Almost all election results official

Posted at 3:39 PM on November 27, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2012, State Government

Members of the State Canvassing Board have put their official stamp on most of the 2012 election results.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and the four judges that make up the panel met today to certify vote counts.

Official election results show Minnesota's total number of voters was a record 2,950,780. That's 76.1 percent of eligible voters and 81.7 percent of registered voters. The total was 30,000 more than previous state record set in 2008.

The board also approved the automatic recounts that begin Wednesday in two legislative races. One is in House District 8B, where Rep. Mary Franson, R-Alexandria, holds an 11 vote lead over DFLer Bob Cunniff. The other is in Senate District 20 in the Northfield area, where DFL candidate Kevin Dahle holds a 78 vote advantage over Republican Mike Dudley.

State Elections Director Gary Poser said the recounts will take place in five counties on a staggered schedule over three days.

"If one county doesn't finish in the single day, there could be some overlap where one county might be finishing up on the second day while it is still then beginning to start in another county," Poser explained. "But it allows the legal representatives to get around and be at the start of the recount in each of the counties."

The State Canvassing Board will meet again next Tuesday to address the recount results.

35 votes to be thrown out in Alexandria-area House race

Posted at 4:11 PM on November 20, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, MN Legislature

A Douglas County judge ruled today that there was an obvious error in a Minnesota house race that is headed for a recount.

Douglas County Judge David Battey ruled that 35 votes were improperly cast in the race between Rep. Mary Franson, R-Alexandria, and Democrat Bob Cunniff. Ballots were wrongly given to voters who lived outside the district.

The judge ruled that Douglas County Elections officials now have to correct the error. Douglas County Auditor Charlene Rosenow says the Douglas County Canvassing Board will randomly withdraw 35 ballots from some Alexandria precincts.

Franson currently leads Cunniff by one vote. Withdrawing 35 votes is likely to change that margin, but the outcome will still be so close that a recount will be required.

Democrats won control of both chambers of the Legislature on Election Day but the outcome of the recount will determine whether Democrats have a 12 or 13 seat House majority when the legislative session starts in January.

Here's the order:
Douglas County Ruling

Rybak swats down DNC rumors

Posted at 5:36 PM on November 15, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012

WASHINGTON - After strongly supporting President Barack Obama's re-election campaign, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak's name has been floating around Washington in recent days as a possible candidate to take over the Democratic National Committee.

But Rybak, who's visiting the capital to lobby Congress and the executive branch on the upcoming spending cuts and tax hikes known as the fiscal cliff, says there's nothing to the rumors.

"Nobody's talked to me about anything, and I haven't talked to anybody about anything, too," said Rybak, shortly after getting out of a meeting with Vice President Joe Biden.

Rybak pointed out that there was similar speculation that he was angling for an administration job four years ago when he also campaigned hard for Obama.

In addition to meeting Biden, Rybak also met with top Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate to urge them to consider tax hikes for the wealthy along the lines that Obama has proposed.

Rybak currently serves as one of five vice chairs of the Democratic National Committee. Florida U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz currently heads the DNC. Her term expires at the end of the year.

Bachmann spends most per vote among MN congressional hopefuls

Posted at 5:00 PM on November 12, 2012 by Catharine Richert (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House

There are endless ways to slice and dice the numbers behind the 2012 election, but one way to ascertain the cost of the campaigns is to look at how much each candidate spent to win a vote.

Among the candidates vying for a spot in the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann comes out on top having spent more than $11 million from her congressional account. She received 179,241 votes, just a little more than 50 percent of the 6th Congressional District's support.

That amounts to around $65 per vote, according to MPR News' analysis - that's more than any other congressional hopeful, and once again underscores how tight this race was for her compared to her prior elections in the 6th.

That number is a rough figure because Bachmann's presidential bid complicated her finances.

Bachmann spent more than 7 times more than her DFL opponent Jim Graves, who spent roughly $8.70 on each vote.

The below spreadsheet shows where the state's other congressional candidates stack up. Coming in second is 3rd Congressional District Republican U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen who spent $10.55 on each vote.

Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who ran a statewide re-election campaign, is not included in the below spreadsheet, but she spent only $2.66 on each of her 1.8 million votes. Her opponent, Kurt Bills, raised far less than Klobuchar and spent only 92 cents on each of his 868,000 votes.

The numbers only include spending through Oct. 17; candidates almost certainly spent more in the final days of the campaign. The data comes from the Federal Elections Commission and the Minnesota Secretary of State's website.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said that Bachmann had spent $120 on each vote. That figure mistakenly included spending from Bachmann's presidential campaign account. The numbers have been updated to reflect total disbursements from her congressional campaign only.

Daudt to lead House Republicans

Posted at 6:42 PM on November 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota House have selected Rep. Kurt Daudt of Crown to lead their caucus. Daudt will serve as the House Minority Leader and will help shape the policy positions of the House GOP caucus and will help recruit candidates.

"I am honored to be elected by my colleagues to lead the House Republican Caucus," Daudt said in a statement. "We have an optimistic group of members who are united in our efforts to rebuild the economy, create jobs and balance the budget. We are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work."

The group elected Daudt today during a Saturday afternoon caucus meeting. It's the first time the caucus has met since they lost the majority on Election Day. GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers and GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean both opted not to seek the Minority Leader position.

Daudt is serving his second term in the Minnesota House. Daudt also served as the camaign manager for Republican Marty Seifert's campaign for governor in 2010. Seifert lost the party endorsement to Tom Emmer.

Daudt has also served on the Isanti Board of Commissioners for six years.

Many DFLers lead districts where marriage amendment passed

Posted at 8:54 AM on November 9, 2012 by Elizabeth Dunbar (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature, Marriage Amendment

It didn't take long after the election results came in for opponents of the marriage amendment to announce their intentions to take the next step — make same-sex marriage legal in the state. The DFL now controls both the House and Senate plus the governor's office.

But will legislators in districts where the amendment passed back legalization? It turns out, many of them are DFLers.

An analysis of the marriage amendment vote shows that many DFL lawmakers represent districts that voted yes, and sometimes overwhelmingly so. In fact, 18 17 DFL House members and 10 DFL senators are in districts where the amendment, which would have defined marriage as between a man and woman, passed with 50 percent or more of the vote.

It's also true that many Republican lawmakers are in districts where the marriage amendment failed: 22 in the House and eight in Senate. But it's likely DFLers would feel more pressure to support a same-sex marriage legalization bill because it would be their party proposing it. Only two four Republican lawmakers voted against putting the marriage question on the ballot.

Several other states have legalized same-sex marriage through legislation. The first was Vermont in 2009. Same-sex marriage became legal there when the Legislature overrode the Republican governor's veto.

Vermont House Speaker Shap Smith, a Democrat, said in an interview that he doesn't think DFL lawmakers representing conservative districts on the marriage issue would be voted out of office for supporting same-sex marriage legislation.

"We did not see real blowback as a result of our representatives voting for the override who were in conservative districts," he said.

Smith acknowledged that other states that have legalized same-sex marriage, including New Hampshire, did see Democrats lose seats in 2010, but he attributed that to a good election year for Republicans and not the marriage vote.

"The country is shifting very quickly on this issue. People realize that whether you're gay or straight, you should be able to marry who you want, and in some ways it's a conservative principle that people should want to get married," he said.

Smith said he's looking forward to watching the marriage debate continue to unfold in Minnesota. "I think it would be exciting if Minnesota passed a marriage equality bill," he said.

But at least one newly elected Minnesota House member isn't ready to commit to supporting an effort to make same-sex marriage legal. Joe Radinovich, a DFLer from Crosby, beat out his Republican opponent in a district where voters approved the marriage amendment by nearly 63 percent of the vote.

Radinovich said he publicly opposed the marriage amendment during the campaign. But is he ready to take it a step further?

"I don't want to anticipate what legislation may arise," he said Thursday, adding that issues including education and the tax code are top of mind.

UPDATE: Newly chosen DFL Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk spoke on MPR's The Daily Circuit today. He said the "no" vote on the marriage amendment doesn't mean Minnesotans want to legalize same-sex marriage.

"I think what the electorate was telling the Legislature is, 'Don't go pass constitutional amendments to get around a governor.' You know, it was already against the law in Minnesota, there was no reason for a constitutional amendment, and I think most Minnesotans didn't feel that amending the constitution with those kind of provisions — social provisions — was a proper use of the constitution," he said.

Bakk said the state's budget — not policy issues — will be the priority in the upcoming legislative session.

What DFL lawmakers are in districts where the marriage amendment passed? Check out the maps below. Their districts are in light blue. Republican lawmakers in districts where the marriage amendment failed are shaded pink.

House districts:

Senate districts:

Thissen and Murphy to lead House DFL

Posted at 10:21 PM on November 8, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Democrats in the Minnesota House have elected their leadership team tonight. They elected DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen of Minneapolis to be the Speaker of the House when the Legislative session begins in 2013.

DFLers also elected Rep. Erin Murphy of St. Paul to be the House Majority Leader over Rep. Paul Marquart of Dilworth.

Murphy worked hard to recruit and elect candidates over the past four years. Murphy, a nurse by training, is an expert on health care and is a strong backer of President Obama's health care plan.

"I look forward to working with Speaker Thissen and legislators from both parties to govern this state in a manner that reflects the wishes of Minnesotans for progress, results and a better future for our state," Murphy said in a statement.

Murphy and Thissen will now have to appoint chairmanships and assign members to specfiic committees. They will also be responsible for setting the DFL agenda when the next legislative session starts in January. They also have the delicate balancing act of ensuring the needs of rural Minnesota and the suburbanites are not overlooked by two leaders who represent Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Democrats now control all of state government for the first time since 1990. Their main order of business will be to pass a two-year budget at a time when the state is facing a projected budget shortfall of several billion dollars.

Zellers leaving leadership post after DFL drubbing

Posted at 4:54 PM on November 7, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature

Republicans in the Minnesota House are looking for a new leader now that Speaker Kurt Zellers says he doesn't want the job. Zellers made the announcement one day after Democrats won enough seats to win the House and Senate.

Zellers says a number of factors played into why they lost the House majority. He said heavy spending by Democrats and negative campaigning are two of them. But he downplayed any suggestion that opposition to the two proposed constitutional amendments sunk legislative candidates.

"Minnesotans always go out and vote," Zellers said. That's what we do really well here so whether or not it was a motivational factor for most voters, I think it was right on or pretty darn close to a traditional presidential year in Minnesota."]

On Tuesday, voters defeated a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and an amendment that would require photo identification to vote. Democratic leaders say opposition to the two amendments galvanized the DFL base especially among young and minority voters.

Zellers said Republicans will continue to stick to a no new taxes philosophy and warned a tax increase is likely now that Democrats are in control of the Legislature.

"If you're a business owner in the state of Minnesota, I would get ready for a pretty sizable tax increase," Zellers said.

Republicans will meet this weekend to elect a new Minority Leader. GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean says he's interested in the position.

Breaking down the Legislature

Posted at 8:30 AM on November 7, 2012 by Tim Nelson
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature

It looks, as of about 4 a.m., that both houses of the Legislature are going to change hands. The DFL needed to pick up six seats in the House to take control. It got 11. In the Senate, the DFL did even better, picking up what looks to be nine seats, when they needed four.

The party did well in the suburbs and beat some senior Republicans, including Rep. Larry Howes and Sen. Joe Gimse. The DFL swept the head-to-head general election matchups that resulted from redistricting earlier this year.

Among the incumbents beaten Tuesday were, in the House:

• Dave Hancock, Bemidji
• Larry Howes, Walker
• Carolyn McElfatrick, Deer River
• King Banaian, St. Cloud
• Bruce Vogel, Willmar
• Rich Murray, Albert Lea
• Diane Anderson, Eagan
• Doug Wardlow, Eagan

• John Carlson, Bemidji
• Joe Gimse, Willmar
• John Howe, Red Wing
• Benjamin Kruse, Brooklyn Park
• Pam Wolf, Spring Lake Park
• Ted Daley, Eagan
• Ted Lillie, Woodbury

Also of note, the DFL and the GOP each failed to contest two races in the House. The GOP left four DFL Senators unchallenged; Scott Dibble and Jeff Hayden, Minneapolis; Chris Eaton, Brooklyn Center and Kathy Sheran, Mankato.

Here's the tale of the tape, or at least as close as we could get at 4 a.m., in the Senate. (Sorry for the tiny type, but you can download larger pdf versions):

Senate Election 2012

And here's the House version:

House Election 2012

Last minute money pours into ballot question funds

Posted at 4:16 PM on November 6, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment, Voter ID Amendment

In the days leading up to today's election, hundreds of thousands of dollars have poured into the two constitutional amendments on this year's ballot.

A recent poll shows that Minnesotans are divided on a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between one man and one woman, as well as an amendment that would require voters to show photo identification at the polls.

The extra money arrived after groups opposing and supporting the marriage and voter ID amendments filed their last reports with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, and the dollars underscore just how much attention the two questions have been getting.

The marriage amendment, a proposal that would ban same-sex marriage in the state constitution, attracted the most last-minute dollars.

Donors gave Minnesota for Marriage, the group in support of the amendment, nearly $1.3 million in the final days of the campaign. Roughly 42 percent of that came from the National Organization for Marriage, which has supported similar constitutional amendments around the country.

That brings Minnesota for Marriage's pre-election fundraising total to more than $5 million since the start of 2012.

Meanwhile, amendment foes Minnesotans United for All Families brought in an extra $811,000 in recent days. High profile donors include New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who gave $125,000 to the group and liberal donor Alida Messinger, who gave $200,000.

That brings Minnesotans United for All Families' fundraising total for the year to about $10.6 million.

Money flowed to groups supporting and opposing the voter ID amendment, too.

Out Vote, Our Future, the primary group opposing the proposal, has made nearly $340,000 since the last finance reporting deadline, bringing its annual total to nearly $3 million.

ProtectMyVote.com, the primary group that support the amendment, brought in an additional $35,000 for a yearly total of $1.5 million.

Election judges and the constitutional amendments

Posted at 3:05 PM on November 6, 2012 by Catharine Richert (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Throughout the day, we've been getting reports of election judges telling voters that if they don't vote on a constitutional amendment, it's considered a "no" vote.

An MPR employee had such an experience this morning while voting in Afton, which is located in Washington Co.

At the table where voters handed in their ballot, there was an sheet of paper explaining that a non-vote meant a "no" vote. When the judge handed the MPR employee a ballot, the judge pointed to the sign and asked if she understood that statement.

It's true that a non-vote equals a no vote, but election judges aren't supposed to talk to voters about it, the Secretary of State's office tells us.

Here's the Secretary of State's guidance on the subject that the office sent to counties:

As we all know, it is extremely important that election judges are completely neutral when administering the election. The Minnesota Voter's Bill of Rights states, voters "have the right to vote without anyone in the polling place trying to influence [their] vote." Some counties have asked how election judges should explain the effect of not voting on a proposed Constitutional Amendment. There should be nothing for election judges to explain orally about the constitutional amendments. The instruction wording is printed on the ballot above the constitutional amendments. If voters ask about the proposed amendments, election judges should point to this language without any further explanation to avoid influencing how the voter votes. As always, you may want to consult with your county attorney if you have questions about this matter.

"Election judges should be pretty neutral when dealing with any part of the ballot," explained Pat Turgeon, who is spokeswoman for the Secretary of State's office. "So the recommendation from this office was if someone asked to explain the effect of whether a yes or no vote reads, that language is right on the ballot. It explains right on the ballot what that means. So they can just point to that language and the voter can read that."

Jennifer Wagenius, who is Washington County's Property Records and Taxpayer Services Director and who also directs elections for the area, said that the signs were a larger version of the exact question on the ballot, which includes a disclaimer that a non-vote equals a "no" vote.

But after conferring with the Secretary of State's office earlier today, the signs were removed, Wagenius said.

"Our goal initially was so that folks could look at the question before they got to their booth if they wanted to to avoid out election judges giving any instruction," Wagenius said. "But we got some feedback that it would be best if we did not have those large versions of the ballot questions, so we removed them."

Update: The latest from the polls

Posted at 12:06 PM on November 6, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012

We continue to get updates from the polls here at MPR HQ.

Here's the latest:

A polling place at Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Canby had to be evacuated at about 11:15 a.m. because of a bomb threat at the campus, a Yellow Medicine County elections official told MPR News.

County officials were still waiting to hear whether the college had received the all-clear. College officials could not immediately be reached.

MPR's Mark Zdechlik is up in the 8th Congressional District covering the race between Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack and DFLer Rick Nolan. He reported that turnout is strong in the area, which is home to one of the most competitive U.S. House races in the country.

MPR News spoke with auditors in Chisago, Aitkin and St. Louis counties shortly before noon. All reported strong turnout so far and each expected turnout numbers to rival those of 2008. Absentee ballots are up in both Chisago and St. Louis counties. Democrats eager to win back the 8th District seat, which they lost two years ago to Cravaack, have said they will prevail if they turn out their base.

Meanwhile, local lawyers working with the national group Election Protection say they're having a busy day fielding reports of voting irregularities.

Mike Pignato, a partner with Dorsey & Whitney, said lawyers have been getting about 100 calls an hour from voters in both Minnesota and Missouri.

Minnesota voters have reported a variety of minor problems, such as confusion over polling places, concerns about inappropriate campaign material posted in polls and questions about what election judges are allowed to say about constitutional amendments.

"There's far more call volume than in prior years," Pignato said.

Malfunctioning voting equipment has also been reported in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Voters were instructed to feed ballots into a box on the machine so that the ballots could be counted later.

Hennepin County Elections Director Rachel Smith said some election judges noticed problems when opening the polls.

"That's not uncommon. Sometimes they get jostled too much while traveling out to the sites," she said, adding that some of the equipment was aging.

Malfunctioning machines are replaced with backups throughout the day, so voters don't have to worry about their ballots not being counted, she said.

With MPR's Elizabeth Dunbar.

MoveOn tries new technique to get MN voters to polls

Posted at 10:32 AM on November 6, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Of all the campaign mailers I've received this election season, this one may be the most interesting:

It's paid for by liberal political group MoveOn.org, and it's an attempt to get people to the polls.

Sasha Issenberg, author of The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns, recently wrote about the MoveOn mailer for Slate:

"The mailer's design marks the latest twist on the political world's adoption of what behavioral psychologists call "social pressure." Experiments have shown that letting citizens know that their voting histories are publicly available--and that as a result they can be monitored and judged based on how often they cast a ballot--is the most potent known tool for driving people to the polls. The most effective version of this technique, in which researchers tried to shame non-voters by threatening to out them before their neighbors, was tested in Michigan in 2006 and documented in this paper by Don Green, Alan Gerber, and Chris Larimer. Much of the focus in the GOTV research world in the last several years has focussed on how to channel the psychological power of that threat into something more positive, while still letting non-voters know they're being watched."

In this case, our voter is doing a good job compared to his neighbors. No shame, just a little pat on the back and a "keep up the good work."

Long lines, lawn signs and ballot question no-nos

Posted at 9:29 AM on November 6, 2012 by Catharine Richert (12 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

With Laura Yuen and Elizabeth Dunbar.

The polls in Minnesota have been open for more than two hours, and we're already getting reports about wait times and other snags on Election Day.

Joe Mansky, Ramsey County elections administrator, says that his office has received a few complaints about election judges telling voters that a blank vote on the constitutional amendments is counted as a "no" vote, which they are not allowed to do. Instead, election judges have been instructed to tell voters to read their ballot instructions.

Meanwhile, MPR reporters who voted this morning reported long lines and long wait times at various polling places in the Twin Cities area. Here are a few snapshots:

At the Holy Spirit Church in St. Paul's Mac Groveland neighborhood, the wait was about 40 minutes.

At MLK Park in Minneapolis, more than 200 people formed two lines to vote, but lines were moving well.

In the Kenwood neighborhood of Minneapolis, a long line stretching down the block with wait time more than 30 minutes.

Lines at VFW at Lyndale and 29th in Minneapolis are very long. One man said he waited for more than an hour to vote.

At the Central Park Gym in south central Minneapolis, at least 200 people are in line and the wait is between 45 and 60 minutes. Some are jumping the line, making other voters a little testy. Elderly people who can't stand are being moved to the front.

My polling place at the Neill High Rise on Laurel Ave. in St. Paul had its own share of confusion. Several voters showed up having already registered to vote only to find their names were not on voter rolls. As a result, they were asked to register on site. The problem appeared to have something to do with redistricting.

There have also been scattered reports of voters seeing lawn signs or messages related to the marriage amendment at churches also serving as polling places, which is not allowed.

According to MPR's Elizabeth Dunbar:

That included Saint John Vianney in South St. Paul, where a banner that read "Strengthen Marriage, don't redefine it" could be seen by voters entering the church.

"I was shocked, I didn't think that would be allowed," said Ivan Kowalenko, who tweeted a photo of the sign. "II was hearing that you're not allowed to wear any political slogan of your own, so it doesn't seem entirely appropriate that a voting venue would be allowed to express an opinion."

A church official reached shortly after Kowalenko voted said the sign has been removed.

Parties work to get out the vote

Posted at 3:13 PM on November 5, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Both political parties are spending the final day before Election Day encouraging their supporters to get to the polls.

Republicans held a rally this afternoon with Mitt Romney's son, Josh Romney, at an office in Plymouth. Romney told several hundred supporters that he's confident his father can carry Minnesota.

"We feel good about it here in Minnesota," Romney said. "We're feeling real good about the way things look."

Supporters cheered as Romney spoke. They also chanted "One more day!" referring to their hopes that President Obama is defeated on Election Day.

The Twin Cities suburbs received more national GOP attention from Reince Priebus. The National Republican Committee chair rallied the party faithful in Burnsville Monday. Priebus said the tide was turning in Romney's favor.

"I've been telling people all day, we wouldn't be in Minnesota today unless great things were happening for Mitt Romney," Priebus said.

Republicans have worked to portray Minnesota as a swing state in recent weeks, arguing that the polls are tightening. Thousands of supporters attended a rally for Vice Presidential hopeful Paul Ryan at the Minneapolis airport on Sunday.

But Jeff Blodgett, who manages President Obama's Minnesota campaign, says the Romney campaign had virtually no presence in the state before two weeks ago.

"They can say that they're contesting this state," Blodgett said. "But frankly they haven't actually spent the time coming into the state and talking to voters. Paul Ryan has seen the inside of one of our hangars and one of our restaurants. "

Blodgett says he's impressed with the level of organizing the Obama campaign has done in Minnesota over the past year. As he spoke, several dozen people were busy counting campaign literature to give out and make phone calls on behalf of Obama's campaign.

A Republican presidential candidate has not won Minnesota since 1972

With additional reporting from Brett Neely.

Klobuchar and Bills tangle on budget, climate change

Posted at 10:54 PM on November 4, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

The two candidates running for U.S. Senate in Minnesota ended their campaign with a final debate last night in St. Paul.

DFL Senator Amy Klobuchar and Republican Kurt Bills took part in an hour long debate at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul.

They differed over tax policy, spending cuts and climate change.

Bills criticized Klobuchar for failing to tackle fiscal issues like the federal debt and deficit.

"We gave Amy Klobuchar six years to do a job," Bills said. "She said she's appalled at $300 billion deficits. She's added $7.4 trillion in national debt."

Klobuchar countered that she supports a mix of spending cuts and tax increases to tackle the deficit. She said Bills' support of a flat tax would hurt lower and middle income earners.

"A lot of these proposals out there proposed by Congressman Ryan, proposed by the Rand Paul forces that you have been supporting, they do not help the middle class," Klobuchar said. "They are tilted to help the wealthiest."

The two also differed over climate change.

Bills said he disagrees with scientists who say greenhouse gas emissions are causing the the earth to get warmer.

"I believe there are scientists out there who don't believe that we are driving a massive change in our climate," he said.

"I believe in the science of climate change," Klobuchar countered. "Minnesota is a state that believes in science so once you're there, what's your next step?"

Klobuchar has a double digit lead over Bills heading into Election Day.

You can listen to the full debate here: Listen

Not on the ballot, but Dayton is focus of legislative campaigns

Posted at 8:55 AM on November 3, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Mark Dayton

(Gov. Dayton campaigning for DFL candidates in St. Cloud. MPR Photo/Conrad Wilson)

Gov. Mark Dayton isn't on the ballot this year, but it's clear that his policies are becoming key to legislative elections.

The first-term governor has been spending a lot of time over the past few weeks campaigning for Democratic candidates for the Minnesota House and Senate.

"Usually candidates say 'This is the most important election in our lifetime' when their names are on the ballot," Dayton said recently at a rally in St. Cloud. "My name isn't on the ballot, and I say this is the most important election in our lifetime."

Dayton has been characterizing the GOP-controlled Legislature as extremists who are unwilling to compromise. He points to the state government shutdown in 2011 as one of several problems he's had with the Legislature.

