinking about filing.

We'll know who's in and who's out after the filing deadline closes this afternoon at 5 o'clock.

John James weighs in

Posted at 1:14 PM on July 18, 2006 by Mike Mulcahy (4 Comments)

Here's the IP candidate's statement:

I am disgusted with what we’ve witnessed in the past couple of weeks. We’ve had front-page squabbling, politicians playing games, Republicans and the DFL investigating each other – inside and outside of their own parties, accusations of leaders lying. It’s an ugly political circus!

The junk that has been thrown around lately has the stench of rotting garbage in mid-July heat. This is the best evidence that politics is broken. Minnesotans deserve better, and the Independence Party provides a no-nonsense choice.

I am running a campaign for Attorney General that focuses on teamwork and the four main things – education, health care, transportation and the environment. My fellow Team Minnesota members and I will work together to move Minnesota forward!

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Late filings

Posted at 2:31 PM on July 18, 2006 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)

Amy Klobuchar will face a DFL challenge after all. Darryl Stanton has filed to run against her. Stanton lost to Republican Congressman Jim Ramstad in 2002.

Charles Aldrich also filed for the U.S. Senate as a member of the Libertarian Party.

In Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District, there are three DFL candidates who have filed to run against GOP Congressman Jim Ramstad. Burt Kieker, Gavin Sullivan and Wendy Wilde.

Peace activist Erik Thompson decided to issue a primary challenge to DFL Congressman Colin Peterson in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District

We'll keep you up to date on any other late filings later today.

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Kelley is in for ag

Posted at 3:48 PM on July 18, 2006 by Tom Scheck (15 Comments)

Capitolbrewhaha reported it first and Kelley's aide confirmed it (although he hasn't filed the official paperwork and the clock is ticking).

The aide also said DFL Rep. Ron Latz will run for Kelley's now open seat and there are several DFLers who will run for the now open house seat. My how the dominoes fall!

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Bill Luther is filing right now

Posted at 4:13 PM on July 18, 2006 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)

MPR's Tim Pugmire says former DFL Congressman Bill Luther is filing for attorney general as I write this. I guess he decided to run after all (he told me he wasn't running yesterday).

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Filing period closed.

Posted at 5:01 PM on July 18, 2006 by Tom Scheck

The DFL candidates for attorney general include DFL state Senator Steve Kelley, former DFL Congressman Bill Luther, Minnesota Solicitor General Lori Swanson, St. Paul attorney Jennifer Mattson and Patrick Cotter of St. Paul. DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez says the DFL Party's Central Committee will endorse a candidate in mid August.