Capitol View: November 4, 2009 Archive

Quist getting ready to run in the first?

Posted at 7:51 AM on November 4, 2009 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

Allen Quist, a former state lawmaker and candidate for governor, has scheduled several health care forums in Rochester, Worthington and Mankato in November. The move increases speculation that Quist will run for Congress in Minnesota's 1st District (all of those cities are in the 1st). Quist's news release said he was holding the forums to discuss the health care bills being considered in Congress:

Former State Representative Allen Quist will be sponsoring a series of forums in Southern Minnesota dealing with the health care bills now in Congress. "The purpose of the forums," said Quist, "is to provide the public with accurate information about the health care proposals and to encourage the public to contact their elected officials and ask them to 'just say no' when they vote on the bills now on the floor." Quist will be joined at the forums by Dr. Brian Davis in Rochester and by Citizens Council on Health Care President, Twila Brase, R.N., in Mankato and Worthington.

A spokesman who sent out the release said Quist is considering "a run for Congress" with it being a likely possibility. He added more news will come next week.

UPDATE:
Quist sent me this e-mail when I asked if he was in the race or filed paperwork with the FEC:

"The paperwork is in process. I have formed an exploratory committee, but that is on hold for the time being because I want to try to make a difference on the health care Bill (somewhat of a moving target to be sure) that Speaker Pelosi is attempting to pass."

Quist has already created a Quist for Congress website and Facebook page.

Quist won the GOP endorsement in 1994 but lost the primary to Arne Carlson.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz is running for a third term.

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Top Bachmann aide quits

Posted at 3:09 PM on November 4, 2009 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

Michelle Marston, who had roles as GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann's Chief of Staff and her campaign manager, has quit, a spokesman confirms. Bachmann spokesman Dave Dziok declined further comment about Marston's departure. Politico, which first reported the story, said Marston declined to say why she was leaving:

"I'm just not talking about it, and frankly I don't think there's a story here," Marston wrote. "Now, the thousands of people calling our office to tell us [they're] coming to Capitol Hill tomorrow - that's a story."

Bachmann has scheduled a Thursday Capitol rally to protest the health care bill that is moving through Congress. The House will reportedly take up the bill on Saturday.

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Keith Ellison is one of the poorest members of Congress

Posted at 4:18 PM on November 4, 2009 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

The Center for Responsive Politics analyzed the financial disclosure forms for all of the members of Congress and ranked them by wealth. The analysis found that DFL Rep. Keith Ellison is ranked 514th of the 538 members of Congress in terms of wealth. The report says his average net worth -$-21,497. The maximum net worth is $5,999. The minimum net worth is $-48,993. The Center has to create high. low and average assets/liabilities because the disclosure reports deal with broad ranges.

Here's the analysis of the poorest members and Ellison's profile page .

Dave Levinthal, with The Center for Responsive Politics, said the organization tries to get the best estimate of wealth that they can from the disclosure forms. He said they add up the listed assets that a lawmaker has and subtracts the liabilities from that.

"Is it more likely than not that he's [Ellison] in the red, based on the assets and liabilities? Yes," Levinthal said. "Is it possible that he's a shade above? Yes."

Levinthal also said that the financial disclosure forms do not include government salary or personal residence, which can either be an asset or a liability.

DFL Sen. Al Franken is the wealthiest member of the delegation. His average range is $6,213, 028. The low end of his assets is $3,793,056. The upper end is $8,633,000.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar is the wealthiest House member of the delegation. His average wealth is $5,479,538. The range is $3,202,076 on the low end and the upper hand is $7,757,000.

For the record, GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of California is the richest member of Congress. He has a maximum net worth of $337,400,002

Meffert running in the 3rd.

Posted at 9:15 PM on November 4, 2009 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

DFLer Jim Meffert is throwing his hat into the ring in the contest to unseat Republican Erik Paulsen in Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District in 2010. Paulsen is in his first term in Congress.

Meffert, a lobbyist for the Optometric Association from Edina, filed his official campaign paperwork earlier yesterday. Meffert says people in the 3rd district are frustrated by partisanship and politics as usual on both sides of the aisle.

"This district as we have seen from Congressman Ramstad and Congressman Frenzel looks for people who are conscientious paticipants in the system. They are not safe votes, they were not safe Republican votes. They want people who are good public servants and understand public policy that is what we are missing right now."

Meffert will have at least one challenger for the DFL endorsement -- Dr. Maureen Hackett, a physician and forensic psychiastrist from Minnetonka. DFL State Sen. Terri Bonoff is also considering a run.

(h/t MPR's Jess Mador)

Voight to speak at Bachmann's health care rally.

Posted at 10:28 PM on November 4, 2009 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

Actor Jon Voight is helping out two well known Minnesota Republicans this week. He spoke at a a fundraiser for Gov. Pawlenty's national political action committee tonight.

Tomorrow, he says he'll speak at GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann's health care rally in Washington D.C. Bachmann is urging the public to storm the Capitol to protest the health care bill that's being considered. Voight told reporters he doesn't like the bill:

"If this thing passes, it's disastrous to our country. Both economicallly and health care. It's going to diminish everyone's health care and it's going to be a huge beuracracy that people are going to suffer under."

Voight isn't the only actor getting involved in the health care debate. MoveOn dot Org filmed ads featuring Heather Graham and Will Ferrell.

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