"They really believe 'eliminate government, eliminate taxes and let businesses run free and we'll all live happily ever after,'" Dayton said. "It doesn't happen in fairy tales and it doesn't happen in this world either."

Dayton's policy goals may depend on whether Democrats win back control of the Legislature. Republicans have criticized his plan to raise taxes on Minnesota's top earners to help fix the state's structural budget problem. They have also called for spending cuts and tax cuts for businesses - things he mostly disagrees with.

And with another two-year projected budget deficit looming, Dayton's vision for government and his re-election in 2014, could depend on whether he has a supportive Legislature.

"People need to decide, are they willing to give DFLers a chance for two years to see if we can make the kind of progress that will make a difference in their lives?" Dayton said. "If we don't, then there's a remedy for that in 2014, but at least give us that chance."

Republicans are working hard to make sure Dayton doesn't get his wish. They're also trying to use Dayton and his policies to their political advantage this election year. Republicans are warning voters and business leaders of what could happen if the governor gets his wish of a DFL-controlled Legislature.

"Hopefully, the voters will put Republicans back in charge. If they don't, they better hang onto their wallets," said Rep Greg Davids, R-Preston. "Just hand your billfold over because they're going to come and get it anyway."

Davids, who chairs the House Taxes Committee, and others are pushing Dayton to release his tax reform plan before Election Day. Dayton has convened a task force to study ways to change and improve the state's tax code, but he won't release the plan until after Nov. 6. Davids said voters deserve to know the plan now so they can ask DFL candidates whether they support it.

"Let's have the debate before the election," Davids said. "Why wait?"

In some races, Republicans are trying to get their DFL opponents to say whether they support Dayton's tax plan.

Dayton says he doesn't want to release his plan because he doesn't want it to "get mired down in politics" because Republicans would "doom it before it even gets started." He stresses, however, that he'll continue to push for a tax increase on Minnesota's wealthiest 2 percent and that his plan would keep property taxes stable.

Most DFL candidates interviewed by MPR News say they support some sort of tax increase but aren't willing to say whether they'd support Dayton's plan to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners.

"He's on the right track and he just needs a Legislature that will work with him," said DFL candidate Anne Nolan, who is challenging Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R- St. Cloud.

The stakes for this year's election are huge. Republicans currently hold a four seat majority in the Minnesota Senate and a six seat majority in the Minnesota House. Update: Democrats need to pick up four seats in the Minnesota Senate and six seats in the House to win the majority. Every seat is on the ballot this year and officials with both political parties say they see a solid path to the majority.

And while Republicans are warning about tax hikes if the DFL wins the Legislature, Dayton is promising an end to the partisanship in St. Paul. It's a message that he and other DFL candidates stress repeatedly on the campaign trail. They include Kevin Dahle, a Minnesota Senate candidate looking to represent the Northfield area.

"People are sick of the gridlock," Dahle said at a recent campaign rally. "Let's try to work together. People are tired of the partisanship and the bickering."

Republicans dismiss complaints about partisan rancor. They say divided government isn't always pretty, but that it results in a good product in the end.

"In talking to a lot of voters, they like the fact that we balanced the budget working with him," GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers said. "I think the voters knew what they were doing two years ago when they sent us mixed government."

It isn't clear whether Minnesotans will head to the polls on Tuesday with thoughts about whether Dayton should have a DFL-controlled Legislature. Most legislative races focus on where the specific candidates stand on the top issues facing the state. But that isn't stopping Dayton from making his pitch.

"I always tell candidates that I'll do whatever helps the most," Dayton is fond of saying. "I'll campaign for them or campaign against them. Whatever does the most good."

MPR's Conrad Wilson contributed to this story.

Clinton to campaign in St. Cloud on Sunday

Posted at 1:23 PM on November 2, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to campaign in St. Cloud on Sunday night according to two people with knowledge of the event. The event comes just two days before Election Day and just hours after Paul Ryan holds a campaign rally in Minneapolis.

Ryan, the Republican candidate for Vice President, is holding his rally at the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport. Clinton's event is aimed to help President Obama's reelection campaign in Minnesota but is also aimed at helping Democrat Jim Graves in his campaign against Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. Clinton campaigned in Minneapolis and Duluth earlier this week.

The race for president in Minnesota has been getting extra attention from the campaigns in recent weeks. Both campaigns are spending money on TV ads in the state but disagree over how close the race is. Republicans say it's tightening but President Obama's campaign says it is well ahead in the polls.

Minnesota last voted for a Republican candidate for president in 1972.

Update: Public Policy Polling, a firm linked to Democrats, released a poll today that has President Obama ahead of Mitt Romney by nine percentage points in MN.

UPDATE: Clinton will hold a "grassroots event" at St. Cloud State University, doors open at 6:45p Sunday, the Obama campaign said Friday night.

Paul Ryan to hold Sunday rally in Minnesota

Posted at 9:53 PM on November 1, 2012 by Tom Scheck (8 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee for Vice President, will campaign in Minnesota on Sunday.

The Romney campaign is sending out an e-mail about the event to supporters. It was also confirmed by a top Republican official in Minnesota who has knowledge of the event. Ryan will hold a campaign rally at the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport at 3:30 on Sunday afternoon.

The event comes just two days before Election Day and shows the importance the Romney campaign is putting on Minnesota.

Recent polls show President Obama with a lead in the state but Romney's campaign and other Minnesota Republicans have argued that the race is tightening.

Ryan had a private dinner in St. Paul on Tuesday after he held a campaign event in Hudson, Wisconsin. He also held a private fundraiser in the state earlier this month.

Ryan isn't the only once campaigning for Minnesota votes. Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to campaign in Superior, WI on Friday. An event that will be covered by reporters in both Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Former President Bill Clinton also held campaign events in Minneapolis and Duluth earlier this week for President Obama.

A Republican presidential candidate has not won Minnesota since 1972.

Dayton, DFL kick off GOTV tour

Posted at 12:52 PM on November 1, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Gov. Mark Dayton and other prominent Democrats have kicked off a statewide get-out-the-vote effort ahead of Tuesday's election.

Dayton is not on the ballot this year, but he's working to get more DFL legislators elected to help move his agenda. The governor is also urging voters to re-elect President Obama and to reject the two constitutional amendments on the state ballot. During a rally today outside of the State Capitol, Dayton said there's a lot at stake Tuesday.

"Everybody knows how critical this election is," Dayton said. "Everybody knows what's on the line here. There's no tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee. This is a fundamental difference in the direction for our country and for our state, and we've got to win it."

Other speakers included U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, state Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL Cook, and state DFL Chair Ken Martin.

House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said he believes Democrats are poised to win majorities in the Minnesota House and Senate. Thissen said voters are frustrated by the gridlock they've seen at the Capitol, and he blamed Republicans.

"These Republicans have taken us in exactly the wrong direction that this state needs to go, and we need to be moving forward once again," Thissen said. "The challenges are too big for us not to be doing that."

Republicans disgree. House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, said he believes Republicans will retain control. Dean said he thinks the GOP focus on economic issues and job creation is a better message than what the DFL is talking about.

"Their message is 'we don't like Republicans, and Republicans are bad,'" Dean said. It's a negative message. It's one that I don't think works very well. They have a message of bipartisanship, and their bipartisan message is 'fire all the Republicans.' That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to the people that I talk to."

The DFL bus tour has more than two dozen stops scheduled through Monday.

Battleground for Minnesota's Legislature

Posted at 8:00 AM on November 1, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

Redistricting, controversial constitutional amendments and a presidential election have put many Minnesota House and Senate races in flux. Here are the key races.

Click on a highlighted district below to see why the race is in play.

Minnesota Senate

Minnesota House

Thanks to MPR's Paul Tosto for putting the map together.

Bill Clinton to campaign in Minnesota on Tuesday

Posted at 8:13 AM on October 29, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

Former President Bill Clinton will campaign in Minneapolis and Duluth on Tuesday.

Clinton is scheduled to hold campaign rallies for President Obama, Senator Amy Klobuchar and other DFL candidates. The visit was confirmed by several Democratic officials in Minnesota. No other details of the visit have been released yet.

The Clinton visit comes at a time when polls show the race for president getting close in Minnesota. A Star Tribune poll released over the weekend showed Obama with a three percentage point lead over Mitt Romney. Clinton's visit to Duluth could help Democrat Rick Nolan's efforts to unseat Republican Congressman Chip Cravaack.

Meanwhile, a senior GOP official in Minnesota says Mitt Romney's campaign is seriously discussing whether Romney, Paul Ryan or both candidates will make a campaign stop in Minnesota before Election Day.

Minnesota has not backed a Republican for president since 1972.

UPDATE: Officials from the Obama campaign have confirmed Clinton's Tuesday visit to Minnesota. It's part of a broader swing through battleground states that includes Iowa, Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, New Hampshire and Wisconsin.

Clinton's visits will likely include stops on campuses in Minneapolis and Duluth.

Obama campaign buys TV ads in Twin Cities market

Posted at 1:23 PM on October 26, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

With MPR's Tom Scheck.

With less than two weeks to go before the election, President Barack Obama's campaign says it will be doing a last-minute ad buy in the Twin Cities broadcast market through Election Day.

A campaign official declined to say how much it is spending.

The news comes as Republican Mitt Romney's campaign announced a modest ad buy for the area as well. In recent days, Republicans have hinted that they're looking to expand the map in Minnesota, though it has not been considered a competitive state this election.

An Obama campaign official stressed that the buy is targeted at western Wisconsin, a battleground state that overlaps with the Twin Cities media market.

This is Obama's first TV buy in the Twin Cities market. The campaign has been broadcasting in the Rochester area largely because it overlaps with Iowa, another battleground state. Obama has also been advertising on the radio here, and his ads can be seen on cable as part of a national effort.

Romney's ground game in Minnesota is non-existent , though outside political groups including Americans for Prosperity, American Future Fund and Americans for Job Security have been running ads in the state critical of Obama's record.

Neither Romney nor his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, have campaigned in Minnesota, but both have stopped in to raise money.

Meanwhile, Obama and his surrogates have been to the state for public events. Neither Obama nor Vice President Joe Biden have traveled here since Labor Day, however.

Update: The public file shows President Obama's campaign spending $137,010 at KARE-11 and Fox9 through election day.

Romney's campaign is spending $29,550 on KARE-11 and KSTP-TV.

In one state House race, mailers lead voters astray

Posted at 5:04 PM on October 24, 2012 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

Most Minnesotans have never heard of Republican Stacey Stout, but her campaign for an open Minnesota House seat against DFLer Peter Fischer is getting a lot of attention from both sides of the aisle.

The Minnesota DFL Party and Minnesota's Future, a business-backed group that generally supports Republicans, are sending mailers in the White Bear Lake area that alternatively criticize and praise her record.

Both fliers include inaccuracies, and they underscore how, in a political environment saturated with advertisements and money from outside political groups, it can be difficult for a candidate to control his or her message.

Take the Minnesota's Future flier, which is paired with an absentee ballot application.

It states that Stout "helped turn a $6 billion deficit into a $1 billion surplus."

It's a common talking point among Republican candidates this year. It refers to a $1.3 billion surplus that's been used to pad the state's cash-flow and budget reserve accounts, and, in part, was created as a result of lower Medicaid enrollment and extra federal dollars. Minnesota still faces a projected $1.1 billion deficit in the next biennium.

While some incumbent Republicans contend they were involved in creating that surplus, it's an impossible argument when it comes to Stout.

That's because Stout wasn't in office this session. In fact, she's never served in the state Legislature.

On the campaign trail, Stout says that she talks about staying on the fiscal course legislative Republicans set out in the last session, but that she can't take credit for the surplus.

Chris Tiedeman, who works for Weber Johnson Public Affairs and operates Minnesota's Future, said that the flier was in error and was meant to say that Stout's spending priorities are the type of priorities that helped create a surplus.

The DFL is talking about Stout's record, too.

In a mailer that says Stout's "tea party ideas are steeped in extremism," the DFL contends that while in Washington, D.C., "Stout worked against the Medicare prescription drug benefit, and stands with those who support the Paul Ryan budget plan - which would end Medicare as we know it."

Before working for the Department of Justice under the Bush and Obama administrations, the DFL points out Stout worked for Sen. Don Nickles, a Republican from Oklahoma. In 2003, Nickles voted against the creation of Medicare Part D, better known today as the prescription drug benefit for seniors.

Stout calls the DFL's accusations "guilt by association."

"I find that frustrating because here I have this really, what I would say, honorable public service record, and to try to tie me to something that one person voted on is pretty far-fetched," she said.

Stout said she never advised Nickles on health care issues. Her areas of expertise were transportation, agriculture and telecommunications.

DFL spokesperson Kate Monson said that, as a Republican candidate, Stout works with and supports Republicans who generally support the Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan ticket. But Stout says that she has no stance on the Ryan budget because it's a federal issue not a state issue.

She also rejects the rest of the DFL's flier, saying and that she's never been to a tea party meeting in the state. The website the DFL lists as evidence that Stout is a tea party candidate no longer includes her name.

Outside political groups are barred by law from coordinating their mailers with Stout, so that means she has no control over what they say.

Stout, who is running for office for the first time in her life, says the attention from outside groups is bewildering.

"I appreciate the groups that want to say, 'We've gotten to know her, we support her, we want people to know about this,'" she said. "I think it's a little confusing for the public because most people are not aware that maybe a piece didn't come directly from me even though it says on there. The general public is not following this like you or I would."

DFL candidates rip Republicans on Medicare

Posted at 1:02 PM on October 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD2, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD3, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD4, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD5

From MPR's Mark Zdechlik...

Four Democrats running for Congress in Minnesota say Republicans are promoting proposals that would turn Medicare a voucher system.

DFL Representatives Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison say if Republicans are successful at repealing the Affordable Care Act, seniors would lose hundreds of millions of dollars in preventative care and prescription drug benefits.

McCollum says misleading campaign ads from outside groups are clouding the debate. Even so, she says she thinks seniors understand what GOP proposals would do to Medicare and Affordable Care Act benefits.

"Republicans for Congress are resorting to these false attacks because they don't want to be honest with seniors about what their plan really does for seniors and their families," McCollum said. "But we are not going to let them mislead the public and we are not going to let them run away from the facts."]]

Minnesota GOP Party Chairman Pat Shortridge says Democrats are trying to "scare" seniors. Shortridge say the GOP Medicare plan is the only plan that would ensure the program long-term solvency.

Fields says Ellison is "ducking debates"

Posted at 12:38 PM on October 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD5

The Republican candidate for Congress in Minnesota's 5th District says DFL Congressman Keith Ellison is ducking a debate with him.

Chris Fields held a news conference to say Ellison's campaign canceled a debate scheduled to be held in north Minneapolis later today. Fields says Ellison made the move after the two engaged in a heated debate last week in which Ellison called Fields a "low-life scumbag." Ellison later apologized.

"Instead of giving the citizens of the north side and the 5th Congressional District a chance to participate in a substantive debate with a credible opponent, he is ducking the debate," Fields said. "This reflects the fact that Congressman Ellison cannot answer for his record of neglect and is sorely challenged when trying to control his temper."

Ellison, who attended an earlier news conference that focused on Medicare, declined to say whether he canceled the debate.

"It was canceled," Ellison said. "Debates are for illuminating the issues and this one wasn't going to do that. I can't speak for anybody but myself but I didn't think it was helpful to the process."

Ellison said he prefers to focus on the issues heading into the campaign. Minnesota's 5th Congressional District includes Minneapolis and some suburbs.

Ellison and Fields have debated three times this election cycle. They appeared on MPR during the State Fair, on WCCO Radio and on KFAI-FM.

Both Ellison and Fields will take questions separately today from representatives of the Coalition of Black Churches, Insight News and African American Leadership Forum. The event will be held at the offices of Insight News and will be broadcast on KFAI-FM at a later date.

Update: Ellison's campaign issued this statement:

"After holding more debates than the Presidential race, I have concluded that an additional debate with my Republican opponent is not in the best interest of the 5th District. As I have talked about my record and vision for the future, Mr. Fields has shed little light on his own vision and has pursued personal insults culminating in an attack on my family. I reacted badly, but even after my sincere apology, my opponent has not reset. In fact, he is clearly milking this for political gain. Instead of engaging in another spectacle, I will be out working hard every day, as I have been, for the people."

Rasmussen Poll: Obama up 5 points in MN

Posted at 12:30 PM on October 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck (13 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

A poll conducted by Rasmussen reports says President Obama is leading Mitt Romney by 5 percentage points in Minnesota.

The poll, which relies on an automated, robo-dial methodology, surveyed 500 likely voters on Oct. 21. It found that 51 percent of those polled support Obama and 46 percent of those polled support Romney. One percent supports another candidate and 1 percent is undecided. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

Rasmussen, which Democrats have long argued favors GOP candidates, is the first poll that shows the presidential race in Minnesota that close. Two other pollsters, Survey USA and Public Policy Polling (which is aligned with Democrats) showed Obama leading by 10 points in recent polls.

Republicans in Minnesota have said they believe Minnesota is competitive this year but the Romney campaign has spent little money or time campaigning in the state. President Obama's campaign has 11 field offices and more than 40 staffers working in the state.

Minnesota has not backed a Republican for president since 1972.

Klobuchar calls Daily Caller story "inaccurate"

Posted at 6:17 PM on October 22, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate, Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar's re-election campaign is calling allegations made in a story published by a conservative website "inaccurate."

The Daily Caller reported last week that Klobuchar "helped keep a multibillion-dollar Ponzi schemer out of prison in the late 1990s when she was the County Attorney in Hennepin County, Minnesota." The report also said Klobuchar had enough evidence to prosecute Tom Petters but declined to prosecute.

"Senator Klobuchar did not ask her county attorney staff or law enforcement to refrain from investigating or prosecuting Tom Petters," Klobuchar campaign spokesman Linden Zakula said in a prepared statement. "She was not presented with evidence for prosecution of charges against him."

Zakula released the statement after her Republican opponent, state Rep. Kurt Bills, criticized her for saying "no comment" to the initial story.

The Daily Caller story focuses on Petters, who was convicted of 20 felony counts including money laundering, conspiracy and fraud. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison for setting up a ponzi scheme that defrauded millions of dollars from investors.

In a statement released today, Bills also wanted to know why Klobuchar didn't prosecute Petters in 1999, demanded to know where additional evidence went and why she contributed political contributions from Petters to charity instead of returning the money to the victims of Petters crimes.

"As our Senator, Amy Klobuchar has often called for accountability in others. It is time she provides her constituents with the same," Bills said in a statement.

Zakula said Klobuchar first gave the donations from Petters to a charity but later returned the additional money to the trustee for the victims after the investigation was concluded.

Klobuchar isn't the only candidate linked to Petters. He gave to the Minnesota Republican Party, the DFL Party, former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar, former GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann.

Many of those politicians and parties gave the contributions to charity or gave the money back to those swindled by Petters.

Update: The Hennepin County Attorney's Office released this statement about the case:

On April 22, 1998, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office filed a charge of Theft by Swindle over $35,000 against Richard Hettler. Later, he also was charged with a felony non-support of a child and defeating security on a personalty.

In January 1999, Hettler pleaded guilty to the theft by swindle and the felony non-support charges and the defeating security on personalty was dropped. He was sentenced to 33 months in prison in February 1999.

At no time was the Hennepin County Attorney's Office presented by any law enforcement agency a case against Tom Petters.

DCCC chair Israel in MN to raise cash for 8th, 6th and 2nd CD Dems

Posted at 12:45 PM on October 20, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

A top Democrat is in Minnesota to raise cash for three of the state's Democratic congressional candidates.

Among them is Rick Nolan, who is running in a close, expensive race against Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District.

A recent KSTP/SurveyUSA poll shows Cravaack and Nolan very close.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Rep. Steve Israel says that Nolan is poised to win.

"We've got an outstanding candidate in Rick Nolan who's independent, who's about solutions, who understands how you represent workers on the Iron Range, and farmers, and families," Israel said in an interview Saturday morning.

Cravaack, he said, hasn't been "part of the solution," in Washington, he's been "part of the problem."

"So this is a race that we feel very good about," Israel said. "It's a close race now, polling continues to be very close but we're confident about it."

Cravaack has argued that Nolan is too liberal for the district, and has criticized Nolan for supporting the new health care law, which slows the growth of Medicare spending. He has also been critical of Nolan's record in Congress when he represented the state's 6th District in the late 1970's.

The DCCC raises and spends cash on behalf of select Democrats running for U.S. House. It has budgeted about $2.6 million to help Nolan win the 8th.

Outside political groups supporting Cravaack have also been spending heavily there.

For instance, this week, the American Action Network, which is a Washington, D.C., based group supporting Republicans, announced that it plans to spend an additional $500,000 on Cravaack's race.

American Action Network is a non-profit group that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on elections without disclosing their donors.

Israel said the DCCC is going to "do everything that we can to make sure that we are defending against these secret super PACs. They are insidious; they keep me up at night because they will spend whatever they need to spend in order to buy this democracy."

Nolan has seen its share of help from super PACs, too. The House Majority PAC, which is aimed at electing Democrats to the U.S. House, has spent nearly $1 million opposing Cravaack through advertising and direct mail, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data.

Israel is also in Minnesota to help Mike Obermueller, who is running against Republican Rep. John Kline in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District.

Obermueller's race has been on the DCCC's Red to Blue list for some time, in part because Kline's district became more Democratic during this year's redistricting process, Israel said.

But the group hasn't spent money on ads there so far, according to FEC reports.

Israel said that's not an indication that the DCCC has given up on the race. The group has provided the Obermueller campaign with on-the-ground assistance.

Jim Graves' campaign against Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann is also on the DCCC's radar because polling shows Graves is gaining ground there, Israel said. He's referring to a poll commissioned by the Graves campaign that shows Graves two percentage points behind Bachmann.

But a separate KSTP/SurveyUSA poll showed Bachmann ahead by 9 percentage points.

"It's probably somewhere between 2 and 8 points. That tells you that something is wrong in that district for Michele Bachmann. She is an incumbent," he said.

"It tells us that there's a fatigue in her district with her, which makes the district worthy of our investment, our work and our support," Israel added.

There's some skepticism that Democrats can win back the House this year. But Israel said that the DCCC views Minnesota as a key part of their plan gain control of the House, especially in the 8th district, where Cravaack has served for two years in a region that has long been a Democratic stronghold.

"There's no question that the longer some of these incumbents stay, the safer they become. They go Washington," Israel said.

Dybvig outs himself as Joe Forkeybolo

Posted at 4:26 PM on October 19, 2012 by Catharine Richert (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

On his personal Facebook account, Democratic public relations professional Nate Dybvig has outed himself as Joe Forkeybolo, the conservative persona Dybvig used to promote his clients.

"Well, they've finally gone and done it," wrote Dybvig, who is currently an unpaid campaign spokesman for Brian Barnes Republican Rep. Erik Paulsen DFL opponent in Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District.

"MPR is about to do a story on how I am part of the long and storied political tradition of having an alter-ego on facebook. Joe Forkeybolo was created to entertain and was damn good at it. But if the MPR thinks it makes me unethical, then I guess rather than suffer their slings and arrows, I will just put Joe out to pasture. Farewell old friend."

Dybvig is referring to this story published Friday, Oct. 19 by MPR News.

It tells the strange story of Forkeybolo, who is Dybvig's conservative alter ego.

Forkeybolo is "tired of working half the year to pay for the lazy half of society to sit around and collect free handouts," according to the Facebook account, which was deactivated shortly after MPR contacted Dybvig about the fake identity.

Below is a screen shot of the account. The profile picture is a stock photo easily found on the web.

Dybvig used the Facebook account to criticize Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack and Tarryl Clark while he was working for Jeff Anderson, who was also seeking the DFL endorsement in the 8th Congressional District primary.

"Rep. Cravaack is being out-fundraised by Tarryble Clark. And he's weak on conservative issues. Do we need to start worrying about this race?" Dybvig wrote on the Forkeybolo Facebook page on May 15, 2012.

He also used the site to criticize gambling proposals meant to pay for the Vikings stadium. Dybvig has long worked for the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, which opposed the proposals.

On the fake Forkeybolo Faceboook page, Forkeybolo vented to his conservative audience that Republicans were wrong on the Vikings deal.

"While RINOS like [Senate Majority Leader David] Senjem and [Sen. Claire] Robling like gambling, the TRUE conservative wing of the party will not play along," he wrote on Jan. 9, 2012. "Add them to the bought and paid for democrats, and Racino has no chance this year."

Forkeybolo's name cropped up in the comments section of numerous stories regarding the gambling proposals as well.

Read more here.

Campaign finance board to investigate claims against MN DFL

Posted at 3:49 PM on October 18, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board will investigate four claims brought by the Republican Party of Minnesota contending the Minnesota DFL party coordinated campaign literature with several candidates.

