Capitol View: February 20, 2008 Archive

Dick Day heading to a primary

Posted at 10:40 AM on February 20, 2008 by Tom Scheck

GOP State Sen. Dick Day says he's bypassing the party endorsement process and will head to a primary. Here's the release:

Day Announces Primary Bid

OWATONNA – State Senator Dick Day (R-Owatonna), Republican candidate for Congress from the first district, announced today that he will bypass the formal Party endorsement process and go directly to the voters in a primary election.

“I have always believed that primary elections, in which all the voters of a district get a chance to pick their candidates for political office, are far more democratic than the current system in which Party insiders hand pick the candidates,” said Day. “The chaotic caucuses a couple weeks ago prove that the system is broken. Thousands of voters went out on a cold February night because they thought their votes meant something. They are frustrated and angry that their votes for president didn’t even count.”

Day added, “There are 375,850 voters in the First District, and the important decision about who their candidate is should not be left to 250 people meeting on a Saturday morning. Anybody who wants to pay their $100 to run for office ought to have an equal chance to make their case to voters. That’s what I plan to do, the old-fashioned way: work hard to earn your vote.”

Day, who has raised more money for his campaign than the other two Republicans in the race, will run a positive, issue-oriented campaign. He is particularly concerned with immigration, repealing No Child Left Behind, ending earmarks, controlling wasteful spending, strengthening agriculture, and lowering taxes.

“I will see you in the coffee shops and along main street, and at parades, festivals and other events throughout southern Minnesota over the coming months,” Day said. “I want to get to know you, and I want you to get to know me, so that I win your vote in the September primary.

“My Democrat opponent, Tim Walz, is the most liberal congressman we have had in southern Minnesota in generations. It is crucial that we send to Congress someone who doesn’t vote like they live in San Francisco.”

After serving four years on the Owatonna City Council and eight years on the Steele County Board, Day, a retired IBM salesman and Navy veteran, was elected to the state senate in 1990 where he was Republican leader for 10 years. He and his wife, Janet, have four children and six grandchildren.

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UPDATE:
The other Republicans in the race, Randy Demmer and Brian Davis, say they will abide by the GOP endorsement.

Pawlenty may have some VP competition

Posted at 8:18 PM on February 20, 2008 by Tom Scheck

We may have a greater hint of who John McCain may pick as his running mate. Take a look at slide 5 in this slide show. Someone in the background is holding a sign that says "Favre for VP." TPaw may have some serious competition.