"The board will conduct investigations of the complaints to determine whether any violations of Minnesota Statutes 10A have occurred," the board wrote the GOP in a letter. "The Board's undertaking of these investigations signifies only that the complaints have met the minimum threshold to require an investigation."

The GOP's complaint surrounds campaign literature sent by the DFL in favor of four Senate Democratic candidates including Jim Carlson, who is running against incumbent Ted Daley in SD 51 near Eagan, Melisa Franzen, who is running against Rep. Keith Downey for SD 49 near Edina, Vicki Jensen who is running against Vern Swedin in SD 24 encompassing part of Steele County, and Alice Johnson who is running against incumbent Pam Wolf in SD 37, which covers Blaine.

The Republicans allege that the DFL Party and the Senate DFL Caucus used photos of the candidates in mailings that are not publicly available on the internet. They argue that the party illegally coordinated with the candidates to take the pictures.

All four candidates are are considered strong candidates to win seats that are currently controlled by the GOP.

Additionally, the Minnesota GOP has added a fifth complaint to their roster concerning Alan Oberloh, also running for office in SD 22, which includes part of Pipestone, Noble, and Murray Counties among others.

Meanwhile, Julie Bunn, who is running for Senate District 39 near Lake Elmo and who was part of the Republican's initial complaint, has been cleared of charges.

"Board staff has verified that all of the photographs identified in the complaint are readily available to the public on the candidate's website... Consequently, the alleged facts are not supported by the website and cannot be the basis for an investigation," the Board determined according to a press release from Bunn's campaign.

Ellison, Fields trade verbal blows in KFAI debate

Posted at 12:30 PM on October 18, 2012 by Catharine Richert (12 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD5

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison and his Republican opponent Chris Fields traded some heated verbal blows during a debate on radio station KFAI today, resulting in Ellison calling Fields a "low-life scumbag."

During the debate, the conversation meandered from a conversation about equal pay for women to a restraining order Fields' ex-wife filed against him in 2006.

Fields accused Ellison and the Minnesota DFL of using campaign contributions to dig up and make public the 2006 order, which Fields says he never received.

"They took that money and gave it to this Washington, D.C. firm and started looking through my divorce. And what they found was a statement that my ex-wife had never given me and she issued a statement saying 'hey, it was a deeply troubling period," Fields said.

"You're really stupid for bringing up your domestic violence allegations," Ellison interjected. "I wasn't going to say a thing about it."

From there, Fields launched into accusations about Ellison's child support payments.
"You are a low-life scumbag," Ellison responded repeatedly. "You are a gutter dweller."

At that point, the debate host tried to steer the conversation to the state's unemployment rate, but to no avail.

Listen here:

Fields returned to the restraining order and Ellison's child support.

Ellison, who recently divorced his wife, responded that his daughter was sitting in the next room.

"I'm using a lot of self-control right now, sir," Ellison said. "I had nothing to do with [finding the restraining order], and you know it," Ellison went on his voice raising.

Even a 30-second radio break did little to calm Ellison and Fields. When the debate went live again, the two could still be heard arguing in the background.

At that point, KFAI cut the mic and went to music.

Listen here:

The debate wrapped up on a more civil note, with Ellison and Fields talking about public education and the two constitutional amendments on this year's ballot.

But even then, the two went head-to-head again when Fields implied that Ellison had declined to debate him in front of the Urban League, which Ellison said is a scheduled debate.

"Would you please stop lying to the people!" Ellison said. "This is ridiculous."

UPDATE: Ellison sent us this statement -

"Today during a radio broadcast debate, my opponent made false statements about an intensely personal family matter. My teenage daughter was present in the next room listening to the debate.

In response to my opponent's false statement, I made an uncivil reference to him. I should not have done so. I acted beneath my personal standard as a public official, and I apologize.

In the course of this campaign, we have been focused on creating economic prosperity for working families, protecting our constitutional right to vote, and making sure that everybody counts and everybody matters--and yet, my opponent has repeatedly and personally attacked me.

His untrue reference to the terms of my divorce was over the line, but my comment to him was over the line too. His tactics are no excuse for my departure from civility.

I will not allow this to happen again, and I regret my action."

UPDATE: Chris Fields issued this statement after the debate:

"At a time when we need civility and leadership from Washington politicians Congressman Ellison has proved that he cannot deliver and as a result we all suffer.

Since Ellison has been in office he has pursued a senseless foreign policy agenda, failed domestic policies and pointless legislation such as reparations for slavery. Our campaign has been centered on providing credible and workable solutions for the people of our district.

We have focused on two areas; closing the achievement gap and unemployment gap between blacks and whites. These gaps affect everyone in our district and pose a very real threat to Americans nationwide.

In addition, we are also focused on protecting the most vulnerable among us; our seniors, veterans, the middle class and single parents."

The Ellison campaign has been engaged in name-calling and various other political games designed to detract attention from Congressman Ellison's record of failure. This month alone Fields has been attacked as a "liar" dozens of times without provocation or factual justification.

"While I cannot apologize for Congressman Ellison's violent outbursts, I do believe the voters of the Fifth Congressional District are entitled to a Representative who more accurately reflects their values of people working together regardless of their background or political beliefs. If I elected I will work to continue to build bridges with all communities and provide the focused attention needed to move us forward.

The Fields campaign plans to continue to promote the idea that Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike can do great things when we Come Together."

You can listen to the entire debate at KFAI's website.

Peterson dismisses MCCL decision to not back him

Posted at 9:12 PM on October 16, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD7

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson is dismissing the decision by Minnesota Citizen's Concerned for Life to not endorse him this year.

Peterson and his campaign declined to comment last week when MCCL decided not to endorse him. The group said Peterson lost its endorsement because he voted against efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (even though he voted against the original bill).

Republican Lee Byberg's campaign is now pointing to an online video that was captured by two people at Concordia College that features Peterson talking about MCCL's decision. In the video, Peterson dismissed MCCL's decision to not endorse anyone in the race to Minnesota's 7th Congressional District.

"The only place it got reported is MPR, and those people don't listen to MPR," Peterson said to the woman who asked about the MCCL's decision in the video. (Note: The Star Tribune also wrote about MCCL's decision).

Peterson, who has been endorsed by the MCCL in the past, also suggested that the group contained extremists on the abortion issue. Peterson is opposed to legalized abortion. He later added MCCL's decision to not endorse him "is an end to them as an organization."

"They're now a completely partisan organization," Peterson said. "When you get into that position, you're done. The NRA is smarter because they keep 60 or 70 Democrats. They went out and purposely make a partisan issue out of this. It's stupid."

Byberg's campaign swiftly rebuked Peterson's comments.

"Peterson's decades in Congress have made him arrogant," said Byberg campaign manager Liz Gorham. "Attacking MCCL for sticking to their pro-life principles is appalling. Did it ever occur to him that pro-life voters might want a pro-life Congressman? That isn't extreme, it's democracy."

Peterson's campaign spokeswoman didn't respond to questions about today's comments.
Update:

Peterson sent along this statement regarding MCCL's decision:

"I respect the right of MCCL to not endorse me or my opponent in this race. I am pro-life, and have had a 100 percent record with them. I opposed the Affordable Care Act, and have since supported removing the parts of that bill that MCCL objects to. However, their position on repealing the ACA has become partisan and political, and I don't think this should be a partisan issue.

As I've said before, we need to put aside partisanship and work together in Congress to fix what isn't working in this bill, while keeping some of the patient protection issues, like eliminating pre-existing condition exclusions, eliminating the Medicare prescription drug donut hole and allowing individuals to stay on a parent's health care plan up to age 26."

Democrats and Republicans battle over property taxes

Posted at 4:27 PM on October 15, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

Democrats in the Legislature are working to make property taxes a key issue in this year's election. Today is the deadline for homeowners to pay their property taxes. DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and DFL Senator Ann Rest held a news conference at the State Capitol today to note the occasion. Thissen criticized Republicans for cutting a property tax credit in the past budget. He said Democrats would take a different approach to property taxes if they're elected to the majority.

"Our candidates are talking to Minnesota voters and what they're hearing from them is that we need to rebalance our tax system so that leg of the stool is not out of proportion with everything else," Thissen said. "DFL majorities are going to focus on delivering property tax relief to Minnesotans next year."

Thissen didn't offer specifics as to how Democrats would reduce property taxes. The cut was a part of a budget deal reached by Republican lawmakers and Democratic Governor Mark Dayton.

Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, says Thissen's accusation is unfair because most homeowners in Minnesota didn't see large spikes in property taxes this year. Davids, who chairs the House Taxes Committee, also says the state wasn't fully funding the credit when it was in existence.

"We took away a corrupt, dishonest, fraudulant program that the former DFL tax chair had a bill to get rid of," Davids said. "The counties and cities came to us and said 'Get rid of this program."

Republicans currently control both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature. Every seat in the Legislature is on the ballot this year.

Brodkorb-Koch scandal becomes campaign lit fodder

Posted at 2:45 PM on October 15, 2012 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

So far, the "inappropriate relationship" between former GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and former Senate GOP Caucus spokesman Michael Brodkorb has largely stayed out of this year's election chatter.

Until now.

A mailer paid for by the Minnesota DFL party circulating in Senate District 22 near Luverne where Republican Bill Weber is running against Alan Oberloh reminds voters that taxpayers are footing the bill for the legal imbroglio that ensued after Brodkorb was fired late last year.

The mailer links Weber, who did not serve this past legislative session, to the Brodkorb-Koch affair.

"The same GOP Senators who are making you pay for their scandal want Bill Weber in the Senate," the mailer reads. "Don't let them get away with it."

Koch announced she was stepping down as Senate Majority Leader last December. A day later, it was revealed that she had been having an affair with an unnamed male staffer, and that she had been confronted by top Senate leadership about the relationship. Brodkorb was fired a day after Koch announced she was leaving her post, though the two were not linked romantically until much later.

Soon after, Brodkorb filed a wrongful termination suit against the Minnesota Senate, and settlement talks have foundered. Meanwhile, the Senate has paid at least $100,000 for legal representation in the matter.

Brodkorb is now speaking out about the affair and the lawsuit, saying that pressure for Koch to step down and that his termination were a "power play" by other members of the Senate.

The flier bears the Minnesota DFLs name, but the Senate and House Democratic caucuses typically funnel money intended for this type of campaign literature through the party, as it allows them to save money on postage.

Big week for congressional debates

Posted at 3:08 PM on October 14, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD3, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD4, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD7, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

This is a big week for Minnesota's congressional candidates. There will be debates in several congressional districts, including Minnesota's 8th District contest between GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack and Democrat Rick Nolan.

The League of Women Voters will host a 4th Congressional District debate featuring DFL Rep. Betty McCollum, Republican Tony Hernandez and Independence Party candidate Steve Carlson. The event will be held at 7 o'clock on Monday night at North High School in North St. Paul. The event is free and open to the public.

Cravaack and Nolan will meet in a Debate Minnesota forum on Tuesday at noon. The event will be held at Anoka Ramsey Community College and is open to the public. Both candidates also debated the issues on KSTP's At Issue on Friday.

Prairie Public TV in North Dakota will host a debate between DFL Rep. Collin Peterson and Republican Lee Byberg on Tuesday. The debate will air on Tuesday night at 8pm.

On Thursday, GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen and Democrat Brian Barnes will meet in a debate hosted by the Edina and Eden Prairie Chambers of Commerce. The chambers are requiring chamber members to pay $25 to attend. Those who aren't members of the Chamber have to pay $35 to attend.

MPR's The Daily Circuit will also be hosting several debates over the next month. You can see the list of those debates here.

Ryan pulls in at least $254,000 during a quick fundraising stop to Minnesota

Posted at 10:05 PM on October 13, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee for Vice President, raked in a minimum of $250,000 during a quick fundraising stop in Minneapolis on Saturday night. It's difficult to say how much the Romney/Ryan ticket picked up from the Minneapolis event since donors were being asked to give between $1,000 and $25,000. Minnesota Republican Party Chair Pat Shortridge said the fundraiser was to fund the Romney/Ryan ticket.

Ryan arrived in Minnesota late in the afternoon before he went home to his home in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Ryan's plane, emblazoned with the campaign's "R" logo and "Believe in America" slogan, touched down at 4:45 p.m. in a light drizzle. Ryan's three children, who joined him and his wife on the trip, danced around the wet tarmac before the entire delegation bundled into the motorcade and headed up to Minneapolis.

The fundraiser at the Solera restaurant and event center drew 254 donors who paid $1,000 to eat tapas and hear the Republican vice presidential nominee's 11-minute speech. For $2,500, they got a photo with Ryan and for $25,000 you could join him at a private dinner.

With the checks safely in hand, Ryan was free to engage in a little Packers-on-Vikings smack talk.

"You know what this is?" he asked the crowd, holding up an empty right fist, knuckles-first. "That's a Minnesota Vikings Super Bowl ring." As the audience groaned, Ryan grinned. "You want me to leave right now, don't you?"

They didn't. Ryan gave a quick, upbeat speech that focused on his ties to Minnesota, and his shared experience as a fellow resident of flyover country.

"When you talk to somebody from the east coast or the west coast, which I do all the time, they say 'Oh yeah, you're that guy from Minnesota, aren't you?'" Ryan said. "I say, 'No, I'm from Wisconsin.' They say, 'Oh yeah. Same thing."

Not so, Ryan said: "They're the Lutheran deer hunters, we're the Catholic deer hunters."

"I enjoy this state so much. Our states are so similar," said Ryan, who was joined at the event by his brother Stan, a Minnesota resident.

Ryan waxed nostalgic about a youthful summer job he spent with Stan, selling Oscar Mayer meats to northern Minnesota grocery stores. There, he said, all the grocery store butchers "would kick off at about 3 to go fishing, so I figured, well, I might as well do the same thing too. I fished a lot of your wonderful lakes here."

Ryan also worked in a few jabs at President Barack Obama, and sluggish job growth numbers, which he said is a sign that the country is "heading in the wrong direction."
"We've got to get this economy growing. We've got to get jobs back on track," he said. "We can have growth, but that means you need pro-growth solutions, get them in place to turn this thing around."

And in conclusion, Ryan said, "Go Packers!"

This was Ryan's first campaign stop in in Minnesota. And like the campaign's last swing through the state - Mitt Romney's August fundraisers in Minnetonka Beach and Shoreview -- this was strictly a cash withdrawal. No public events, not even many protesters on a damp evening with a Zombie Pub Crawl competing for the public's attention. Although the advance team reported a few spirited boos from the gay bar across the street.

Ryan was introduced by three members of Minnesota's Republican congressional delegation: U.S. Reps. Michele Bachmann, John Kline and Erik Paulsen. Bachmann spoke before the press pool was brought into the room.

Kline introduced Ryan to the crowd by noting that campaign season was cutting into Ryan's other favorite season.

"He's my hunting partner. I know that he's chafing a little bit because it's deer season," Kline said. "He would far rather be in a tree stand than debating Joe Biden."

Democrats were quick to point out Ryan's private fundraiser. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and DFL Party Chair held a news conference on Saturday to criticize what they call the Romney/Ryan budget.

On Friday, Rep. Betty McCollum held a conference call to welcome Ryan to the Twin Cities. McCollum, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee with Ryan, criticized the Republican plan that Romney and Ryan say would both cut taxes and reduce the deficit.

"When are they going to tell the American people what I believe is the truth about their plans to cut taxes for millionaires and trilionaires," McCollum said. "t's mathematically impossible to pay for all of the trillions in tax cuts that they want for the wealthiest without raising taxes on the middle class."

Democrats also announced on Saturday that Jill Biden, Vice President Joe Biden's wife, will campaign next week in Minneapolis and Duluth.

Material includes full pool report written by the reporter allowed to cover the Ryan event.

Jill Biden to campaign in Minnesota

Posted at 10:00 AM on October 13, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will campaign in Minnesota next week.

Events aren't finalized but a Democratic official says Biden will campaign in Minneapolis and Duluth on Oct. 19 and Oct. 20. This will be Jill Biden's second campaign stop in Minnesota since Labor Day.

The announcement comes on the same day that Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee for Vice President, is scheduled to hold a private fundraiser in Minneapolis. Guests are being asked to give at least $1,000 to attend the event. Couples who give $25,000 can attend a private dinner with Ryan.

Ryan has no public events scheduled in the state - a signal that Minnesota may be losing the swing state status it gained in prior election cycles.

Mitt Romney held a private fundraiser in Minnesota in August but held no public events.

Meanwhile, the Obama campaign has made several stops in the state. President Obama last campaigned here in June and Vice President Biden campaigned in Minneapolis and St. Paul in August.

Bunn says GOP complaint is baseless

Posted at 10:40 AM on October 12, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

Democrat Julie Bunn says there's no basis for a complaint filed Thursday against her by the Republican Party of Minnesota.

The GOP alleged in its complaint that Bunn was among five DFL state Senate candidates who improperly coordinated their campaigns with the state DFL Party. The evidence cited in the complaint was photos that appeared in DFL funded literature, photos that the Republicans said were unavailable publicly and therefore must have come from the candidates or the DFL Senate Caucus.

But Bunn issued a statement today saying that she didn't coordinate with the DFL Party or the DFL Senate Caucus over the use of photographs. Bunn, who served in the Minnesota House from 2006-2010, said her campaign website includes photos dating back several years that anyone can access.

"Any visitor to the website and Photo Gallery page can then click on the link provided and go to a Photobucket containing over 200 photos that date from 2006 until mid-August of this year," Bunn said in a statement. "There is nothing obscure about this location."

Bunn is challenging Republican Karin Housley in an open seat that includes Forest Lake, Lake Elmo and Stillwater.

The DFL Party has not released a statement or commented on the Republican Party complaint. The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board keeps complaints private until they rule on them. There's no word on if or when the board will rule.

Republicans file complaint against DFL Party and DFL Senate candidates

Posted at 4:40 PM on October 11, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Tim Pawlenty

The Republican Party of Minnesota filed campaign finance complaints today against the DFL Party, the DFL Senate Caucus and five state Senate candidates for coordinating photography and spending on campaign mailings.

The Republicans allege that the DFL Party and the Senate DFL Caucus used photos of the candidates in mailings that are not publicly available on the internet.

"The photos used on these supposed independent expenditure pieces by the Minnesota DFL are not publicly available on the candidates' official campaign websites, Facebook pages, Flickr accounts, Google images or any place else on the Internet, and are clearly taken from a staged photo shoot," Republican Party of Minnesota Chair Pat Shortridge said in a statement. "The Minnesota DFL Party's use of these images that are unavailable to the general public strongly suggests coordination with the candidate on these independent expenditures."

The DFL candidates included in the complaint are Melisa Franzen, Jim Carlson, Julie Bunn, Alice Johnson and Vicki Jensen. Those five candidates are considered strong candidates to win seats that are currently controlled by the GOP.

A spokeswoman for the DFL Party said their attorneys are examining the complaint, and that she wasn't prepared to comment. I'll post the party's response if/when they send it.

State law forbids candidates and independent groups from coordinating campaign activity. Tim Pawlenty was fined for coordinating TV ads with the Republican Party of Minnesota in 2002.

The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board keeps complaints private until they rule on them. It isn't known whether the board will act on the complaint before the election.

Bills suggests recent unemployment numbers were cooked

Posted at 5:28 PM on October 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills held a news conference to criticize DFL Sen, Amy Klobuchar for failing to adequately address the federal deficit. During the 30 minute news conference, Bills said Klobuchar should have shown more leadership on solving the budget crisis facing the nation.

Bills also joined a chorus of conservatives who are questioning the legitimacy of the recent job numbers. Bills said it was "suspicious" when asked whether he thought the Bureau of Labor Statistics adjusted the monthly unemployment report to help President Obama's re-election effort.

"What statisticians do is what statisticians do, but I find it very curious that it dropped when it did and it's a .3 percent drop," Bills told reporters.

The report last week showed a sharp drop in unemployment to 7.8 percent.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis called the notion that the numbers were cooked "ludicrous."

Keith Hall, a former commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, also dismissed the allegations.

"People shouldn't think at all there is any bias in the numbers," Hall told McClatchy. "This data is collected and examined by each state. . . . Hundreds of people at BLS help collect this data and compile it. If you wanted to try to mess with these numbers, you are talking a very difficult thing. It almost certainly would . . . be next to impossible."

You can listen to Bills' entire news conference here: Listen

Peterson loses MCCL endorsement

Posted at 3:16 PM on October 9, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD7

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, a group that lobbies against legalized abortion, has decided not to endorse DFL Rep. Collin Peterson for re-election.

MCCL spokesman Bil Poehler says his group has endorsed Peterson several times over the past few election cycles but said Peterson's stance on the federal health care law has prompted the MCCL to decide against endorsing him this year.

"We typically endorse candidates when they are 100 percent with us, but because he isn't with us on the Affordable Care Act, that's the case this time around," Poehler said.

Peterson is running for re-election in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District, which includes much of the western part of the state. Poehler said his organization will not endorse anyone in the 7th. That hasn't stopped Republican Lee Byberg from using the MCCL's decision to his political advantage. Byberg, who lost to Peterson by nearly 18 percentage points in 2010, issued a statement criticizing Peterson.

"Obamacare is an abomination, and an affront to the conscience of millions of pro-life Americans. Collin Peterson gives lip service to our cause, but when the chips are down he votes with his party, not his conscience," Byberg said.

Peterson initially opposed the Affordable Care Act in 2009 but has voted against measures that would have defunded the program. He said earlier this year that the federal law known as Obamacare is "not all bad."

An official with Peterson's campaign said he just learned about MCCL's decision and said he would get back to me with a statement. I'll post it when it arrives.

MCCL's endorsement could play a factor in the 7th District. The group holds political power in many rural areas. For example, it endorsed Republican Chip Cravaack over DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar in 2010 because of Oberstar's support of the Affordable Care Act. Cravaack defeated Oberstar with the help of the MCCL's endorsement.

Poll shows growing opposition to constitutional amendments

Posted at 5:47 PM on October 8, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment, Voter ID Amendment

Public Policy Polling, a North Carolina firm linked to Democrats, says opposition to two proposed constitutional amendments has grown since the firm last polled on the issues.

The poll of 937 likely voters in Minnesota between Oct. 5 - 8 finds that a growing number of people are opposed to a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between a man and a woman, and a constitutional amendment that would require people to present photo identification to vote.

The poll found that 49 percent of those polled are opposed to the amendment to ban same-sex marriage while 46 percent support it and 5 percent say they're not sure. One percent of those polled say they won't vote on the amendment. The 50 percent threshold is critical because supporters need a majority to amend the constitution.

"The marriage amendment in Minnesota continues to look like a toss-up," wrote Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. "Voters are very closely divided on the issue."

Meanwhile, support for the so-called Voter ID amendment has dropped from previous polls. The measure still is supported by a majority of those polled (51 percent) but support has dipped seven percentage points since a June poll. Forty-three percent of those polled oppose the amendment, while 6 percent say they're not sure.

PPP will release data on the race for president tomorrow. The group tweeted that President Barack Obama is polling better in Minnesota than he did in the September poll. Several national polls, including one conducted by the Pew Research Center, signal that Republican Mitt Romney has picked up ground on Obama and now show the race as tied nationally.

DFL Sen. Al Franken and DFL Gov. Mark Dayton got positive marks in the poll. Forty-nine percent of those polled approve of the job Franken is doing in the U.S. Senate. Fifty-three percent approve of the job that Dayton is doing as governor.

Critics will argue that the poll is weighed too heavily towards Democrats. The poll found that 38 percent of those polled identify themselves as Democrats, 29 percent identify themselves as Republicans and 32 percent identify themselves as independents or other. The margin of error is +/-3.2%.

Read the full results here.

MPR News to host congressional debates

Posted at 3:23 PM on October 8, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD1, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD2, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD3, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD4, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD5, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

So far this campaign season MPR News has aired debates in the 1st, 4th and 5th Congressional Districts.

Now MPR's The Daily Circuit will host debates in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th Congressional Districts.

In Minnesota's 2nd District, GOP Rep. John Kline and Democrat Mike Obermueller will square off in studio on Monday, Oct. 29.

In Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District, GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen will face Democrat Brian Barnes in studio on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

In Minnesota's 6th Congressional District, GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann and Democrat Jim Graves will debate the issues on Thursday, Nov. 1.

All the debates will be from 11 a.m. to noon.

MPR is also hosting a debate between DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Republican Kurt Bills on Sunday, Nov. 4 at the Fizgerald Theater in St. Paul at 7 p.m.

Also this week MPR News will air tomorrow's 8th District debate in Duluth between GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack and DFLer Rick Nolan at noon. That's tape-delayed by a couple hours. And Wednesday at noon we will air another 1st District debate recorded Tuesday night in Mankato (and moderated by some guy named Gary Eichten).

And at noon on Oct. 16 MPR News will air an 8th District debate live from Cambridge.

Click here if you're interested in listening to the debate in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District between DFL Rep. Tim Walz and Republican Allen Quist.

Click here if you want to listen to the 5th Congressional District debate between DFL Rep. Keith Ellison and Republican Chris Fields.

Click here if you want to listen to 4th District candidates DFL Rep. Betty McCollum, Republican Tony Hernandez and Independence Party candidate Steve Carlson debate the issues.

Downey doesn't rule out run for governor in 2014

Posted at 8:07 AM on October 6, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

State Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina, is in a dogfight of a campaign with Democrat Melisa Franzen to win a state Senate seat in the western suburbs. The race is gaining plenty of attention with outside groups spending heavily on the race. (You can read my story about the race here).

Despite that close contest, Downey isn't taking a run for higher office off the table. He's been mentioned as a possible candidate for governor in 2014.

Earlier this week, Downey downplayed talk of such a run but didn't rule it out.

"We're out door knocking for a senate seat and I'm just trying to meet as many people as I can," Downey said. "I'm flattered when people mention it. If the state were ever in a position where they're looking for somebody with my kind of background and experience, and it made sense to run for something else, I might consider it."

Downey then added that he had 10 more precincts to campaign in over the next few weeks.

Downey is one of several Republicans who are mentioned as possible candidates for governor in 2014. The others include former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers, Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek, Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson and state Sen. Dave Thompson.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton says he intends to run for re-election.

Teacher's union fails spelling test on campaign mailing

Posted at 3:00 PM on October 5, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

Education Minnesota, the state's teacher's union, is always active during election season. The group runs TV ads calling for quality education, endorses candidates and sends out campaign mailings. The union's influence is broad and can sometimes tip close races.

This week, the union sent out a campaign mailing backing Democrat Laurie Halverson in House District 51B. Halverson is running against GOP Rep. Doug Wardlow in the Eagan District. Campaign mailings are common this time of year but this one stands out.

The reason?

The union that represents the state's 70,000 teachers and wants to ensure that "students receive the education and skills they need to compete in the 21st Century" misspelled Halverson's name.

Republicans were quick to pounce on the mailing.

"Oh the irony, Education Minnesota sends out a mailer for a DFL Candidate and spells her name wrong," Tom Freeman wrote on Twitter. Freeman is working to elect Republicans to the Minnesota House.

Chris Williams, spokesman for Education Minnesota, acknowledged the mistake.

"We've apologized to Ms. Halverson for the typo on the mailing, but we stand by the overall message," said Williams in a written statement. "While Halverson supports increasing the state's investment in public education, her opponent has a track record of voting against the best interests of our students."

Paul Ryan to campaign in Minnesota

Posted at 8:11 PM on October 3, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee for Vice President, will campaign in Minnesota on Saturday, Oct. 13. A fundraising invitation obtained by MPR News says Ryan is headlining an event at Solera, a downtown Minneapolis restaurant.

Guests are being asked to give at least $1,000 to attend the reception. Donors contributing $2,500 can take a photo with the Wisconsin congressman. Couples who give $25,000 can attend a private dinner with Ryan.

The campaign hasn't said whether Ryan will hold any public events while he's in Minnesota. This will be Ryan's first visit to Minnesota since Republican nominee Mitt Romney named him as his running mate.

Romney attended a private fundraiser in Minnetonka Beach in August but held no public events.

Vice President Joe Biden last campaigned in Minneapolis and Rochester in August. President Obama visited the state in June.

A Republican candidate for president has not won Minnesota since 1972.

Paul Ryan event 10/13

Pelosi to headline Minneapolis fundraiser for Nolan

Posted at 1:00 AM on October 3, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is scheduled to headline a Sunday fundraiser for Rick Nolan, the DFL candidate running for Congress in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District.

The fundraiser, which also features Gov. Dayton and every DFL member of Minnesota's Congressional delegation, will be at the home of Archie and Tina Smith. Tina Smith serves as Gov. Dayton's chief of staff.

Donors are being asked to give between $250 and $2,500.

Nolan is looking to unseat GOP U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack in what is shaping up to be the fiercest congressional race in the state. Political handicappers say the race is a toss-up.

Outside groups on both sides have also spent heavily to win the race.

Bills charges Klobuchar ad shows political payback

Posted at 12:05 AM on October 3, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills says auto dealer Paul Walser's endorsement of Amy Klobuchar in a campaign ad shows the Democratic U.S. senator is a "crony capitalist." Klobuchar's campaign released an ad this week that featured Walser, a Republican, thanking Klobuchar for her work to save his dealership when General Motors underwent restructuring.

"I don't know why you do an ad like that," Bills said. "It's showing you're a crony capitalist. You're going to side with the people who can fill your campaign coffers up."

Bills said there "won't be a lot of rich elites running" to him to donate money because he opposed the auto bailout and TARP for banks.

Over the past few weeks, Bills and his campaign have been suggesting that Klobuchar is a part of a Washington D.C. establishment that favors big business over the average American.

He also suggested that Walser, who typically donates to Republican candidates, ran the ad because Klobuchar is backing him.

Walser told the Star Tribune that it's preposterous to suggest the ad was payback.

Klobuchar's campaign took issue with Bills' suggestion.

"Senator Klobuchar is proud of the work she has done to make sure these businesses got a fair shake instead of being shut down without cause," Klobuchar campaign spokesman Linden Zakula wrote in an e-mail.

Zakula also notes that Klobuchar worked to save 28 auto dealerships and that the ad featured Walser and two other car dealers (Fury Dodge Chrysler & Valley Pontiac Buick GMC) that were facing possible closure.

Zakula said the Minnesota Auto Dealers named Klobuchar their "Legislator of the Year" in 2009 for her efforts to save the dealerships.

DCCC trims MN ad budget in 1st District

Posted at 6:46 PM on October 1, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD1

Apparently concluding that DFL Rep. Tim Walz looks like a safe bet to win re-election in the 1st Congressional District, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is trimming its nearly $3 million Minnesota ad budget by about $260,000, according to a DCCC spokesperson.

The cash was originally meant for two ads to be run in Walz's favor later this month.

Walz is on the DCCC's "Frontline" list, a select group of incumbent U.S. House Democrats who are likely to face competitive races. Less than six weeks out from Election Day, the DCCC feels confident Walz will win in the 1st.

Though DCCC won't be running ads for Walz, the group will continue to work with his campaign, the DCCC spokesperson said.

And the DCCC still plans to spend substantially on other Minnesota races, including $700,000 during the week it initially planned to run the Walz ads. Already, the DCCC has invested heavily in ads targeting Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack, who is running a competitive race against DFL challenger Rick Nolan in the 8th Congressional District.

Bills pledges to campaign in 87 counties before the election

Posted at 4:13 PM on October 1, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

With less than six weeks to go before the election, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills is pledging to visit Minnesota's 87 counties over the next 36 days.

Bills, who is challenging DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar, says the road trip will start today in Crow Wing and Itasca Counties. Bills' campaign manager, Mike Osskopp, said they're conducting the tour to get their message out.

"Minnesotans are hungering for real discussion of the issues facing our country. Since Klobuchar was elected unemployment has doubled, gas prices have doubled, and the national debt has doubled.Yet the mainstream media elite is not talking about the tough issues facing our country, and hasn't asked Klobuchar to explain how she will address these issues," Osskopp wrote in a statement.

Campaign spokesman David Strom said Bills will stop in twelve counties this week including Hennepin, Wright and Olmsted counties.

Bills is lagging Klobuchar in polls and in fundraising. The campaign's announcement comes one day after Klobuchar's campaign released its first set of TV ads. Bills has not yet bought or ordered airtime.

Bills isn't the first candidate to pledge to visit every county in the state. In fact, Klobuchar announced in 2006 that she would visit every county in the state each year that she's in office. Her campaign spokesman says Klobuchar has met that commitment.

Klobuchar focuses on record in first ads

Posted at 5:04 PM on September 30, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar's first batch of TV ads are focusing on her record during her first six years in the U.S. Senate. Klobuchar's campaign released the ads today that will start running tomorrow.

Klobuchar first ad focuses on her efforts to secure health care for a wounded veteran. The second ad showcases her work to save several car dealerships that were slated to close as a result of the near collapse of General Motors in 2008.

"I remain a Republican today, however, I will always support Sen. Klobuchar," Auto dealership owner Paul Walser said in the ad.

Klobuchar's campaign is obviously targeting independent and Republican voters with her ads. She's well ahead of state Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount in all independent polling.

Klobuchar doesn't mention Bills by name in either ad. It's unlikely that she'll target him unless the polls change dramatically over the next few weeks.

Bills has yet to buy any ad time at any of the Twin Cities TV stations.

Groups start running TV ads in legislative races

Posted at 3:40 PM on September 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

The House Republican Campaign Committee and The Alliance for a Better Minnesota, a group working to elect DFL candidates to the Legislature, started running ads this week on cable television.

The ads are the first to target specific legislative races.

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota (ABM) started running statewide ads earlier this month, but the latest round of spots are aimed at seats held by Republican incumbents or open seats.

The group committed roughly $300,000 on the ad campaign at Comcast cable through Oct. 7. The targets include legislative districts in northwest Minnesota, Eagan, Edina and the northern Twin Cities suburbs.

ABM executive director Carrie Lucking wouldn't discuss the group's strategy, but said it is focused on helping Democrats reclaim the House and Senate.

"We don't talk about spending but you can expect to see a variety of ads in both in the metro and Greater Minnesota between now and the election," Lucking said.

Meanwhile, the House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC), which is the campaign arm of the House Republican caucus, has purchased $236,000 through the November election to help Republicans keep control of the Minnesota House.

The group spent the largest amount of money on GOP Rep. Kirk Stensrud of Eden Prairie and Stacey Stout who is running in an open seat that includes Maplewood and White Bear Lake. The HRCC committed spending about $40,000 on each race. An individual with knowledge of the buy said the HRCC confirmed the buy and they'll continue to purchase ads through November.

Officials representing both parties and independent expenditure groups say they expect a greater amount of spending on legislative races this year.

Democrats and liberal interest groups hope the spending will help them win back the state Legislature so the party can enact some of Gov. Mark Dayton's agenda.

Republicans and conservative groups want to keep control of the Legislature and prevent Dayton's priorities from passing.

Republicans currently have an eleven seat margin in the Minnesota House and an eight seat margin in the Minnesota Senate.

Complicating this year's elections are the large number of open seats in play. A court panel designed a new set of political lines this year as a result of redistricting, and at least a quarter of the 201 seats in the Legislature will see new faces next year as a result of incumbent pairings, primary defeats and retirements.

Outside groups drop $134K on District 33 GOP primary races

Posted at 5:45 PM on September 26, 2012 by Catharine Richert (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

Remember those nail-biter Republican primary races in legislative District 33?

As it turns out, the elections weren't just competitive, they were also expensive.

Outside political groups dumped a total of $134,200 in the district that covers Orono and other communities on the north side of Lake Minnetonka to either promote two Republican incumbents or to boost two outsider GOP candidates.

That's separate from what the candidates spent on their own races.

The Freedom Club, a group of like-minded conservative donors that back conservative candidates, spent more than $55,000 on advertising and direct mail opposing Republican Rep. Connie Doepke and supporting her opponent David Osmek, who ultimately defeated Doepke in the Aug. 14 primary. Osmek and Doepke were battling to represent District 33 in the Minnesota Senate.

Not that Doepke didn't have her own backers. The Minnesota Business Partnership PAC, which tends to support pro-business candidates, spent $3,700 on direct mail favoring Doepke, while Pro Jobs Majority - another business focused fund - spent $23,000 on Doepke's race.

Long-time Republican incumbent Rep. Steve Smith also lost his seat to Cindy Pugh on Aug. 14.

Again, the Freedom Club played a big role in promoting Pugh's campaign by dropping nearly $11,000 on mail, advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts on her behalf. Meanwhile, the same group spent about $28,000 opposing Smith through advertisements and mailers.

Minnesota's Future, another group that generally supports Republican candidates, spent about $13,500 on phone-banking and advertising favoring Pugh and opposing Smith.

Pugh won the race with a little over 70 percent of the vote.

Political groups focus cash on select state races

Posted at 5:00 PM on September 26, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

The liberal Alliance for a Better Minnesota and a constellation of groups backed by Minnesota businesses are playing an important role in this year's legislative races, spending widely on various candidates throughout the state.

But some of the state's closest races are getting more attention than others, and the proof is in the dollars.

Take, for instance, Republican state Sen. Ted Lillie's race against Susan Kent in Senate District 53 near Woodbury. Outside groups have so far spent $55,000 there.

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota, which is hoping to snag that seat for a Democrat, has so far spent nearly $13,000 on direct mail criticizing Lillie.

But Lillie is also getting an assist from groups that support conservatives, including the Freedom Club, a political fund that was created by wealthy donor Robert Cummins. The Freedom Club played a critical role in filling the state Legislature with Republicans in 2010.

So far, the Freedom Club has spent more than $13,000 on mailers touting Lillie's accomplishments.

That's on top of the nearly $29,000 the Pro Jobs Majority fund, a Minnesota Chamber of Commerce group that backs candidates with a pro-business record, has spent on direct mail supporting Lillie.

The race between Lillie and Kent is a competitive open seat that was created as a result of the once a decade process known as redistricting. Lillie elected to move into the new district after he was paired with GOP Sen. Ray Vandeveer, who eventually announced that he wasn't running again.

Candidates were not required to file their fundraising activity today. The last round of fundraising reports in July shows Lillie raising more than $15,000 and Kent with more than $17,000. While these outside political groups can't coordinate with the candidates, their spending on mailers and advertisements gives each candidate an extra boost.

Meanwhile, a race in northwestern Minnesota is also garnering attention from outside groups. Republican Rep. David Hancock's race against DFLer Roger Erickson in House District 2A, which includes Lake of the Woods, has seen more than $15,000 spent on the race through late September.

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota has spent nearly $13,000 through Sept. 25 with the hopes of electing Erickson. The Coalition of Minnesota Businesses PAC spent $3,700 in support of Hancock.

Republican Sen. Ted Daley is getting a boost from some of the same groups in his race against former state lawmaker Jim Carlson in Senate District 51 near Eagan.

Combined, the Freedom Club and Pro Jobs Majority have spent nearly $43,000 on mail favoring Daley. Meanwhile, the Coalition of Minnesota Businesses has been sending out fliers touting Daley's vote to pay back money the state owes public schools.

In 2010, Daley's race was close, too. He narrowly beat Carlson by 3.6 percentage points. It appears outside groups have not spent any money on Carlson's behalf through Sept. 25.

Klobuchar ad to hit the airwaves

Posted at 4:10 PM on September 26, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

Minnesota's sleepy U.S. Senate race is waking up a little bit. DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar is buying some ad time on at least one Twin Cities TV station. WCCO-TV's political file reports that Klobuchar has reserved roughly $80,000 in ads from Oct. 1 through Oct. 8.

The ad buy, which was first reported by The Associated Press, comes as Klobuchar is polling well ahead of Republican Kurt Bills. A spokesman for Klobuchar would only say that it's the first portion of a statewide ad buy and that it's the first ad the campaign is running this election cycle.

Bills' campaign has not formally inquired about purchasing ad time at the four major Twin Cities TV stations. He is at a significant financial disadvantage heading into the November election. Klobuchar reported having more than $5 million in the bank in July. The Bills campaign had roughly $5,000 in the bank.

Bills, however, issued a statement criticizing Klobuchar for campaigning in Iowa on Tuesday for congressional candidate Christie Vilsack.

"Klobuchar is using her office as nothing but a stepping stone to the Presidency. She has avoided the big issues facing our country, avoided scrutiny for her failures, and is now avoiding Minnesotans in favor of Iowans," Bills said in a statement.

As we reported earlier this month, Klobuchar's speaking engagements at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte created some chatter that she was looking at higher office. Klobuchar denied the claim that she was interested in a future White House run. Her spokesman, Linden Zakula re-emphasized that position again today. Zakula also said Klobuchar campaigned in Hastings, Faribault and Austin on Tuesday and is campaigning in Rochester and Red Wing today.

Bills is also touting an endorsement from a conservative group. FreedomWorks PAC announced today that it is backing Bills campaign.

A spokeswoman for FreedomWorks, which is co-chaired by former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey, didn't immediately provide information as to what the endorsement will mean for Bills in terms of fundraising or independent expenditures.

Update: Russ Walker, executive director with FreedomWorks said the endorsement puts their members on notice that Bills has been vetted by the group. He said they have not committed to spending any money on Bills but suggested it could change in the coming weeks.

"It's a race that we want to pay attention to and see if it changes," Walker said. "If it does and we think it's winnable, we'll start investing in that race."

Supporters of Same-sex marriage ban report raising $1.2 million in 2012

Posted at 1:23 PM on September 26, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment

Minnesota for Marriage, a group working to pass the constitutional amendment which would effectively ban same-sex marriage, reported raising $1.195 million between Jan. 1 and Sept. 25. The group has raised a total of $2 million this election cycle.

"Our latest report reveals that our 2012 donor contributions nearly doubled in only two months' time since the July report," John Helmberger, Minnesota for Marriage chairman said in a statement.

The Minnesota Catholic Conference is the main contributor to the organization. The lobbying arm of the Catholic Church donated a total of $600,000 in 2012. The Minnesota Family Council donated $250,000 for the year. Another major donor is Mary Joanne Feltl, who owns a Minneapolis brokerage firm. She donated $100,000 to the group.

Minnesota for Marriage is the main group organizing to pass the amendment to define marriage in the state Constitution as between one man and one woman. The group's fundraising lags Minnesotans United for All Families, a group working to defeat the amendment. That group reported raising more than $8 million this election cycle. Helmberger said in Minnesota for Marriage's press release that his group isn't deterred by the fundraising disadvantage.

"We are confident that as we continue our final outreach effort, the voices of the majority of Minnesotans will speak louder at the polls than the amount of money wasted in a futile attempt to convince people that men and women are interchangeable, and the Marriage Amendment will pass on Nov. 6th," Helmberger wrote.

One of the biggest contributors to Minnesotans United For All families is The Alliance for a Better Minnesota (ABM), which is funded by labor unions and several wealthy DFL donors. ABM contributed $182,000 to the group.

New political committee formed to elect conservatives to MN Legislature

Posted at 12:33 PM on September 25, 2012 by Catharine Richert (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

Long-time GOP operative Andy Parrish is behind a new political committee that's meant to elect conservative candidates to the state Legislature.

Not only will A Stronger Minnesota raise and spend cash to get a handful of new faces elected to the state House, Parrish said the group is making a name for itself now so it can play a role in future races.

The group "is going to elect conservative candidates to the Minnesota Legislature and we're gearing up for the 2014 gubernatorial and Senate race," Parrish said.

Those conservative candidates include:

- Andrew Reinhardt, who is running against DFL candidate Melissa Hortman in House District 36B, which includes parts of Coon Rapids and Brooklyn Park.

- Melissa Valeriano, who is running against Kim Norton in House District 25B, which encompasses Northern Rochester.

- Mandy Benz, who is running against Jerry Newton in House District 37A, near Blaine.

- Possibly Travis Silvers, who is vying for the House District 7B seat in Duluth.

- Chris Kellett, who is running against John Ward in House District 10A, which is near Brainerd and Nisswa.

State law prevents A Stronger Minnesota from working directly with these candidates, but it can send out campaign literature or run ads on their behalf.

Parrish said that the group was started by individual donors and others who are concerned about getting not just Republicans, but true conservatives elected to the state Legislature.

Parrish declined to say who those people are, but pointed out that many Minnesotans would recognize their names.

If A Stronger Minnesota's goals sound familiar, that's because they are. Parrish said the group is meant to be a direct response to the Alliance for a Better Minnesota, a liberal group that's been active in electing Democrats to the state Legislature this year and that played a big role in electing Gov. Mark Dayton in 2010.

Walz and other vets line up against proposed Same-sex marriage ban

Posted at 11:34 AM on September 25, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment

DFL Congressman Tim Walz is urging Minnesotans to vote against a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. Walz appeared at a St. Paul news conference with several other veterans to urge opposition to the amendment. Walz said veterans fought and died to protect the right for Americans to be free, and the marriage ban should not be in the state constutution. Walz also said he supports repealing the federal Defense of Marriage Act and allowing same-sex couples to marry.

"At this point it's become very clear that limiting the rights of a subsect of the population, whether they are veterans or not, is simply unconstitutional," Walz said. I think we can do better."

Both sides are working hard to boost voter turnout around the marriage amendment. Supporters say it's needed to preserve traditional marriage between a man and a woman.

Ventura speaks out against proposed constitutional amendments

Posted at 6:57 PM on September 21, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment, Voter ID Amendment

Former Governor Jesse Ventura is speaking out against both constitutional amendments on the November ballot. Ventura recorded a video message earlier this month speaking out against a proposed amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. He also told a group of people at Macalester College that he opposed a proposed amendment that would require people to present photo identification to vote. He told MPR News he felt the amendment was aimed at reducing voter fraud that he says isn't there.

"It's clearly being done to disenfranchise poor people, immigration people, whoever. And you notice who sponsors it? The people who don't normally get those people's votes are the big sponsors of Voter ID. It sounds good on the surface but it sucks."

Supporters of the voter ID amendment argue it's needed to ensure integrity in the state's election system.

Ventura made his comments during a rally for presidential candidate Gary Johnson, who is running as a Libertarian.

Ventura also said the same-sex marriage debate is an issue of civil rights. He said he believes the constitution should protect an individual's rights.

"It should not be on a ballot for the public to make that decision because you're asking a majority to make a decision that affects a minority," Ventura said. "If they allowed that, we'd probably still have slavery."

If the measure against gay marriage goes into the constitution, Ventura said it's unlikely he'd continue to live in Minnesota.

Ventura did speak in favor of a constitutional amendment on the federal level. He said he would favor an amendment that says corporations do not have the rights of individuals and money is not free speech.

"This decision by the Supreme Court is going to be the downfall of our country," he said.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporations and unions can spend unlimited money to influence political campaigns.

Here's Ventura full speech at the Johnson rally: Listen

Gary Johnson campaigns in Minnesota

Posted at 5:23 PM on September 21, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson brought his campaign to Minnesota this afternoon.

Johnson is a former Republican governor of New Mexico who joined the Libertarian Party after unsuccessfully seeking the Republican presidential nomination. Speaking at Macalester College to about 150 people he said he'll push to privatize Social Security, abolish the Federal Reserve and repeal the Patriot Act. Johnson also said he'd push for relaxing the nation's drug laws.

"I am the only candidate who wants to end the drug war," Johnson said. "Let's legalize marijuana now."

Johnson says he'll likely be on the ballot in all 50 states. He dismissed suggestions that he'd be a spoiler candidate for Republican Mitt Romney or President Obama. He suggested that he'll win the race if everyone "wastes their votes and votes for me."
Johnson also took a firm stance on foreign policy. He said the U.S. should not be intervening in the affairs of other countries.

"I call for vacating our embassies right now," Johnson said. "Why make ourselves a target in the Middle East? I think more people are understanding that we have become the symbol of everything that is wrong in the world."

Johnson also worked to distinguish himself from Romney and Obama. He said he's the only candidate in the race that has a favorable rating in their home state.

"In New Mexico, people wave at me with all five fingers not just one," Johnson joked.

Johnson appeared with former Gov. Jesse Ventura. Ventura told the audience that Johnson is the only viable alternative to President Obama and Republican Mitt Romney.

"The more votes that Gary gets, the more scare it's going to put it into the system," Ventura said.

Johnson's visit is a part of a larger tour of college campuses across the country.

You can listen to Johnson's speech here: Listen

You can listen to the brief q and a with the audience here: Listen

Bachmann launches first television ad of campaign

Posted at 12:51 PM on September 20, 2012 by Catharine Richert (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6

A day after her Democratic opponent Jim Graves put two television spots on the air, Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann is striking back with an ad of her own.

The 30-second "No Room for Us" ad paints Graves as a big spender.

"Graves' time in Congress would be an expensive stay for Minnesota taxpayers," the ad states. "Big spending Jim supported the wasteful trillion dollar stimulus, and the $700 billion bailout."

Graves "fancies himself a moderate," but "there is simply no evidence to back up that claim," said Bachmann spokesman Chase Kroll in a press release. "Jim Graves has already given his support to big-spending policies that are driving the federal budget deeper into debt."

Bachmann is also running a radio ad that promotes some of her bipartisan accomplishments including the construction of the St. Croix bridge.

Yesterday, Graves launched two TV spots, one highlighting his biography and another that focuses on Bachmann's response to the destruction of the Verso Paper Mill in Startell, Minn.

The ad accuses Bachmann of not being responsive to the mill workers. Bachmann did meet with Sartell city officials to discuss the mill site, but it was after the mill closed.

We'll update this post when we get comment from the Graves campaign.

Here's a statement from Jim Graves:

"Rep. Bachmann is using falsehoods to distract voters from her record of reckless spending in Congress and her failure to represent the people of her district. On Rep. Bachmann's watch--during her three straight terms in office--our nation suffered unprecedented government growth and a deepening national debt, under both democratic and republican leadership. Unlike career politicians, such as Rep. Bachmann, Jim Graves is a businessman with real-life experience balancing budgets and creating private sector jobs. And that's why the people of Minnesota's 6th District are coming out in support of Jim Graves."

Bachmann agrees to three debates, Graves wants more

Posted at 10:25 AM on September 20, 2012 by Tom Scheck (7 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6

The two candidates running for Congress in Minnesota's 6th District are battling over the number of debates that should be held this election year.

A spokesman for Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann's campaign says she has agreed to three debates. They are: a St. Cloud Chamber debate on Oct. 30 at the St. Cloud Convention Center, an MPR News debate on The Daily Circuit on Nov.1 and a KSTP-TV debate on Nov. 4.

But Democrat Jim Graves wants more debates. Adam Graves, campaign manager for Graves, says his campaign is requesting a total of seven debates over the next 47 days. He said they want a debate held in each county of the 6th Congressional District, which includes St. Cloud and several northern and western Twin Cities suburbs.

"She did 15 debates when she was running for president, and we think that the constituents who pay her salary are certainly worthy of the same amount of attention," Adam Graves said.

Graves said they have not yet agreed to the number of debates or specific debates.

Bachmann's campaign manager Chase Kroll says it's his understanding that Graves committed to the three debates the Bachmann campaign did.

"We've set up three debates and invited Graves - one live, one radio, and one TV. We were told he'd do all of them. Now he's saying maybe he won't," Kroll wrote in an e-mail. "Why won't Graves keep his word?"

Kroll didn't say whether Bachmann would agree to any more debates.

Tussling over the number and location of debates is not unusual in campaigns.
Incumbents typically prefer a smaller number of debates while challengers call for more as they try to raise their political profile heading into Election Day.

Presidential hopeful Gary Johnson to visit Minnesota

Posted at 12:21 PM on September 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Gary Johnson, who is running for president as a member of the Libertarian Party, will campaign in Minnesota on Friday. Johnson's campaign announced that he will speak at Macalester College and will hold a question and answer session at the school.

Johnson was governor of New Mexico from 1995-2003. He was as a Republican until December of 2011 when he switched parties and became a Libertarian. As the Libertarian candidate, Johnson will appear on the ballot in all 50 states.

Johnson has won the backing of former Gov. Jesse Ventura, who recently campaigned for him.

Democrat Jim Graves goes after Bachmann on Verso Paper Mill closure

Posted at 9:59 AM on September 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6

Democrat Jim Graves has started running TV ads promoting his campaign in Minnesota's 6th District. Graves released two ads on his YouTube page today. The first ad touts his personal and professional background.

The second ad criticizes Republican Michele Bachmann for failing to "contact workers" after the Verso Paper Mill closed as a result of a fire.

The ad features a montage of several workers (some wearing United Steelworkers shirts) criticizing Bachman for not reaching out to workers who lost their jobs as a result of the fire.

Bachmann did meet with city officials from Sartell in August to discuss the future of the site, but it was after company officials announced that the mill would close. The appearance was a part of a jobs tour of the district. She also released a statement when company officials announced that the mill would close.

Gov. Dayton, DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and several GOP state lawmakers visited with company officials and workers in the weeks after the fire in the hope of convincing company officials to rebuild in Sartell. The company eventually decided against that option.

Bachmann's campaign hasn't responded to Graves criticism.

Update: Bachmann's campaign manager Chase Kroll issued a statement calling the ad a "character smear." He said Bachmann's office was on the scene within an hour of the fire. Kroll also said Bachmann was in direct contact with Verso's president, Sartell city officials and other members of the delegation.

"Bachmann has publicly committed to helping work through any regulatory burdens that may prevent the sale of the plant and the replacement of much-needed jobs in the Sartell area.

In Washington, Congresswoman Bachmann's office contacted Senator Klobuchar's office to coordinate efforts on behalf of the Verso employees and make certain there would be an exchange of information among the Minnesota delegation.

Additionally, Congresswoman Bachmann sent letters to Sartell area residents sharing her concern, encouraging them, and providing her contact information to anyone who may need help following the explosion. In honor of Mr. Maus, who tragically died in the Verso explosion, Congresswoman Bachmann had a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol, which she then donated to the Maus family.

For Jim Graves to politicize this tragic disaster with dishonest, false, irresponsible claims is reprehensible.

We can't trust Jim Graves to keep his promises. We certainly can't trust Jim Graves to accurately portray the needs of the people in this district."

Officials with Graves' campaign didn't respond to questions as to where the ads are running and how much the campaign intends to spend on the ad buy.

Update: Adam Graves, campaign manager for Graves, says they bought 1,000 points over the next week and a half. Trying to determine what the equates to in dollars. AP says the total ad buy is $300,000.

He said it's part of their overall strategy to run ads between now and election day.

Adam Graves also said the campaign is basing their claim on Bachmann's activity on the issue on a meeting held by some workers. He said the meeting was held after the fire but before it was announced that the mill would be closed.

"One worker took the floor and recounted, to nods and shouts of agreement, how every one of their elected officials had responded and reached out to them except for Rep. Bachmann. The workers expressed outrage, and this fact was reiterated to us by their leaders who represent the mill workers union," Adam Graves wrote.

I'll update the post if/when they respond.

Here's the ad:

Congressional candidate Byberg backs Romney on 47 percent claim

Posted at 2:57 PM on September 18, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD7

Lee Byberg, the Republican candidate in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District, is embracing Republican Mitt Romney's comments at a private fundraiser that 47 percent of Americans 'believe they are victims' and are entitled to help from the government that permeates their lives.

Romney's remarks were recorded without his knowledge and were first reported by Mother Jones Magazine. At a hastily called news conference on Monday night, Romney didn't back off the comments but said they were made "off the cuff" and weren't "elegantly stated." The comments were widely criticized by the Obama campaign, Democrats and several Republicans, among others.

But Byberg, who is challenging DFL Rep. Collin Peterson, announced his support for Romney's comments.

"Romney was merely stating the obvious," Byberg said in a statement. He added that he believed any criticism of Romney "missed the point."

"The welfare state is not only unsustainable financially, but morally as well. A dependency culture undermines human dignity. Government aid should be limited to temporary support, and for those truly unable to care for themselves. By no stretch of the imagination is that 47 percent of the population," Byberg said.

In a follow-up interview, Byberg said he was referring to people who are not paying federal income taxes and wasn't referring to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid when defining the "welfare state."

Byberg acknowledged that nearly two-thirds of households that don't pay federal income taxes do pay payroll taxes, but he said that's not the same.

"We have almost half of the population that is not paying federal income taxes. So we are depriving from them the opportunity to feel that they are part of what it takes to fund a nation," Byberg said. "That is not a good thing."

Byberg is hoping that his comments resonate with the western Minnesota congressional district. This is the second time he's run against Peterson. He lost in 2010 by nearly 18 percentage points.

Ritchie launches online ballot tool

Posted at 12:56 PM on September 18, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2012, State Government

Minnesota voters have access to a new online tool that can help them prepare for the ballot choices they'll see on Election Day.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie held a news conference today to unveil the tool known as "My Ballot," which is available on his office's web site. Voters can already use the site to find polling places, check voter registration and track absentee ballots. Ritchie said they can now enter an address and see the candidates and questions that will appear on the ballot specific to their location.

"In the past, we've been able to have our sample ballots up," Ritchie said. "We've had some of this information, but this it all very easy for all voters who just want to find out who's on their ballot. And also, it's a way to encourage everyone, all the counties to get their sample ballots in."

Ritchie said the one-stop guide also includes links to other web sites, which will help voters research candidates and ballot questions.

Photo: Tim Pugmire

NRCC releases ad calling Nolan "liberal and radical"

Posted at 11:09 AM on September 14, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

The National Republican Congressional Committee started running an ad today that calls Democrat Rick Nolan "liberal and radical." The group, which is backing GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack, characterizes Nolan as being out of touch with the district.

"Rick Nolan once actually said that being in Washington made him more liberal and radical," the ad said. "But even after 30 years it hasn't worn off."

The ad then rips Nolan for saying the federal health care law enacted under President Obama "doesn't go far enough."

NRCC spokeswoman Katie Prill said the NRCC has reserved $1.2 million in ad time in the Twin Cities market to focus on the congressional race in northeastern Minnesota.

"Minnesotans deserve to know that if Watergate baby Rick Nolan is sent back to Congress, he will continue his radical and liberal ways of the past. Rick Nolan in Washington means higher taxes, devastating cuts to Medicare and more of Nancy Pelosi's extremely radical job-destroying policies for Minnesota families." Prill said.

The NRCC's ad comes just a day after a political fund aimed at helping Democrats win the U.S. House started running ads criticizing Cravaack.

Minnesota's 8th Congressional District is expected to be the most competitive race in Minnesota this year. Cravaack upset long-time Congressman Jim Oberstar in 2010 and Democrats are hoping they can win back the seat in a district that has historically backed DFL candidates.

Update: Michael Misterek, spokesman for Nolan, released this statement on the ad:

"It is amusing that Chip Cravaack is trying so hard to run from his record of staunch support for the Tea Party agenda and the Paul Ryan budget, which will end Medicare as we know it by handing it over to private, for-profit insurance companies. Cravaack repeatedly voted in support of a plan that will saddle seniors with an additional $6,400 per year in out-of-pocket expenses. All the while, he continuously votes to protect tax break for Big Oil companies and the super-rich.

Rick will always stand up to protect Medicare and would never supports cuts to the earned benefits of seniors. Beyond that, he has a proven track record as a job-creator and as a champion for the middle class. These are the values that Rick shares with the people of the 8th District, where he was born and raised.

It's obvious that the Republicans and outside special interest groups are becoming desperate as they realize Chip Cravaack's day in Congress are numbered."

DFL sues to remove Gauthier from ballot

Posted at 10:50 AM on September 14, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, MN Legislature

The DFL Party and their endorsed candidate Erik Simonson are asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to remove state Rep. Kerry Gauthier, DFL-Duluth from the November ballot and put Simonson on instead. Gauthier said last month that he was no longer running after he admitted to police that he had a sexual encounter with a 17-year-old boy at a public rest stop near Duluth. Gauthier announced his intentions after the filing period was closed, so he couldn't remove his name from the ballot.

Democrats endorsed Simonson last weekend. They're hoping the Supreme Court will agree with their claim and put Simonson's name on the ballot. The court has posted an accelerated timeline on the case and is asking for all materials to be submitted by Monday.

State law allows candidates for constitutional offices to remove their names from the ballot (see Jon Grunseth) but the law is silent when it comes to legislative candidates. The party would have to launch a write-in campaign if it is unsuccessful in the court challenge.

UPDATE:

State DFL Party Chair Ken Martin issued a statement about the petition:

"Our primary concern in filing this petition is ensuring a fair election for the people of District 7B. In every other district in the state this fall, voters will have a chance to choose among candidates who are actively campaigning and who carry the endorsement of a major political party, and it should be no different in Duluth.

"Minnesota statute clearly outlines the process by which a candidate can withdraw from an election, and for an endorsed candidate to appear on the ballot. We have followed that process and are hopeful that the Court will see fit to provide voters in District 7B with a fair election that allows them to choose among those endorsed candidates who are actually seeking their vote and prepared to serve if elected."

MNGOP Party Chair Pat Shortridge issued a statement saying they oppose the DFL petition:

"The attempt by Ken Martin and the DFL to remove Kerry Gauthier's name from the ballot should ultimately fail. There is no provision in state law that allows legislative candidates to withdraw from the ballot after the primary. The DFL is once again attempting to rewrite the rules to serve their partisan political ends, an act that even Secretary of State Mark Ritchie has already rejected. The Court should uphold the law and reject it as well."

Here's the DFL Party's petition:

A12-1588(2)

Count Them All Properly to fold up shop

Posted at 4:35 PM on September 13, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Campaign 2012, Political parties, Recount 2010

The outside group designed to help Republican Tom Emmer's gubernatorial recount in 2010 is poised to close up shop. The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board voted today to allow "Count Them All Properly, Inc." to close its campaign account and use its remaining balance to pay off a fine from the board. The group was fined $3,000 by the campaign finance board for not disclosing donors and spending. But the board agreed today to accept the $1,184 left in the group's campaign account and waive the rest of the balance.

The board fined Count Them All Properly, the Minnesota Republican Party and former Party Chair Tony Sutton for how they handled the financing of the 2010 gubernatorial recount. The board found that Sutton and the Minnesota Republican Party set up the outside group to keep donations to Emmer's recount fund out of public view. That's a violation of state campaign finance law.

Before they took the vote, Campaign Finance Board Chair Greg McCullough asked if there was any possibility that Count Them All Properly could set up another account - a worry whenever the group votes to waive or lower fines.

Campaign Finance Board Executive Director Gary Goldsmith said it was unlikely.

"I think I can guarantee these people are not going to come back," Goldsmith said to the board.

Campaign Finance Board stands by "John Doe decision"

Posted at 4:29 PM on September 13, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment

The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board is standing by its decision to grant anonymity to a person who made a donation to a group working to defeat a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.

The board heard a complaint on the ruling today from Teresa Graham, who argued that there isn't clear and convincing evidence that the donor would lose his job with the Catholic Church if his name was made public. The board ruled the donor can stay anonymous but Graham argued the law should be the same for everyone. She said more than 30 other people associated with the Catholic Church contributed to groups on both sides of the ballot initiative and are identified in campaign finance reports.

"I think everybody should be treated the same," Graham told the board. "If this was a political action group that was supporting the amendment and someone came forward from the Unitarian Universalist Church, who has been very public in supporting it, and said they were concerned about losing their job, I'm not sure the outcome would be the same."

Several board members objected to Graham's comments and said they examine every issue on its merits. It's likely that Graham's complaint will be heard by the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Gary Goldsmith, executive director of the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board, said individuals are entitled to privacy in some instances. He called the exception unique.

"This isn't going to be a slippery slope. We have one person in a unique position with a unique employer that feels a threat to their employment. We haven't seen others so I don't think there is a risk of this ballooning into many requests."

But Goldsmith said that the group working to pass the amendment has also inquired as to whether a possible donor could remain anonymous.

PoliGraph: GOP flier's claims leave out context

Posted at 2:00 PM on September 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, PoliGraph

It is fall in an election year, and that means Minnesotans will find their mailboxes overflowing with fliers trumping up the accomplishments - or failures - of one lawmaker or another.

Such a flier from the Republican Party of Minnesota simultaneously praises the record of Rep. Diane Anderson, R-Eagan, and criticizes the record of former DFL Rep. Sandra Masin, who is challenging Anderson.

"Anderson worked successfully to turn the state's $6.2 billion deficit into a $1.3 billion surplus," one side of the flier reads. Flip it over, and it points out that Masin voted for "wasteful government spending, including a big brass band sheet music museum that drove up the deficit..."

Both of these claims contain some truth, but leave out key facts and context that might lead voters to draw different conclusions.

The Evidence

"Anderson worked successfully to turn the state's $6.2 billion deficit into a $1.3 billion surplus,"

In November of 2010, Minnesota Management and Budget projected a $6.2 billion deficit, but that was later revised down to $5 billion in February of 2011.

Fast forward to November 2011, several months after the Legislature and Gov. Mark Dayton agreed on a balanced budget deal that cut spending, one that Anderson supported, and the state announced a $876 million surplus.

In February of 2012, the state announced that it had an additional $323 million on hand.

Tally that up, and it's roughly $1.3 billion.

But here's the rub: the money was already spoken for. According to state law, the money must be used to restore the state's cash-flow account, pad its budget reserves and then start paying back money the state borrowed from schools to balance the budget.

In fact, the state is projected to have a $1.1 billion deficit for the coming biennium, according to the budget agency's most recent projection. That forecast doesn't include the $2.4 billion the state still owes schools or inflation.

Both Republicans and Democrats were quick to take credit for the brighter forecasts. Republicans, for instance, said they held the line on spending and taxes, while the Dayton administration said they did a better job of managing programs for the elderly, among other things.

In fact, much of the extra cash was from a combination of higher revenue, lower than expected enrollment in the state's subsidized health insurance program, and federal dollars.

Masin voted for "wasteful government spending, including a big brass band sheet music museum that drove up the deficit..."

In 2008, the Chatfield Brass Band Music Lending Library became a political football, when Gov. Tim Pawlenty singled out the sheet music library as an example of wasteful government spending.

That year, the Legislature included $400,000 in its more than $900 million bonding bill for the library. Along with 90 other members of the state House, Masin voted for the vast bill that included money for many, many projects.

Ultimately, Pawlenty used his line-item veto authority to ax the Chatfield library cash, along with 54 other projects, so the project never contributed to the deficit as the flier states.

The Verdict

It's true that the state budget has recently shown a positive bottom line- about $1.3 billion to be exact. But the money is already spoken for, so Minnesota doesn't have a pot of unused money as the flier makes it sound. Further, the state is on track to have a $1.1 billion deficit next year.

The extra money was the result of lower state insurance spending, higher revenue and federal dollars.

As a result, this claim is misleading.

Meanwhile, Masin voted for a bonding bill that included money for the music library as well as numerous other bonding projects. Further, the library's cash was vetoed by Pawlenty.

The second claim on the GOP's flier is misleading because it lacks this important context.

This installment of PoliGraph was done with the help of MPR's On Message feature. To learn more about how you can send us your campaign fliers, robocalls, and emails, click here.

SOURCES

Minnesota Public Radio, Minn. budget forecast shows $323 million surplus, by Tim Pugmire, Feb. 29, 2012

Minnesota Management and Budget, February 2012 forecast

Minnesota Management and Budget, November 2011 forecast

Minnesota Public Radio, Dayton, state lawmakers want credit for budget surplus, by Tom Scheck, Dec. 12, 2011

MinnPost, Pawlenty's veto of unique music library hits sour note in Chatfield, by Joe Kimball, May 1, 2008

Minnesota House, roll call vote on HF 380, conference committee report, April 2, 2008

Minnesota House Journal, April 10, 2008, p. 9876

The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Pawlenty slashes $200 million from bonding bill, by Mark Brunswick, April 8, 2008

Interview, Tom Hanson, Associate at Winthrop and Weinstein, former Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget, Sept. 13, 2012

Interview, John Pollard, spokesman, Minnesota Management and Budget, Sept. 13, 2012

Email exchange, Heather Rubash, Sept. 13, 2012

Cravaack agrees to 3 debates, Nolan wants more

Posted at 10:45 AM on September 13, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

Republican Congressman Chip Cravaack has agreed to participate debate his DFL opponent Rick Nolan three times before Election Day.

Cravaack's campaign says he will participate in a Duluth News Tribune/Duluth Chamber of Commerce debate on Oct. 9 at 8am at the Duluth Playhouse, a KSTP debate that will be taped on Oct. 12 but will air on Oct. 14 and a Debate Minnesota forum at Anoka-Ramsey County College in Cambridge on Oct. 16 at noon.

But officials with Nolan's campaign say they've agreed to at least four debates and will probably agree to several more. They include the KSTP debate, the debate in Cambridge and proposed debates in Virginia, MN and Duluth. The Nolan campaign has not yet agreed to the Duluth News Tribune/Duluth Chamber of Commerce debate.

Cravaack campaign officials say they won't agree to any more debates.

The number of debates, timing of the forums and the locations could be a factor in the upcoming election. Campaigns are more likely to agree to debates that have a large number of partisans in the audience or are moderated by groups that are friendly to their ideas.

Cravaack is running for re-election in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District. The campaign is expected to be competitive and is getting plenty of attention from outside interest groups. Cravaack won an upset victory over long-time DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar in 2010. The two debated twice that year.

Cravaack foes launch new ad in 8th

Posted at 7:18 AM on September 13, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

House Majority PAC, a political fund aimed at putting more Democrats in the U.S. House, has launched a new ad targeting 8th Congressional District GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack.

The ad, which will air in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market for two weeks, makes the case that Cravaack went to Washington and abandoned his Minnesota values.

"Chip Cravaack voted to end the current Medicare system," the ad says, and instead supported tax cuts for the wealthy.

The group intends to spend $250,000 on the spot.

It's not the first time House Majority PAC has weighed in on the 8th contest between Cravaack and his DFL opponent Rick Nolan. In August, the group along with unions SEIU and AFSCME, and a second political fund called Friends of Democracy commissioned a poll that showed Nolan with a narrow lead over Cravaack.

House Majority PAC got a head start in the 8th last year when it aired an ad making similar claims about Cravaack's record.

The Cravaack-Nolan is by far the most competitive in Minnesota this year, with the Rothenberg Political Report considering it a toss-up.

Update: Here's a statement from Ben Golnik, an adviser to Cravaack for Congress campaign -

"Over the last year and a half, out-of-state special interest groups have falsely attacked Chip Cravaack. We expect the attacks to continue, as these special interest groups desperately try to prop up the struggling campaign of former Congressman Rick Nolan. Chip Cravaack has an unprecedented record of constituent outreach, and he will continue to focus on bringing more jobs back to the 8th District by supporting pro-growth tax reform to aid small business and reducing regulatory barriers to economic growth."

Dayton warns tax opposition could be "death of the country"

Posted at 4:08 PM on September 12, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Mark Dayton says he'll continue to push his plan to raise taxes on Minnesota's top earners in his next budget plan.

Dayton told a group at the University of Minnesota today that his administration is coming up with a plan to overhaul the entire tax code to make the tax system fairer to lower and middle income people. He didn't offer specifics but said his plan would continue to include an income tax hike on the state's top 2 percent of earners.

Dayton also criticized Republicans in the Legislature and in Congress for being reluctant to raise taxes to pay for new programs.

"This unwillingness to pay taxes and seeing it as a threat to our freedom and our liberty and our way of life, to me, is going to be the death of this country if it's not corrected," Dayton said.

Dayton said he didn't want to release his tax plan now because he didn't want it to get "mired in politics" during the campaign season. When pressed for specifics, Dayton said voters have a clear choice between his policies and the plans put forward by GOP legislative leaders.

"What people need to know and can vote on is that I'm committed to raising taxes on the wealthiest two percent of Minnesotans to make our tax system less regressive and the Republicans oppose that," Dayton said. "That to me is the acid test."

Republicans have criticized Dayton's call to raise taxes because they say it would make business owners less willing to invest in Minnesota.

Dayton said several other things during the wide ranging speech and interview.

He said he supports opening up trade with Cuba.

He's open to lowering the state's corporate tax rate but may close other unspecified loopholes.

He said he won't present a state based health exchange to the federal government until after the election. He also said it's an open question as to whether he can create the health exchange without legislative input.

He'll spend the next few months going to key business leaders and asking them what they need to succeed.

Here's Dayton's full speech: Listen

Here's his q and a with the U of M's Larry Jacobs: Listen

Tschumper radio ads subject of campaign law complaint

Posted at 3:25 PM on September 12, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

Ken Tschumper, a DFL candidate running against Republican Rep. Greg Davids for the state House, is under the microscope at the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Doug Baker, who is chairman of the Fillmore County GOP, filed the complaint on Aug. 7 alleging that Tschumper, who represented the La Crescent area in the House between 2007 and 2008, paid for a radio campaign ad with corporate dollars but included a disclaimer on the ad that they were paid for by the Tschumper campaign.

Baker contends that both actions represent a violation of campaign finance law.

The complaint includes a photocopy of a check made out to KFIL FM from Precision Plus, Inc., for $224. It's a firm owned by Dennis DeKeyrel, who is chairman of the Fillmore County DFL and Tschumper's campaign manager.

DeKeyrel described how it is that Precision Plus ended up paying for the radio spot:

On Aug. 1, DeKeyrel went to KFIL to extend a radio ad run and record some new spots in his role as Tschumper's campaign manager. The radio station needed to be paid immediately, and DeKeyrel only had his business checks on hand.

So, he cut a check from his business account to pay for the spots. On Aug. 9, DeKeyrel deposited a reimbursement from the Tschumper campaign for $224. The check from KFIL didn't clear his business account until Aug. 21, DeKeyrel said.

"I didn't think about it at the time," DeKeyrel said.

Baker declined to comment on the complaint.

The Office of Administrative Hearings can take a number of actions, ranging from dismissing the matter to issuing a civil penalty up to $5,000. The office can also refer the complaint to a county attorney for criminal proceedings.

Jill Biden to campaign in Minnesota on Friday

Posted at 3:51 PM on September 11, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will campaign in the Twin Cities later this week. President Obama's campaign says Biden will hold several campaign events in the state on Friday. The campaign has no other details at this time.

This is the first time Jill Biden will be campaigning on her own during the 2012 cycle. She teaches at a community college so it's likely that she'll discuss education issues and college affordability during her visit.

Biden's visit is the first stop made by the presidential campaigns and their surrogates since the political conventions ended last week, although her husband visited Minneapolis and Rochester last month.

Poll: Graves and Bachmann tied in the 6th

Posted at 3:20 PM on September 10, 2012 by Catharine Richert (9 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6

A new poll commissioned by Jim Graves, the DFL challenger to Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann, shows the two candidates effectively tied in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District.

The poll, which surveyed 401 likely voters and was conducted between August 29-30, shows that 48 percent are planning to vote for Bachmann while 46 percent are planning to vote for Graves, a local hotelier. That's within the survey's 4.9 percentage point margin of error.

Six percent of those surveyed said they don't know who they'll vote for.

The poll was paid for by the Graves campaign and conducted by a Democratic polling firm.

Bachmann spokesman Chase Kroll said that's not something that should be ignored, but did not respond to questions about the Bachmann campaign's own internal poll numbers.

"Jim Graves can buy a lot of polls from Democrat pollsters," Kroll said. "What he can't buy is votes. Minnesotans know Congresswoman Bachmann's record as a strong independent voice fighting against wasteful spending in Washington. When people learn about Graves, they'll see that he is just another big-spending liberal that we simply can't afford."

Nevertheless, the survey does show that Graves is catching up with Bachmann. In June, the same firm polled 505 likely voters, and found that Graves had only 43 percent of the vote while Bachmann had 48 percent and 9 percent were undecided.

The latest poll also shows that Graves is doing better among independents. In June, Graves had only 41 percent support among that voting bloc while Bachmann had 45 percent support.

Today, the survey shows Graves leads Bachmann 57 to 37 percent.

Kay Wolsborn, a political science professor with the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University in Collegeville, said the numbers show that there's more of a contest in the 6th district than there has been in the past.

Wolsborn points to Bachmann's presidential campaign as a potential factor.

"There were lots of other things that happened during that campaign that made [Bachmann] a little bit more vulnerable than she would normally be in District 6," Wolsborn said, though she pointed out that Bachmann is still running strong even by the Graves numbers and her ability to raise campaign cash hasn't seemed to diminish.

Wolsborn also said that the shift among independent voters may be a reflection of the fact that there is no third-party candidate in this year's race. For instance, in 2008 Bob Anderson got 10 percent of the vote.

"They don't have anywhere else to go this time," Wolsborn said. "They can always stay home. But in a presidential election year, they're less likely to stay home and if they see something interesting in terms of a local or statewide race - or district race in this case. They're likely to turn out, especially if it's a contest."

Wolsborn pointed out that it's impossible to say whether independent voters in previous 6th district races would have ultimately supported a Democrat or a Republican absent a third-party candidate.

Bachmann's vulnerability has become part of Graves' pitch for support. For instance, an infographic on his Facebook page touts statistics about Bachmann's recent showing in the 6th district primary and directs users to a page on his website where they can sign up to support the Graves campaign.

Still, the Rothenberg Political Report still lists the 6th as safe for Bachmann.

Ron Paul backers rip Romney for "cherry picking" on health care

Posted at 3:21 PM on September 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck (11 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Political parties

Two delegates to the Republican National Convention are criticizing Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for "cherry-picking" on the federal health care law enacted under President Obama.

On Sunday, Romney said on NBC's Meet the Press that he didn't want to repeal the entire law because there are portions that he supports. In particular, he said he didn't want to get rid of the law that forbids HMOs from dropping people from coverage if they have preexisting conditions and he also wanted to ensure that people can continue to cover children over the age of 21.

Romney's campaign started walking back some of those comments later in the day. But that hasn't stopped some Republicans from criticizing him.

The comments drew heavy fire from Marianne Stebbins and Craig Westover. The two delegates, who were backers of former presidential candidate Ron Paul, issued a statement saying Romney's statement shows Romney is setting up a contest of "my big government is better than your big government" with President Obama.

"Cherry-picking bits and pieces of ObamaCare as Romney does compromises the fundamental principle of individual liberty and endorses the un-republican and extra-constitutional notion that government has the authority and the ability to manage individual health care decisions," Stebbins wrote.

"Romney's position confirms what Liberty Republicans have been saying for some time: The most significant debate in American politics today is not between the Democrat and Republican candidates for President; the most significant debate in American politics today is taking place within the Republican Party," said Westover. "The most significant debate in American Politics is between a genuine belief in individual liberty and limited government and exploiting liberty and limited government as expedient talking points."

The statement comes two weeks after Stebbins and other Paul supporters criticized the Romney campaign for making a "power grab" at the Republican National Convention in Tampa. Westover is a former spokesman for the Republican Party of Minnesota.

After the statement was issued, Minnesota Republican Party Chair Pat Shortridge wrote several comments on Twitter urging Republicans to stand together.

"Rather than berate GOP cands you don't like, why not spend time promoting GOP cands you do? They need the help. MNGOP site has a list," Shortridge wrote on Twitter.

DFL group starts running ads targeting the Legislature

Posted at 1:16 PM on September 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

For the first time in recent history, a group is starting to run television ads targeting the Minnesota Legislature. The liberal group, The Alliance for a Better Minnesota (ABM), says it will start running the ad to try to convince voters to back DFL candidates for the Legislature.

The effort is unique, since candidates and outside groups rarely spend the large amount of money needed to air commercials on broadcast stations like KSTP, KARE, FOX9 and WCCO. Most candidates and outside groups run ads on cable TV because they can be more targeted to specific legislative districts. In a news release, ABM said it would start running ads on broadcast TV and then take a more targeted advertising approach on cable. A spokesman won't say how much the group is spending on the ad campaign.

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota is a group funded by wealthy DFL donors, labor unions and other groups. Democrats lost control of both the House and Senate in the 2010 election. ABM spent most of its time and energy helping elect Democrat Mark Dayton governor in 2010 and did little to influence the races for the Legislature.

ABM is just one of several outside groups that are targeting legislative races this year. Other groups include the GOP-leaning Freedom Club and the MN Chamber of Commerce, which endorses candidates of both parties but supports the GOP-controlled Legislature.

Every seat in the Legislature is on the ballot this year.

DFL delegates line up early for Obama's speech

Posted at 4:12 PM on September 6, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Minnesota's delegates to the Democratic National Convention arrived as early as 11:30 a.m. Thursday to get good seats for President Obama's speech. Shannon Schroeder of Rice and Leanne Kunze of Waconia say they were the first Minnesotans to arrive at the Time Warner Cable Arena.

Kunze said they didn't aim to be first but were concerned about being locked out. The fire marshal locked down the arena before former President Bill Clinton's speech last night. The move shut out delegates, elected officials and the media for about an hour.

"We wanted to make sure that we got here and got seats to see the president speak tonight," Kunze said.

By 4 p.m. Kunze and Schroeder were joined by dozens of other delegates including Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.

President Obama is scheduled to deliver his speech at 10 tonight local time. Several delegates are hoping he lays out his vision for the next four years while reminding voters about some of his accomplishments.

"We've heard a lot about what has been done, I want to also hear where are we going to go from here," Schroeder said.

Shroeder said she wanted to hear specifics on how the president is going to improve the nation's economy and reform Wall Street.

All of the delegates say they intend to use the convention as motivation to help turn out Democratic voters in November.

Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle characterized political conventions as "revivals" when he addressed Minnesota delegates this morning.

"You go to a revival and you feel the same way walking out of a tent," Daschle said. "You just feel you're charged up and ready to go."

Democrats are also hoping that the convention does more than fire up the party faithful. They also hope President Obama gets a bump in the polls. Both the president and his Republican opponent Mitt Romney will campaign in Iowa on Friday.

Photo: Tom Scheck

Video: The hours before Obama's address

Posted at 3:15 PM on September 6, 2012 by Michael Olson
Filed under: Campaign 2012

MPR News political reporter Tom Scheck has been spending a lot of time talking with the Minnesota delegation at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC. In this video update he discusses the delegation's view on the potential enthusiasm gap, the Clinton obsession and the slow economic recovery.

More from Tom Scheck at the DNC
Capitol View: Some Minnesotans shut out from tonight's Obama speech
MPR News: Obama struggles with blue-collar workers
Capitol View: Franken issues forceful defense of Obama
MPR News: Klobuchar convention events raise her national profile
MPR News: Four years after promising change, Democrats shift focus in fight for White House
Capitol View: Rybak defends Obama's record
MPR News: Dems platform supports same-sex marriage
MPR News: Parties highlight their influence amid super PAC landscape

Tweets by @tomscheck

Video: Bill Clinton steals the show?

Posted at 11:45 AM on September 6, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Daily Circuit senior producer Chris Dall talks about the possibility of former Pres. Bill Clinton stealing the show and how economic times shape elections. Dall also shares his approach to covering elections.

Related
Daily Circuit: Will Washington partisanship lead to more voter apathy?

Transcript of Bill Clinton's speech to the Democratic National Convention

Bill Clinton does President Obama's dirty work
"In a folksy yet brutally partisan address that captivated his fellow Democrats, Clinton branded the GOP as extremist and obstructionist and hateful. He cast the 1990s as good times worth repeating under a Democratic president. And he took the central question of Mitt Romney's campaign -- 'Are you better off than you were four years ago' -- and turned it on its head," The Atlantic.

Bill Clinton: wonk-in-chief
"Clinton's speech fit neatly into the emergent Democratic strategy to be, in this election, the party of policy," Washington Post.

Bill Clinton's long, long speech about the meanie Republicans
"Bill Clinton, don't get me wrong, was the best speaker Wednesday night. But that is largely because the rest of the evening was atrocious," Washington Post's Right Turn.

Obama: Will bad economy cost him re-election?
Will a weakening economy make Mitt Romney president? Will a strengthening economy keep Barack Obama in office? Interest rates, GDP, unemployment, taxes and fluctuations of the stock market have all played decisive roles in past elections -- sometimes to pundits' surprise," ABC News.

Alliance for a Better Minnesota expands focus to 8th CD race

Posted at 3:10 PM on September 6, 2012 by Catharine Richert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota, an organization that has made electing Democrats to the state Legislature its top priority this year, is dipping into the competitive 8th Congressional District race between Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack and DFL candidate Rick Nolan.

The group's new website, Keeping Up With The Cravaacks, is meant to paint the GOP incumbent as wealthy and out of touch with every day Minnesotans.

"The 'everyday' families I know are trying to figure out how to make their mortgage payment or send their kids to college," said Alliance for a Better Minnesota Executive Director Carrie Lucking.

If the site reminds you of Keeping Up with Kardashians, the reality show that profiles socialite and media darling Kim Kardashian, you're not imagining things. That's by design, the group says.

Among other things, the site criticizes Cravaack for spending more than $1,000 a month on the car he uses to get around the district.

But in an editorial, the Duluth News Tribune pointed out that the paper's own reporting showed that Cravaack tried to find a good deal.

"Leasing a vehicle for $1,000 per month proved cheaper than being reimbursed for mileage at the federal rate of 51 cents per mile, Cravaack's spokesman Shawn Ryan explained to the News Tribune," the editorial stated.

Cravaack's spokesman told the paper that Cravaack needed a short-term lease, a higher mileage cap to get around his massive district, and that the car had to meet federal greenhouse gas emissions standards, all making the lease more costly than most.

The ad also brings up Cravaack's personal finances; Cravaack and his wife have assets worth between $1 and $3 million, according to his most recent report. That puts him somewhat above Nolan, who is worth between $740,000 and $1.6 million.

Ben Golnik, an adviser to the Cravaack campaign, called the claims false. He added that the Alliance's effort just shows that the group is worried Nolan is a "deeply flawed" candidate.

"Chip Cravaack will continue to focus on bringing more jobs back to the 8th District by supporting pro-growth tax reform to aid small business and reducing regulatory barriers to economic growth," Golnik said.

This is the Alliance for a Better Minnesota's first major foray into the Cravaack-Nolan race. So far, the group has focused its efforts on helping Democrats win seats in the state Legislature.

At this point, the Alliance doesn't have plans to run their own ads against Cravaack, said Lucking.

But she said the group will be supporting on-going efforts in the 8th to defeat Cravaack, including a ground game set up by CREDO PAC, an liberal action committee aimed at defeating Republicans running for U.S. House, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which wants to flip Cravaack's seat.

"Our niche in this particular race is what we can do locally and online to support their efforts," Lucking said.

Some Minnesotans shut out from tonight's Obama speech

Posted at 11:26 AM on September 6, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

DFL Party Chair Ken Martin says roughly 120 Minnesotans may be shut out of President Barack Obama's speech because the venue was changed from the Bank of America football stadium to the Time Warner basketball arena.

DNC officials initially scheduled Obama to speak at the football stadium but moved the event indoors because they had fears of severe weather. The basketball arena has fewer seats so many of those who got tickets will be unable to see Obama speak.

"It's a big cluster," Martin said of the situation.

Martin said DNC officials are setting up watch parties across Charlotte to accommodate those who won't see the speech in person.

"I just met some folks who came in who had community credentials," Martin said. "They still came in to experience it. They understand that the venue changed but they wanted to be here anyway."

Though the DFL issued 120 tickets to the event, Martin said the party doesn't keep track of those who were planning to attend the convention so he isn't sure how many Minnesotans will be in Charlotte.

"It would have been great to have a lot of people in the stadium," Martin said. "I still think it's going to be great tonight."

The Obama campaign is also working to ease any concerns from those who won't be able to see the speech live. President Obama will hold a call this afternoon with those who are missing out.

Franken issues forceful defense of Obama

Posted at 11:13 AM on September 6, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

DFL Senator Al Franken defended President Obama's record this morning at Minnesota's DFL delegate breakfast at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

Franken touted Obama's work to fix the economy, the federal health care law and the administration's decision to use federal money to bail out General Motors and Chrysler. Franken said the auto bailout is one clear difference between Obama and Republican Mitt Romney.

"Don't let them say 'Oh, Romney, when he said let Detroit go bankrupt was really talking about a structured bankruptcy," Franken said. "He could say that but he wasn't talking about a structured bankruptcy with federal money. He was saying no federal money. Well there was no other money. It had to be the federal government. And we did it and saved those jobs."

The president speaks tonight in what could be a critical moment for his reelection campaign. Franken told reporters this morning that he wants to see the president defend his record and lay out specifics for a second term.

"I think that if he goes through that history of what he has done and then also tells us what the road forward is, if he accomplishes that, I think he'll come out of this convention in very good shape," Franken said.

Franken says he expects the race for president to be close, but thinks Obama will win Minnesota in November.

You can listen to Franken's speech to the DFL delegates here: Listen

Eleven senators, Sviggum to pay fines for violating campaign law

Posted at 1:40 PM on September 5, 2012 by Catharine Richert (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, State Government

Eleven Republican state senators and a top Senate employee who were involved in printing and handing out fliers at precinct caucuses earlier this year violated state law, according to a ruling from the Office of Administrative Hearings.

The legislators, Senate Leader David Senjem, Al DeKruif, Chris Gerlach, Gretchen Hoffman, Benjamin Kruse, Ted Lillie, Claire Robling, Ray Vandeveer, Pam Wolf, Michelle Fischbach and John Pederson, will each have to pay a $75 fine.

Senate Communications Director Steve Sviggum, who drafted the fliers, will have to pay a $200 fine.

The controversy centers around fliers created for the GOP's precinct caucuses earlier this year and paid for with taxpayer dollars. The materials described some of the Senate's legislative accomplishments, outlined some of the GOP's priorities for the coming legislative session, and criticized Gov. Mark Dayton.

The fliers also included links to the Senate Republican Caucus' political website, which solicits campaign donations.

The Minnesota DFL Party subsequently asked for an investigation.

The Office of Administrative Hearings found that Sviggum and the senators violated state law because the fliers constituted campaign literature, but did not provide any information about who prepared them or how they were paid for.

The Senate Republicans say that the fliers were not campaign material and were not meant to influence the way people vote.

But the three administrative law judges who investigated the matter said that the fliers were not intended for a general audience but rather voters at precinct caucuses, "inherently political events."

"The Legislative Updates were disseminated at the precinct caucuses for the purpose of influencing voting in the coming election and constitute campaign material within the meaning of the statute," the lawyers concluded.

In a written statement, DFL chair Ken Martin said the conclusion comes as no surprise and represents an "escalating pattern of lawlessness that has come to define this Republican legislature."

Here's the entire Office of Administrative Hearings finding:

Office of Admin Findings_GOP Fliers

Klobuchar convention events raise her national profile

Posted at 12:25 PM on September 5, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar is in Charlotte this week encouraging delegates to the Democratic National Convention to work hard to re-elect President Obama. Klobuchar is scheduled to visit seven state delegations this week to speak on behalf of Obama.

At an Iowa breakfast gathering this morning, Klobuchar said Obama is best suited to lead the country for another four years. She also said Republican Mitt Romney is not prepared to be president.

"Do we really want to put a guy in the White House who on his first trip as a candidate to London, his first trip internationally?," Klobuchar asked the audience. "Before he even puts two feet on the ground, he puts one foot in his mouth and creates an international incident and pisses off our ally at the Olympics? This just doesn't make sense to me. Do you know what we call that in Minnesota? We call it a Mitt-stake."

Some political bloggers say Klobuchar's speeches before delegates from early primary and caucus states indicate she might be interested in a run for president in 2016. During her Iowa speech, she focused on the Farm Bill, talked about her background and joked about Minnesota's proximity to Iowa.

"I can see Iowa from my front porch," she joked.

After the speech, Klobuchar downplayed any political ambitions, saying she likes her current job.

"It's our neighboring state of Iowa," Klobuchar said in an interview. "I think every Minnesotan has a relative in Iowa or a friend in Iowa. So if you'd ask them what states would Amy speak at, I don't think they surprised that Wisconsin and Iowa would be on the list."

Klobuchar is up for re-election in November against Republican Kurt Bills.

Here is Klobuchar's speech to the Iowa delegates: Listen

Video: Chris Dall pulls back the curtain on the DNC

Posted at 11:45 AM on September 5, 2012 by Michael Olson (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Pull back the curtain on the 2012 Democratic National Convention with Daily Circuit senior producer Chris Dall. Today we talk about what's behind Michele Obama's Twitter surge, delegate diversity and division versus unity in the Democratic ranks. I also put your questions to Chris about the news value of the conventions.

Have a question for tomorrow's chat? Send a Tweet to @mprpolitics, or leave a comment in the section below.

Related

The end of @michelleobama's speech drove 28,003 Tweets-per-minute at its peak. @mittromney peaked at 14,289 TPM at #GOP2012.

— Twitter for News (@TwitterForNews) September 5, 2012

(Source Google Politics & Elections)

Anti-abortion Democrats argue for more party inclusion
"'Being pro-life in the Democratic Party can be a lonely place,' former Pennsylvania Representative Kathy Dahlkemper said on Tuesday," Time.

Occupy demonstrators stage DNC sit-in
"A number of protests are being held outside the Democratic National Convention throughout the week. On Tuesday, dozens of Occupy protesters marched through Charlotte before staging a sit-in at an intersection near the convention center," Democracy Now.

Fact checking the opening night of the Democratic convention
"There were some well-worn, Pinocchio-laden statements at the convention in Charlotte," Washington Post.

More good reads from the DNC via MN Today

Rybak defends Obama's record

Posted at 8:29 PM on September 4, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak told delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte tonight that President Obama is ready to continue working to improve the nation's economy. Rybak's speech criticized Republican policies that he says limited the president's ability to implement his agenda. Despite that, Rybak said President Obama got the U.S. out of Iraq, assassinated Osama Bin Laden and helped move the nation out of a recession.

"President Obama has earned every gray hair on his head fighting for the middle class and every American. Now it's time to stand up America and fight for this man as hard as he's fought for you."

Rybak has increased his profile in recent months on behalf of President Obama. He's appeared on cable TV and held conference calls praising the president's record while criticizing the record of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Here's Rybak's full speech: Listen

Video: On the ground at the DNC

Posted at 11:50 AM on September 4, 2012 by Michael Olson
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Daily Circuit host Kerri Miller discusses security challenges, North Carolina swing voters and takes us behind the scenes at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

Related
Daily Digest: Has a helpful introduction to the DNC

Here's a look at the most recent must-reads about the DNC from MN Today: (updated all week)
Previewing FLOTUS
In looking back four years, voters have short memories
Obama: 'Incomplete' grade on economy
Dem leader compares GOP to Nazi Joseph Goebbels
Pollsters cite Obama demographic weaknesses
Democratic delegates not disappointed

UnitedHealth Group makes presence known at the DNC

Posted at 11:32 AM on September 4, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Political parties

People attending this year's Democratic National Convention in Charlotte are receiving gift bags that include everything from a can of Coke Zero to a water bottle to information packets about Charlotte.

The bag also includes a pedometer provided by Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group. The plastic pedometer promotes the insurance giant's push to get people to be more active. It also puts the name of the nation's largest public insurer in front of thousands of delegates, reporters, donors and politicians.

In 2008, UnitedHealth Group gave $1.5 million to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul and $1 million to the DNC in Denver.

It isn't known how much money UnitedHealth Group has given to the convention organizers in Charlotte and Tampa. Organizers don't have to release their contributions until Oct. 15. Officials with UnitedHealth Group did not return calls to discuss their giving to either convention. The company's Political Action Committee, however, has been actively contributing to both parties and candidates in the 2012 election cycle.

Political donations to conventions have come under fire by good government groups. The watchdog group, Public Citizen, says the donations give corporations and others unfettered access to lawmakers and others with political power. Roll Call says corporate contributions to conventions are down this year because of the down economy and negative backlash to giving.

Dayton rips into Ryan

Posted at 9:38 AM on September 4, 2012 by Tom Scheck (24 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Mark Dayton

(Gov. Mark Dayton speaks to DFL delegates in Charlotte, NC MPR Photo/Tom Scheck)

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton is criticizing Republican Paul Ryan for getting his facts wrong and for misleading the nation's voters during last week's speech at the Republican National Convention. Ryan, who is the Republican Party's vice presidential nominee, repeatedly criticized President Obama during his convention speech. The speech was panned by independent fact-checkers for several inaccuracies and omissions. Dayton spoke before a group of Democrats in Charlotte this morning and called Ryan the "two-hour marathon man" for saying he ran a two hour and 50 minute marathon at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth in 1990 when he actually ran it in four hours.

"What bothered me is that not only did he totally misrepresent what he's done in this marathon but when he finally acknowledged it, it was just disingenuous as it was the first time," Dayton said. "He said 'Well, I rounded up to three when I should have rounded up to four.' Well even from Wisconsin you should know the difference between three and four."

Democrats are in Charlotte this week for the Democratic National Convention. Their main order of business will be to nominate President Obama and Vice President Biden for a second term.

Several members of Minnesota's Congressional delegation to skip DNC

Posted at 4:26 PM on September 3, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate, Political parties

The Democratic National Convention begins in Charlotte, NC tomorrow but Minnesota's delegates will be without some key figures.

Just three of the six DFL members of Congress are expected to be in Charlotte this week. Rep. Keith Ellison is already in town hobnobbing with delegates and others. He has a full speaking schedule over the course of the week. Ellison, who co-chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, says he uses the convention to build relationships.

"I just think as a person who is offering some support and leadership to our party that I can't be missing in action," Ellison said.

Ellison added that his campaign has been working to identify DFL voters to turn out on Election Day. He said going to the convention will help with that grassroots work.

Spokespeople say Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Al Franken will be in town for all or part of the convention. Gov. Mark Dayton is also expected to attend. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is scheduled to address the convention on Tuesday.

Democratic Representatives Tim Walz, Collin Peterson and Betty McCollum are not attending the DNC at all.

Walz represents Minnesota's 1st Congressional District and has been targeted by Republicans since he defeated GOP Rep. Gil Gutknecht in 2006. But Sara Severs, the campaign manager for Walz, says Walz isn't avoiding Charlotte for fear of being linked to President Obama.

"Congressman Walz and Gwen Walz do not plan to attend the 2012 convention due to other commitments in Minnesota, most importantly the first day of kindergarten and 6th grade for their two children," Severs wrote in an e-mail. "However, they have been clear about their support for President Obama and wish everyone working on the convention a successful event."

A spokeswoman says McCollum is planning a large "watch party" for President Obama's speech on Thursday night at the Vadnais Heights Commons Convention Center on Thursday.

None of the other DFL candidates for Congress are planning to attend the DNC either.

Democrats aren't the only people who decided to skip the party conventions this year. GOP Representatives John Kline, Erik Paulsen and Chip Cravaack decided not to visit Tampa for last week's Republican National Convention. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills also decided against making the trip to Florida.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann served as a delegate to the convention and also worked the convention crowd.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who failed in his bid to be the party's nominee for president, had a speaking role at the convention.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that Allen Quist, who is challenging Walz in Minnesota's 1st District, attended the RNC.

AFP spends more than $465,000 on MN airtime

Posted at 6:00 PM on August 31, 2012 by Catharine Richert (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Remember this campaign ad that aired in early August?

As it turns out, Americans for Prosperity, the conservative group behind the spot, has spent at least $465,000 on broadcasting it in Minnesota, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission and initially reported by the Sunlight Foundation.

The spot was part of a massive buy recently launched in August by Americans for Prosperity, a group founded by major Republican donors Charles and David Koch that supports small government and lower taxes.

AFP's media blitz includes a handful of states, including Minnesota, and the group has pledged to spend $27 million total on a series of advertisements.

Typically, AFP does not have to report to the FEC where it is buying ads.

An AFP spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Video: Miller pulls back the curtain on the RNC

Posted at 11:40 AM on August 29, 2012 by Michael Olson
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Ann Romney overshadows Chris Christie and other observations from behind the scenes at the Republic National Convention in Tampa from The Daily Circuit's Kerri Miller.

Related
Daily Circuit: RNC location puts focus on Latino issues, political figures
Neither Obama nor Romney can say who will win in November
Univision: "The undecided vote, and Hispanics, will tip the balance on Tuesday, November 6."

Other notable stories from Tampa
Mystery guest on the roster
National Journal: Buried deep in the convention schedule released Monday is a vague reference to a mystery speaker scheduled for the event's final evening. "To Be Announced" has a prime speaking slot late in the Thursday program.

Five takeaways from Tuesday at The Republican Convention
"Republicans set the tone for their convention with lots of talk about why their ideas are better for the nation than those of President Obama and the Democrats. But they also showed a lot of love for some stars, including Ann Romney and several governors," NPR. View all the speeches from Tuesday night here on the NewsHour blog.

Team Obama launches preemptive attack on Paul Ryan
Politico: "The Obama campaign is out with a new video attacking Paul Ryan ahead of his convention speech in Tampa on Wednesday."

More good reads on Campaign 2012 from MN Today

House GOP employee facing felony charges still on payroll

Posted at 4:14 PM on August 28, 2012 by Tom Scheck (12 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, MN Legislature

While Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, and other Republican leaders call on Rep. Kerry Gauthier, DFL-Duluth, to resign because he brought "dishonor" to the Legislature, an employee of the Minnesota House is drawing a public paycheck even though he's been charged with 12 counts of possessing child pornography.

House GOP leaders put Rory Koch, 39, of St. Paul, on paid administrative leave on March 7 after learning he was charged by Ramsey County prosecutors on March 5. Koch served as the Committee Administrator for the House Government Operations and Elections Committee.

Koch was put on unpaid administrative leave on June 7 but continues to draw down his vacation balance and receives health benefits, according to officials within the Minnesota House Human Resources Department.

"He was paid on Aug. 15 and without a change in status we'll continue to pay him," said House Comptroller Greg Crowe.

Koch has collected $14,814 in salary since he was first put on leave in March. He's collected $1,200 of that since he started drawing down his vacation balance in June. Koch has been using roughly eight hours of vacation time a week to keep his employment active. House Human Resources Administrator Kelly Knight says Koch has 231 hours of vacation available to use.

Koch's leave comes at a time when Republicans are making an issue out of Gauthier's decision to continue to take a salary and benefits after being caught up in another scandal.

House GOP leaders openly discussed taking up a motion to expel Gauthier during last Friday's special session after it became public that he engaged in a sexual act with a 17-year-old boy in a public rest area near Duluth. Gauthier was not arrested or charged with a crime. Zellers told reporters on Friday that he declined to bring up the motion to expel Gauthier because there wasn't enough time to give Gauthier a fair hearing.

But that didn't stop Zellers from saying Gauthier should step down.

"He's brought disrepute and a lot of dishonor to the House of Representatives," Zellers said of Gauthier.

Gauthier announced last week that he will not continue his run for re-election. Officials in both political parties condemned him and several Democrats urged him to end his bid for re-election. Short of calling for his resignation, Zellers said there was little he could do to remove Gauthier from office. But House GOP leaders have broader power when it comes to hiring and firing legislative staff.

House Republican spokeswoman Jodi Boyne said most hiring and firing decisions are made by a personnel committee spearheaded by Rep. Joe Hoppe, R-Chaska. Hoppe told MPR News that he contacted legal counsel when Koch was first charged with a crime. Hoppe said the Legislature's attorneys advised him to put Koch on administrative leave and not fire him.

"We try to make sure that we're going to do things to protect the state, to protect the House and to protect the institution," Hoppe said. "We're not going to jump to doing things that might result in us being sued in any kind of wrongful termination suit."

Hoppe pointed to a wrongful termination suit from former Senate staffer Michael Brodkorb against the Minnesota Senate. The Senate has spent $102,000 in taxpayer money on an outside attorney that is helping the Senate defend itself in the lawsuit.

Hoppe also said the standards between Rep. Gauthier and Koch are different. He said Gauthier admitted to his conduct and that elected officials "should be held to a higher standard." Hoppe said Koch has not admitted to wrongdoing.

"If Rep. Gauthier wouldn't have admitted what happened we probably would be in a different circumstance," Hoppe said.

Hoppe said he's not sure how Republicans will handle Koch's employment until after the trial. Koch has worked for the House Republican Caucus since 1999 and also served as Republican Chair of the 4th Congressional District. He was also a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2008.

Koch ran for the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners in 2010, the same time police investigators executed a search warrant on Koch's apartment and seized two computers. Koch, entered a plea of not guilty. His pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 14.

House Republicans also say they've taken a hard line when it comes to misconduct. Zellers suspended the committee chairmanship of Rep. Tom Hackbarth, R-Cedar, after he was investigated for carrying a firearm in the parking lot of a Planned Parenthood in St. Paul in November of 2010. Hackbarth was not charged with a crime.

House Republicans, under then Minority Leader Marty Seifert, also forced Rep. Mark Olson out of the caucus after he was charged with two counts of domestic abuse in 2006. Olson was convicted of misdemeanor domestic assault for causing his wife fear of bodily harm, but was acquitted of intentionally trying to harm her.

Video: On the ground at the RNC

Posted at 11:40 AM on August 28, 2012 by Michael Olson
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Daily Circuit host Kerri Miller chats about what she's seeing in Tampa at the Republican National Convention and looks ahead to tonight's programming.

Have a question for Kerri about what is going on in Tampa? Leave them in the comment section here, or Tweet @mprpolitics. We will put your questions to her during Wednesday's chat.

Related
Daily Circuit: What issues matter to young Republicans?
AP: Paul delegates mounting floor fight over new rules
Politico: Who is on the inside track in a Romney Cabinet?
MPR News: Minn. delegates gather for Ron Paul rally
MPR News: Politics coverage

MN RNC delegation chair addresses Ron Paul rally

Posted at 2:02 PM on August 26, 2012 by Mark Zdechlik
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Marianne Stebbins, who ran Texas Rep. Ron Paul's presidential campaign in Minnesota, spoke before several thousand people Saturday afternoon at Southern Florida University's Sun Dome.

Stebbins drew applause when she told the crowd 80 percent of Minnesota's RNC delegation came to Florida as Ron Paul delegates.Stebbins talked about grass roots organizing efforts among Paul supporters in Minnesota. She also underscored the growth of the Ron Paul movement.

"Where there was one man carrying then message alone, there are now thousands, perhaps millions, of us working together to spread the message that we live better when we live free," said Stebbins to wild cheering.

Other speakers at the rally railed on what they view as the overreach of government,from areas of civil liberties to foreign interventions.

Messy RNC send off for MN Republican Party official

Posted at 1:22 PM on August 25, 2012 by Mark Zdechlik (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Political parties

It was a busy morning for Minnesota Republican Party Deputy Chair Kelly Fenton who awoke to find her Woodbury home toilet-papered and her yard filled with Republican political lawn signs.

At a chance encounter at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport on the way to Tampa for the Republican National Convention, Fenton told Minnesota Public Radio News she had no idea who was behind the prank. Her son thought it was probably kids.

The Fentons said they got most of the mess cleaned up and they made their Saturday morning flight to the nominating convention, which starts Monday.

House opts not to bring up motion to expel Gauthier

Posted at 4:48 PM on August 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, MN Legislature

House GOP leaders decided against taking up a motion to expel Rep. Kerry Gauthier, DFL-Duluth, during today's special legislative session, even though they openly discussed the possibility for several days.

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers said the one-day special session didn't give them enough time to take action. He said Republicans decided against expelling Gauthier because it would be more prudent to hold an Ethics Committee hearing first.

"There is a process to follow," Zelelrs said. "Just because the acts that were committed were egregious doesn't mean we would not have due process."

Zellers renewed his call for Gauthier to resign.

Gauthier skipped the special session and announced earlier this week that he would not run for re-election. Last week Duluth police revealed Gauthier engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old boy at a public rest stop near Duluth last month. He was not arrested or charged with a crime.

Democrats applauded Gauthier's decision to not run for re-election but have stopped short of calling on him to resign. Zellers said his absence from the Capitol during the special session is evidence Gauthier should step down right away.

"The fact that he was not down here today serving his constituents, doing the job he was elected to do, proves that he is not fit to be in office," Zellers said.

It's unlikely that lawmakers can take any action to force Gauthier out of the Legislature. An ethics complaint can be filed only during the legislative session, and it's unlikely lawmakers will meet in session again between now and Jan. 8, 2013, when the next regular session is scheduled to begin.

Gauthier has not responded to messages about whether he would resign. He said he was skipping the special session because he didn't want to be a distraction.

House may move to expel Gauthier

Posted at 10:23 AM on August 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck (10 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, MN Legislature

There are serious discussions underway among Republican legislators to take up a motion to expel Rep. Kerry Gauthier, DFL-Duluth during today's special session.

GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean said removing Gauthier is "a possibility" when asked about discussions to expel the first-term member. Dean said any member can make a motion when the Legislature convenes for the Special Session at 2 p.m.

The House would need 90 votes to take up the resolution, meaning a block of DFLers would have to agree that Gauthier's conduct was severe enough that he needs to be removed from office. It would also take 90 votes to expel Gauthier from office. The Minnesota Constitution gives the Legislature the power to govern the behavior of its members and punish them for "disorderly behavior."

Gauthier said earlier this week that he would not run for re-election after it became public that he engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old boy at a public rest stop near Duluth. GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers and other Republicans have called on Gauthier to resign immediately. Democrats have asked him to not run for re-election but have stopped short of calling for his resignation.

Gauthier said he will not attend today's Special Session because he doesn't want to be a distraction.

Rybak gets a speaking role at the DNC

Posted at 12:06 AM on August 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has snagged a speaking role at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. The DNC will announce Rybak's speaking role later today, but the speaking gig was confirmed by a Rybak aide.

Rybak is a vice chair of the DNC and has been a vocal backer of President Obama. The date, time and topic for Rybak's speech are still being worked out.

Democrats will gather in Charlotte from Sept. 4 through Sept. 6. Their main order of business will be to nominate President Obama for reelection.

Romney's quick Minnesota trip raises at least $875K

Posted at 9:28 PM on August 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Mitt Romney raised at least $875,000 during his visit to Minnesota tonight. The presumptive Republican nominee for president attended two fundraisers. Roughly 350 people gave between $2,500 and $10,000 to attend a fundraiser at the Lafayette Country Club in Minnetonka Beach. Couples who contributed $50,000 attended a private dinner at the Shorewood home of Cambria CEO Marty Davis.

"This is a campaign about the soul of America," GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said. "I want to keep this country the shining city on a hill, the strong and vibrant nation that has inspired the nation and people all over the globe. I need your help to have that happen."

Romney's Minnesota visit was brief. He held no public events and focused all of his time attending the two fundraisers. He encouraged donors to energetically back his campaign.

"You've written checks, I need you now to go out and find somebody who voted for Barack Obama - there are a few here in Minnesota," Romney said, as the crowd laughed. "I need you to find them and convince them to join our team. Not because they're Republican or Democrat, but because this is the time to say what America is. And if you do, we're going to take back our country."

The crowd in the country club ballroom included former Gov. Tim Pawlenty and an array of past, present and aspiring GOP politicians. Former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman also attended the fundraiser, as did U.S. Rep. John Kline, R-MN, and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills.

"This is Mitt Romney's time," Coleman said, to cheers and applause from the crowd. "Barack Obama's time is over."

Romney's decision to hold no public events during his Minnesota trip is a sign that he may not be too optimistic about his chances in the state.

Attorney Andy Brehm, who served as former Sen. Norm Coleman's press secretary, said polling shows President Obama is beating Romney in Minnesota but that could change quickly. He talked with reporters outside the Minnetonka Beach fundraiser.

"If you look back in 2000, George W. Bush didn't consider Minnesota competitive really until the last two weeks when he actually came and campaigned here and did relatively well but didn't win the state," Brehm said. "I'm sure the governor's campaign is keeping a good eye on the state but right now polls suggest that he's probably best spending time elsewhere."

Roughly 100 people protested outside the private Lafayette Club. Kimberly Matt of St. Louis Park says Romney isn't concerned about the entire country.

"Romney's a businessman and he would treat us all like we're customers and the customers who pay the most get the best service. That's the way it works."

Democrats also criticized Romney for his stance on education. At a news conference in St. Paul earlier in the day, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak criticized Romney for attending only private events.

"Mitt Romney has been a candidate and would be a president who would lock himself in rooms with the ultra rich, give them big tax breaks and not listen to the voices of all of America," Rybak said.

Romney's visit comes just two days after Vice President Joe Biden held campaign rallies in Minneapolis and Rochester.

Update: A national pool report says Romney said during his remarks that "Big business is doing fine" - a line that parrots President Obama's "The private sector is doing just fine" quote from earlier this year.

(Report includes Pool Report material)

Vikings assist legislative candidates this election year

Posted at 4:12 PM on August 23, 2012 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Vikings stadium

Lawmakers who supported the new Vikings stadium are getting an assist from the team this election year.

Minnesota Momentum, a new political fund created earlier this month by the Vikings, will be used to spend on behalf of Minnesota legislators who helped get the stadium bill signed into law, said team spokesman Jeff Anderson.

"We have several tens of thousands of fans signed up for Minnesota Momentum," said Anderson. "What we did during the primary election and what we'll do during the general election is let those fans know who their elected official is and if they voted 'yes' on the stadium."

Minnesota Momentum has existed since 2006 as a network of Vikings fans. But the political fund is necessary for the team to legally spend money in support of various legislative candidates.

Rep. Tim Sanders, R-Blaine, is among those the team is helping.

"After taking the difficult but necessary vote, Representative Sanders faces a challenge heading into the primary, August 14, and the general election on November 6," reads an e-mail the Vikings sent out urging fans to vote for Sanders during last week's primary. "Opponents are highlighting his stadium support as a reason to vote against him. Therefore, just as Representative Sanders stood with Vikings fans and stadium supporters last spring, we need to stand with him during this campaign."

Anderson said to expect more such e-mails throughout election season.

Liberal PAC targets Bachmann

Posted at 12:43 PM on August 23, 2012 by Catharine Richert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6, Michele Bachmann

An organization dedicated to defeating conservative U.S. House members is targeting 6th Congressional District Rep. Michele Bachmann.

CREDO super PAC, a fund created by San Francisco-based CREDO Mobile cell phone company, has added Bachmann to its "Take Down the Tea Party Ten" campaign.

The group doesn't plan to spend its money on advertisements. Rather, it will rally volunteers to man phone banks and canvass door-to-door to talk to 6th District voters about Bachmann's record, said CREDO spokeswoman Sarah Lane.

CREDO doesn't plan to help Bachmann's DFL opponent Jim Graves either.

"This is about holding Rep. Bachmann accountable for her extremist record in Congress," Land said. "We are just focused on telling voters in the district about her record - about her record on seniors, and women, and the environment, and letting them know about her tea party record in Congress."

By most accounts, Bachmann's seat is safe. But Lane said that CREDO's members have asked the group to campaign against Bachmann. Lane also pointed out that turnout in Bachmann's district for last week's primary was quite low, though turn-out was low throughout Minnesota.

Bachmann campaign spokesman Chase Kroll said, "It's no surprise a group of radical San Francisco liberals are coming to the aid of another radical liberal Jim Graves."

"I'm sure Jim Graves will continue to write himself big checks, but at the end of the day, Minnesotans support Michele Bachmann because they know she's an independent voice, fighting for them to bring about a smaller government and a more affordable way of life," Kroll wrote in an e-mail.

CREDO's 6th district effort mirrors one already in place in the 8th Congressional District. There, CREDO is mobilizing voters to defeat Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack, who is also on the group's "Take Down the Tea Party" list.

Gauthier does a 180, now says he won't run

Posted at 5:10 PM on August 22, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

After announcing earlier today that he would run for re-election, DFL Rep. Kerry Gauthier has reconsidered and now says he won't be running for his Duluth House seat.

The move comes after Democrats across Minnesota publicly rebuked him for deciding to continue to campaign. Gov. Dayton, DFL Party Chair Ken Martin, Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon and DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen all said publicly that Gauthier should reconsider and drop out of the race.

"Rep. Gauthier called to inform me that he has changed his mind and will be withdrawing from his race for re-election," Thiessen said after Gauthier's afternoon change of heart. "I fully support his decision, which brings to an end an unfortunate chapter and will allow the legislature to focus this week on the approval of much-needed relief for those Minnesotans impacted by the recent storms and floods."

Gauthier admitted to police that he engaged in a sexual act with a 17-year-old last month at a public rest stop near Duluth.

The challenge for Democrats will now be to find a replacement for Gauthier. Thissen said Democrats may go to court to try to remove Gauthier from the ballot but they are also pursuing the possibility of mounting a write-in campaign.

Update:

DFL Party Chair Ken Martin issued a statement saying he's "grateful" Gauthier stepped aside.

"This has been a very difficult ordeal for our party, our legislative leaders and certainly for Rep. Gauthier and others involved in this tragic situation. On behalf of the DFL Party, we thank Rep. Gauthier for his service in the legislature and we wish him the best on his path to recovery."

Dayton: Gauthier should rethink decision to run

Posted at 12:23 PM on August 22, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

Gov. Mark Dayton and other DFL leaders are denouncing state Rep. Kerry Gauthier's decision to continue to seek re-election. Gauthier, DFL-Duluth, told the Northland's News Center today that he'll continue to run for re-election and let voters decide his fate.

The first term DFL lawmaker admitted to police last month that he had sexual contact with a 17 year-old boy at a rest stop in Duluth. Gauthier was not charged or arrested, because the St. Louis County Attorney said the age of consent in Minnesota is 16, and no money changed hands.

Nevertheless, Dayton said today that Gauthier should reconsider his decision to run for re-election.

"It's a terrible mistake on his part, Dayton said. "I think it's something that goes beyond the morals of Minnesotans to solicit on Craigslist to solicit sex with a minor and do it in a public area."

DFL Party Chair Ken Martin and DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen also criticized Gauthier's decision. Martin said he will push to have Duluth's DFL Party to pull Gauthier's endorsement.

The Duluth TV station that interviewed Gauthier today also reported that his hospitalization last week resulted from prescription drug use.

Gauthier said that he took several muscle relaxants and was found unconscious and taken to the hospital. Initial reports last week said that he was hospitalized after a breathing problem.

Pawlenty snags speaking spot at the RNC

Posted at 11:37 AM on August 22, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

After being passed over for a spot on the ticket, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been given a top speaking slot at the upcoming Republican National Convention in Tampa next week.

Pawlenty, who was among Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's top choices for vice president, will be giving an address Wednesday, August 29 some time after 7:30 p.m.

He's wedged between Arizona Sen. John McCain, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, who was also a top VP contender, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan will be giving the keynote speech that evening, according to the RNC's schedule.

That night's theme will be "We Can Change It," according to an RNC press release.

"We want to remind Americans that we don't have to settle for four more years of high unemployment, low pay and deep debt," Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said. "We will devote Wednesday night to showing the country that Mitt Romney's 'Plan for a Stronger Middle Class' will restore our country as the best place in the world to find a job, start a business or hire a worker."

The presidential nominee typically speaks the last night of the convention.

Report: Gauthier to run for re-election

Posted at 11:13 AM on August 22, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

Despite calls to step aside, Rep. Kerry Gauthier, DFL-Duluth, has decided to run for re-election. The Northland's News Center reports that Gauthier told them in an interview today that he wants the voters to decide his future.

That decision puts the first term lawmaker at odds with DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and DFL Party Chair Ken Martin, who have encouraged Gauthier not to run for re-election after he admitted to police that he had sexual contact with a 17 year-old boy at a rest stop in Duluth. Gauthier was not charged or arrested, because the St. Louis County Attorney said the age of consent in Minnesota is 16, and no money changed hands. Nevertheless the political reaction has been swift. On Friday, GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers called on Gauthier to resign immediately. Since then two Democrats have announced write-in campaigns for the District 7B seat.

Gauthier has not made any public comments since the incident became public last week. He has not returned calls to MPR News.

The news that he intends to continue campaigning comes as Democrats are hoping to retake control of the Legislature. DFL leaders and candidates across Minnesota may now have to answer whether they support Gauthier's candidacy.

UPDATE
House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, issued a statement criticizing Gauthier's decision.

"Rep. Gauthier's conduct last month was clearly beneath what's expected of an elected official," Thiseen wrote. "I do not support his decision to continue his re-election effort and the House DFL Caucus will not be supporting his campaign."

Minnesota DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin also weighed in with a statement.

"The Minnesota DFL Party does not support Kerry Gauthier's decision to seek re-election," Martin wrote. "We have repeatedly asked Gauthier to end his campaign and give Duluth DFLers a chance to choose a new candidate they can unite behind. Gauthier's conduct was inexcusable and he has lost the public trust. He should exit the race immediately. He will receive no assistance from the state DFL Party, and we are strongly encouraging the local party leaders to rescind his endorsement."

Biden rips into Romney in Minneapolis

Posted at 3:54 PM on August 21, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

(MPR photo/Jennifer Simonson)

Vice President Joe Biden told about 1,500 people at a campaign rally in Minneapolis today that he and President Obama is protecting the middle class while their Republican opponents are out of touch.

Biden criticized Mitt Romney for not releasing a more of his tax returns and for founding a private investment firm that invested in companies that shifted jobs from the U.S. to foreign countries. He said Romney's running mate Paul Ryan's budget plan would cut health care for ordinary Americans to give tax breaks to the country's wealthiest families.

"What's new about their plan?" Biden said. "What is new? It's not only not new, it's not fair, it's not right and the people paying the price for their new plan are the middle class and the working poor."

Biden said Romney's plan is essentially the same one George W. Bush used, which he said not only didn't create jobs, but also drove the economy to disaster.

You can listen to Biden's speech here: Listen

Biden also dropped in on the Minneapolis South High School Tigers football team practice this afternoon. You can listen to that visit here: Listen

Biden will hold another rally in Rochester later this afternoon.

Romney is scheduled to be in the Twin Cities on Thursday for a campaign fundraiser. No word yet on whether Romney will hold any public events during his Minnesota visit.

Klobuchar and Bills agree to end of election year debate

Posted at 3:16 PM on August 17, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Republican Kurt Bills have agreed to participate in a U.S Senate debate on Nov. 4. The debate, hosted by MPR News, will be held at 7pm on the Sunday before election. It's traditionally the last debate before voters head to the polls on Election Day. The debate will be hosted by MPR's Morning Edition Host Cathy Wurzer.

Klobuchar and Bills will also debate live on MPR News at our State Fair booth on Thursday, Aug. 30. MPR Political Editor Mike Mulcahy will moderate that debate.

Bills and Klobuchar have met in one debate this election cycle. They both participated in the FarmFest debate last week. You can listen to that debate here.

Update: A Klobuchar spokesman said a debate in the Duluth area is also in the works.

Judge Dismisses Suit Aimed at Ending Same-Day Registration.

Posted at 12:13 PM on August 17, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Voter ID Amendment

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that would have ended same-day voter registration in Minnesota.

A group of 7 citizens, and the conservative groups the Minnesota Voters Alliance and the Minnesota Freedom Council filed the lawsuit challenging the state's same-day registration system because they said ineligible voters cast ballots in the 2008 and 2010 elections.

But Judge Donovan Frank ruled that the groups failed to allege a violation of federal law, failed to point to any election misconduct and failed to exhaust their claims in state court. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, a Democrat, and other Democratic leaning groups praised the decision because it will ensure same-day registration in November.

The ruling comes as the Minnesota Voters Alliance is pushing for a constitutional amendment to require people to present a photo ID to vote. Ritchie says the amendment goes further than that and would end same-day voter registration in Minnesota - a claim pro-amendment groups deny.

Here's the ruling:

12cv519ord081712

Redistricting panel awards $345k in attorney's fees

Posted at 3:25 PM on August 16, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting

A five member panel of judges tasked with redrawing the state's political lines has awarded $345,000 in attorney's fees.

The judicial panel ruled that attorneys representing the DFL Party, Republicans in Minnesota and a group of DFL citizens are entitled to $115,000 each for the work on the redistricting case. The court ruled that the funds should be made available as a result of the Civil Rights Act. Attorneys for the three groups were seeking a total payment of $691,131.

The attorneys were hired to represent the parties in court after Democratic Governor Mark Dayton failed to agree to a set of political boundaries with GOP leaders in the Legislature. A five member judicial panel was then tasked with taking testimony on how the new set of political lines should be drawn as result of the 2010 census. The court released the new set of maps in February.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie asked the panel to deny attorneys fees because he said taxpayers should not bear the expense of redistricting.

Here's the order:
A110152Order - Taxation of Costs-Disbursements Andor Atty Fees

Primary turnout was 2nd lowest in 62 years

Posted at 12:51 PM on August 15, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Secretary of State's office is reporting that voter turnout in Tuesday's primary was 9 percent. That's the second lowest voter turnout for a primary since 1950. Only the 2004 primary had a lower percentage of eligible voters turnout for a primary with 7.73 percent that year.

There are several factors that could have played a part in the diminished turnout. There wasn't a competitive statewide race on the ballot, and it was only the second year the primary was held in August - a time when many voters aren't engaged in the political process.

There were efforts to move the 2014 primary to June but a bill failed to get the necessary votes to pass the Minnesota Senate. Last night's turnout is prompting some supporters of a June primary to push for the legislation next year.

"The support is there to pass this," said Rep. Kurt Daudt, R-Crown. "As people see how this particular primary went, we're getting more and more supporters everyday for moving the primary up to June."

Here's the primary turnout history from the Minnesota Secretary of State:

Vice President Joe Biden will campaign in Minnesota next week

Posted at 10:38 AM on August 15, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Two people with knowledge of the visit say the Democratic vice president will hold two campaign events in Minnesota next Tuesday. Biden is holding a campaign rally in Minneapolis over the noon hour. He'll also hold a campaign rally in Rochester later that afternoon.

Biden's visit comes two days before Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney holds a fundraiser in Minnesota. The visits are a sign that both presidential campaigns are putting a greater emphasis on Minnesota. President Obama last campaigned in the state in June.

AP: Nolan wins DFL primary in MN CD 8

Posted at 11:31 PM on August 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

The Associated Press has called Minnesota's 8th Congressional District DFL primary in favor of Rick Nolan.

Nolan, who represented Minnesota in the U.S. House from 1974 to 1981 will challenge GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack this fall.

Late Tuesday night, Nolan had nearly 40 percent of the vote with 70 percent of the precincts reporting results. His opponents Tarryl Clark and Jeff Anderson were splitting the difference.

Nolan was not the top fundraiser in the race. He had brought in only $357,655 since the start of the race, while Clark raised $1.1 million, much of it coming from her wide fundraising network outside the 8th District and the state. Anderson only raised $172,359, according to the most recent campaign filings.

Quist to challenge Walz for MN CD 1 seat

Posted at 10:52 PM on August 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD1

Allen Quist will represent the Republican party this fall in his bid to unseat 1st Congressional District DFL Rep. Tim Walz.

Quist had been running against GOP state Sen. Mike Parry, who conceded to Quist late Thursday night in a phone call.

Parry said he would support Quist in his race against Walz.

"I told [Allen Quist], as I'm going to tell you right now, this is all about Tim Walz," Parry said. "This is about a Congressman who has failed to represent the first district. This is about a congressman that has joined lockstep with the Obama administration and actively does not support production agriculture."

Parry said he believes Quist is an electable Republican, despite the negative tone the primary race took in the last few weeks.

"Based on what I see tonight, things are changing in the first congressional district. [Quist] is well-versed, he gets it, That's why I'm excited to join his team, to move forward with a common cause and that's to defeat Tim Walz."

At 10:30 p.m., the Secretary of State's office reported that nearly 70 percent of the southern Minnesota district had reported; Parry had 45 percent of the vote while Quist had 54 percent of the vote.

In Mankato, Quist told the crowd that he welcomes Parry to his team.

"We'll work together from now on," Quist said.

Quist told supporters that there's a lot of work ahead, but he's confident that a conservative Repoublican can win the congressional seat.

"Our focus in going to be the number one problem facing our country, and that is the debt crisism" Quist said. "We absolutely have to change direction. We don't have a choice."

Quist contributed much of his own cash to his campaign, and Parry was not able to match Quist's fundraising.

In recent weeks, the Parry-Quist race became more interesting after Parry brought up comments Quist made years ago about social issues, including the roles of men and women in the home.

Last week, Parry got more attention when he called Gov. Mark Dayton "scary" and said that he saw Dayton "pop 15 to 16 pills" during a meeting.

Republican Party of Minnesota Chair Pat Shortridge used Quist's victory to make the party's case against Walz.

"Voters in southern Minnesota deserve representation in Washington that will fight to get spending and regulation under control," Shortridge said in a statement. "Despite election-year conversions, Tim Walz has been a blank check for the Obama administration on key issues like cap and trade, Obamacare, and the failed stimulus. The Walz legacy for future generations will be one of more debt and regulation, and one of less opportunity and growth."

MPR's Elizabeth Baier and Tim Pugmire contributed to this report.

Ortman wins spot on GOP ticket

Posted at 10:28 PM on August 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

Senate Tax Committee Chair Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, will face-off against Democrat James Weygand in this fall's elections to represent Senate District 47.

Ortman defeated Bruce Schwichtenberg in a heated primary battle.

After an endorsement fight at the district's May convention, neither Ortman or Schwichtenberg had secured support from the party.

Ortman said that the convention's unusual outcome had a lot to do with high turnout among delegates who support Ron Paul, and who supported Schwichtenberg.

For his part, Schwichtenberg said Ortman was not conservative enough for the district.

"Leading into November I hope we're going to have a very courageous conversation with the resident of the state of Minnesota about the issues that matter most," including the economy, Ortman said.

If she wins the general election in November, Ortman said won't change the way she legislates despite the turn further right her primary race took.

"This was a very important election to provide all the authority I need to go back to the state capitol and continue the work that I've been doing," Ortman said.

Update from the 8th

Posted at 9:18 PM on August 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

Only 8 percent of the 8th Congressional District precincts have reported results so far, but primary night parties are in full swing on the Iron Range.

MPR News reporter Mark Zdechlik writes that DFL endorsed candidate Rick Nolan says he feels "terrific" about his primary campaign:

Nolan said he expects he will prevail but that the results will be close in the end and he had high praise for the work the DFL party has done on his behalf.

"The party stepped up in ways that I've never seen them do before. They ran television ads for me, they sent out literature for me. They've had a very, very good, aggressive get out the vote campaign for us in this race so I feel very, very good about it," said Nolan.

Nolan also predicted that whoever ends up winning tonight, Democrats will unite tomorrow behind an effort to take back the 8th District seat from first-term Republicans Congressman Chip Cravaack.

Meanwhile MPR's Dan Kraker reports that Tarryl Clark's party at the Black Woods Grill and Bar in Duluth is relatively quiet so far:

About 25 supporters are here at 9 p.m., sipping drinks and watching the returns slowly trickle in on a big TV screen. Campaign workers say they expect a long night waiting for returns from the far flung corners of Minnesota's 8th district.

Adeline Wright, 34, who owns a hair salon in Duluth, is the kind of voter the Clark campaign is banking on. She says the fact that Clark is a woman is important to her.

"I want there to be more equal representation for women," she said.

But she also believes Clark is the best suited of the three DFL candidates to beat Republican incumbent Chip Cravaack in the general election.

"She has the ability to raise the funds," she said. "She's progressive and qualified, and I think she would be the best person to do the job."

MPR's Stephanie Hemphill has this report from Jeff Anderson's campaign, who is so far trailing Nolan and Clark:

The small crowd here at Carmody Pub is cheerful as they check their smartphones for results. A raucous cheer erupts as Ely's votes are reported. Anderson trounced the others in his home town.

Northern Minnesota's remote rural precincts are notorious for their slow returns. But Anderson says his strength is the same in Duluth as it is further north, so the earlier Duluth returns will be a good indication of his prospects.

Photo: Rick Nolan, center, greets supporters at the 8th congressional district DFL-endorsed candidate's primary party, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012 at the Sunshine Kitchen and Moonshine Lounge in Brainerd. (MPR's Jennifer Simonson)

Osmek ekes out a narrow win over Doepke

Posted at 11:20 PM on August 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

Republican endorsed candidate David Osmek has narrowly defeated incumbent Rep. Connie Doepke of Orono by 107 votes in the primary for the state Senate seat in District 33.

Osmek will face DFL candidate Judy Rogosheske this fall to replace retiring Republican Sen. Gen Olson.

"I think what the people saw was a true, honest conservative with the convictions and the integrity that they wanted to see in a state senator," Osmek said of the race. "I appreciated Rep. Doepke's work and I think that she has been a good representative, but they were looking for a change."

Doepke could not immediately be reached for comment.

In recent weeks, the primary race between Osmek and Doepke attracted spending from two conservative outside groups: The Freedom Club and Americans for Prosperity Minnesota.

Both organizations sent mailers targeting Doepke's record on spending and President Barack Obama's health care law. Doepke said the mailers distorted her record.

If he wins the general election, Osmek said his legislative goals are simple: spend fewer taxpayer dollars, change state taxes to make Minnesota more attractive to businesses and champion a bill that would make union dues voluntary.

"Right to work will be the first thing on my list," Osmek said of the union bill.

Both Osmek and Cindy Pugh, who won the GOP primary in House District 33, tracked further right than their Republican opponents.

While Osmek said it's too soon to tell if his district is a bellwether for how the Legislature will look after the November election, "in this district, the representation will be more conservative."

Dehn wins DFL primary

Posted at 8:43 PM on August 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

The Secretary of State's website reports that Raymond Dehn has won the DFL primary in House District 59B.

The area, which encompasses part of North Minneapolis, was previously represented by Bobby Joe Champion.

Dehn beat DFL contender Terra Cole and Ian Alexander.

Competing against Dehn will be Gary Mazzotta, who beat Bill McGaughey with 55 percent of the vote.

Meanwhile, Democrat Joe Mullery will be competing against Republican Cindy Lilly in House District 59A this fall.

Video: 8th Congressional District result analysis

Posted at 9:30 PM on August 14, 2012 by Michael Olson
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

Live at 9:30pm: A discussion of the results from the 8th Congressional District DFL contest.

MPR News editor Michael Olson hosts a video chat focusing on the early results from the 8th Congressional District DFL contest with liberal bloggers "Joel in Duluth," Joel Sipress and Minnesota Brown, Aaron Brown.

Submit your questions in the comment section here, or by sending a Tweet to @MPRpolitics.

Live Election Results from MPR News

Video: 1st Congressional District GOP results analysis

Posted at 9:15 PM on August 14, 2012 by Michael Olson (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD1

Update: Quist wins.

Allen Quist "is going to have to work hard in presenting himself as an electable Republican. Because that's not something has has a record of doing. He hasn't won an election since the mid-80s and that is a long time" -- Conservative blogger and GOP activist Michael Brodkorp on the challenge ahead for Allen Quist as he faces Incumbent Rep. Tim Walz in November.

Live at 9:00pm: A discussion of the results from the 1st Congressional District GOP contest.

MPR News editor Michael Olson hosts a video chat focusing on the early results from the 1st Congressional District GOP contest with GOP activist and conservative blogger Michael Brodkorb.

Submit your questions in the comment section here, or by sending a Tweet to @MPRpolitics.

Candidates: Mike Parry, Allen Quist

Live Election Results from MPR News

More on Brodkorb's new blog and his employment dispute with the state after the jump.

Continue reading "Video: 1st Congressional District GOP results analysis"

And the polls are closed...

Posted at 8:00 PM on August 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD1, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

It's 8 p.m., and the polls have closed across Minnesota.

You can see results as they come in on MPR's website here. As expected, turn out across the state was low.

Tonight, we'll be keeping tabs on several important primary races on the Capitol View blog, including contests in the 1st and 8th congressional districts, and several hotly contested legislative districts.

If you haven't been following these races closely, here are a few to watch:

Minnesota's 1st Congressional District:

In southern Minnesota, Republican state Sen. Mike Parry and Allen Quist are competing to challenge incumbent DFL Rep. Tim Walz in November.

Both candidates have raised relatively little money compared to Walz, but with a few exceptions Parry and Quist generally agree on a number of issues important to the Republican party.

In recent weeks, the Parry-Quist race became more interesting after Parry brought up comments Quist made years ago about social issues, including the roles of men and women in the home.

Last week, Parry got more attention when he called Gov. Mark Dayton "scary" and said that he saw Dayton "pop 15 to 16 pills" during a meeting.

Minnesota's 8th Congressional District:

Jeff Anderson, Tarryl Clark and Rick Nolan are in a three-way contest to challenge Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack in November.

Nolan, a former Minnesota congressman, has the DFL endorsement, but Clark has the fundraising advantage among the three candidates. Since she entered the race, Clark has raised $1.1 million, much of it coming from her wide fundraising network outside the 8th District and the state. Nolan has so far raised $357,655 and Anderson has raised $172,359, according to their most recent campaign finance filings.

The race heated up in recent weeks when Women Vote!, the political spending arm of Emily's List, a group that supports female candidates who support legalized abortions including Clark, sent out a mailer to voters in the 8th questioning Nolan's voting record on abortion issues.

And the Clark campaign released an ad challenging Nolan's work as founder and chairman of the Minnesota World Trade Center. Nolan called the ad "gutter-dirty politics."

Senate District 33:

State Republican Rep. Connie Doepke of Orono and GOP-endorsed David Osmek are both vying to replace retiring Republican state Sen. Gen Olson.

Doepke lost the endorsement to Osmek earlier this year, and the race has since attracted attention from outside groups including the Freedom Club and Americans for Prosperity Minnesota.

Both organizations have a conservative bent, but both have also sent out mailers challenging incumbent Doepke's record on spending and President Barack Obama's health care law. Doepke said the mailers distorted her record.

Meanwhile, Doepke has been forced to clarify her endorsements. After including 3rd Congressional District Rep. Erik Paulsen on a campaign mailer, Paulsen sent out a statement reiterating his endorsement of Osmek.

Also worth watching: House District 33B, where incumbent Rep. Steve Smith, R-Mound, lost the GOP endorsement to Cindy Pugh, who has views tend to be more conservative than Smith's.

Senate District 47:

Bruce Schwichtenberg of Carver is trying to unseat Senate Tax Chair Julianne Ortman of Chanhassen. After a two-hour fight at the May convention, delegates in Senate District 47 left without endorsing a candidate.

Ortman said that the convention's unusual outcome had a lot to do with high turnout among delegates who support Ron Paul. They backed Schwichtenberg over Ortman.

For his part, Schwichtenberg said Ortman is not conservative enough for the district.

House District 4A:

Here, three Republicans and two Democrats want to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Morrie Lanning of Moorhead.

House District 6B:

Three Democrats and two Republicans filed for DFL Rep. Tom Rukavina of Virginia's seat, who is retiring after 13 terms.

Primary coverage

Posted at 2:37 PM on August 14, 2012 by Michael Olson
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD1, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

Programming note on tonight's election coverage

Tonight we'll cover the results online and on the air, with more coverage Wednesday on Morning Edition and The Daily Circuit.

MPR News reporters Tom Scheck and Catharine Richert will provide updates here on Capitol View. Live results are available here.

Also on Capitol View tonight, MPR News editor Michael Olson will host two video chats looking at early results with bloggers. At 9:00p Olson will talk about the 1st Congressional District GOP contest with GOP activist and conservative blogger Michael Brodkorb. At 9:30p Olson talk with liberal bloggers Joel Sipress aka "Joel in Duluth" and Aaron Brown about the DFL contest in the 8th Congressional District. Submit your questions in the comment section here, or by sending a Tweet to @MPRpolitics.

Follow: @MPRnews, @MPRpolitics, @CatRichert and @TomScheck

Unclear where the candidates stand on the issues? Select a Candidate from Minnesota Public Radio News is back. Compare the candidates in the 1st and 8th district races.

Looking for your polling place? Go here.

See you tonight.

Doepke campaign says last minute mailer distorts her position

Posted at 11:28 AM on August 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

Just before the primary election, voters in Senate District 33 got more mailers from an outside group.

This week, Americans for Prosperity Minnesota (AFP-MN) sent out fliers targeting Rep. Connie Doepke, R-Orono, that say she stands with President Barack Obama on health care.

"Obamacare is bad medicine," the mailer states. "Yet Representative Connie Doepke refused to help fight it."

It's not the first time the SD 33 primary race between Doepke and GOP-endorsed David Osmek to replace retiring state Sen. Gen Olson has attracted outside attention. Last month, the Freedom Club, a conservative group linked to GOP donor Robert Cummins, funded mailers targeting Doepke on her spending record.

The Doepke-Osmek battle to win a spot on this year's ballot is turning out to be one of the most contested races of this year's primary election. It's among several contests that pit an incumbent Republican against a challenger who leans further to the right.

Doepke, who has Olson's endorsement, said those ads weren't true, and she's saying the same about the AFP-MN mailer, said her spokesman Jonathan Aanestad.

The mailer concerns an amicus brief in support of a suit the state of Florida filed challenging the health care law. It was signed by 68 Minnesota House members, including Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Majority Leader Matt Dean, and 23 members of the state Senate.

"[Doepke] was never offered it, she didn't know anything about it," said Aanestad. "It's hard to sign something that's not offered."

Doepke "absolutely in opposition to [the law] from the very beginning," Aanestad added.

AFP-MN director John Cooney said his group hasn't polled or seen any polling that suggests Doepke is vulnerable in this race.

"Anytime there is heightened interest within a community relative to the actions of policymakers, this is an opportunity for AFP to bring issues to the forefront of discussions amongst neighbors, friends and co-workers," Cooney wrote in an e-mail. "We want people to talk about taxes, regulations and the health care overhaul. Therein lies our interest in 33."

AFP-MN is the local branch of the conservative national group backed by major Republican donors Charles and David Koch. The group supports small government and lower taxes, and in Minnesota, it has sounded off about the health care law before.

Earlier this year, AFP-MN sent out mailers opposing incumbent state house Republicans for their votes on the Vikings Stadium.

For her part, Doepke has had to clarify her own list of endorsements. After including 3rd Congressional District Rep. Erik Paulsen on a campaign mailer, Paulsen sent out a statement reiterating his endorsement of Osmek.

Zellers says state employee raises are "overstepping the bounds"

Posted at 3:59 PM on August 13, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government

House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, is criticizing the proposed state employee contracts. Gov. Dayton and the state's two largest public employee unions have agreed on new contracts that provide an across the board pay increase of 2 percent. The contracts also require employees to pay higher health insurance co-pays. Zellers appeared on conservative radio host Scott Hennen's program, where he criticized the proposal.

"When you look at how many folks out there haven't had a raise or haven't had an increase in their paycheck or maybe took a cut in their paycheck, asking for a pay increase at this point in the economy, at this point where our nation in rebuilding, I think is overstepping the bounds," Zellers said.

The legislative Subcommittee on Employee Relations met last week to discuss the contracts. The subcommittee has to act on the agreement within 30 days or the contracts will be enacted on a temporary basis. If the subcommittee, which is scheduled to meet again on August 23, rejects the contracts, they will not go into effect until the full Legislature votes on the contracts when it returns for the 2013 session. Zellers hinted that Republicans would not be inclined to support the contracts if they retain the majority.

"From a cost standpoint, we have a two year budget that we already negotiated, we've already planned out," he said. "Adding this on top of that, is an unexpected expense for that next legislative body. We still think we're going to be in the majority so you're asking us to add on to that next budget cycle."

An official with Minnesota Management and Budget says Zellers is incorrect when it comes to the cost of the contracts. He said the expected increases were already factored into the current state budget. He said agencies would have to cover any added costs within their existing budgets. MMB says it will cost the state $13 million more if the new contracts are approved.

Minnesota politicos react to Romney's Ryan pick

Posted at 7:21 AM on August 11, 2012 by Catharine Richert (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

With MPR's Tom Scheck

Mitt Romney's campaign confirmed this morning that Romney has selected Rep. Paul Ryan, R-WI, to be his running mate.

As news broke of Romney's choice late Friday night, Minnesota GOP insiders welcomed the choice because Ryan is a fiscal hawk who has called for dramatic action to reduce the federal deficit.

Democrats are also pleased with Romney's choice because Ryan's budget plan relied on deep spending cuts to programs popular with liberals to reduce the deficit. The Obama campaign will use the Ryan budget cuts, which would have targeted social safety net programs important to the poor and elderly among others, to contrast its own commitment to preserve those programs.

Another plus: Picking Ryan may help Romney win Wisconsin, which looks to be competitive in this year's presidential race.

"[Ryan's] leadership begins with character and values," Romney said during his speech to introduce his new vice president.

"He doesn't demonize his opponent. He understands that honorable people can have honest differences," Romney went on.

Ryan's debut speech focused heavily on the nation's financial woes, and said that Romney's presidency would put the country back on the right track.

"We are in a different and dangerous moment," Ryan said. "We're running out of time and we can't afford four more years of this."

"Higher unemployment, declining incomes and crushing debt is not the new normal," he said.

Romney's choice means former Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been passed over a second time to be on a presidential ticket. Romney was reportedly seriously considering Pawlenty this year. McCain picked Sarah Palin over Pawlenty in 2008. For his part, Pawlenty said he's not disappointed that he isn't the pick.

Pawlenty will be campaigning in New Hampshire for Romney today, and will make appearances Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press and ABC's This Week.

We will update this post throughout the morning as we get reaction from Minnesota's political insiders.

Minnesota's Republican Party Chair Pat Shortridge, who served as a campaign consultant to Ryan, issued this reaction to Romney's announcement, saying that Ryan is a "friend I've known for two decades and I couldn't be happier for him and his family."

"The selection of Paul Ryan as the Vice Presidential nominee demonstrates Governor Romney's commitment to the kind of bold solutions that will restore prosperity and preserve freedom in our country. The Governor clearly realizes that getting to 270 electoral votes isn't an end in itself. He knows we have to make big changes.

Shortridge lauded Ryan's budgeting experience:

"Paul Ryan has been a leader in proposing bold, free market solutions to America's problems. He knows that our policies in Washington must restore economic growth, and will be a great ally in helping craft and pass a Romney economic plan that will get this economy going, by doing long-overdue things like reforming the tax code.

"His work on creating one of the most important plans for overhauling the budget, cutting spending, and saving critical programs like Medicare is well known. Some say it's controversial, but it's really common sense.

"Minnesotans know that we can't keep spending money we don't have, borrowing from China, and robbing our children. They also know that Medicare is going bankrupt and that we must fix it without slashing benefits or raising taxes.

Pawlenty issued this statement on Romney's decision to pick Ryan:

"Congressman Ryan is a respected leader and a bold thinker regarding the changes needed to restore America. His selection will also help Governor Romney win the key swing state of Wisconsin. I am excited about a Romney-Ryan ticket and look forward to doing all I can to help them win this election."

President Obama's campaign was quick to attack Ryan's record on the budget.

Obama's campaign manager Jim Messina issued this statement:

"In naming Congressman Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney has chosen a leader of the House Republicans who shares his commitment to the flawed theory that new budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy, while placing greater burdens on the middle class and seniors, will somehow deliver a stronger economy. The architect of the radical Republican House budget, Ryan, like Romney, proposed an additional $250,000 tax cut for millionaires, and deep cuts in education from Head Start to college aid. His plan also would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors. As a member of Congress, Ryan rubber-stamped the reckless Bush economic policies that exploded our deficit and crashed our economy. Now the Romney-Ryan ticket would take us back by repeating the same, catastrophic mistakes."

DFL Party Chair Ken Martin issued this statement:

"With his choice of Congressman Paul Ryan for Vice President, Mitt Romney has made clear to the American people, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what the goals of a Romney presidency would be: to end Medicare as we know it, privatize Social Security and slash funds for education from Head Start to college loans, all in the name of giving even larger tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires. Romney and Ryan would double down on exactly the same Bush economic policies that sent our country into a tailspin in 2008.

"In his quest to appease the conservative base, Romney has lost all hope of persuading independent voters that he isn't exactly what we already know he is: desperately out of touch with the problems facing regular Americans and unable to put forth an economic plan that benefits anyone other than the few people in his own tax bracket."

Second Congressional District Rep. John Kline wrote:

"My friend and fellow Midwesterner Paul Ryan brings one of the sharpest and brightest economic minds to the debate and offers commonsense solutions for what ails our economy. His leadership is exactly what our nation needs after four years of failed policies that produced debt, not jobs. I look forward to working with a Romney-Ryan administration that will bring fiscal discipline and accountability to the federal government and enact policies that provide certainty, which will enable job creators to put Americans back to work."

Fifth Congressional District Rep. Keith Ellison, a Democrat, said that by adding Ryan to the ticket, Romney is "doubling down on failed Republican policies that drove our nation into the worst recession since the Great Depression."

A Romney-Ryan administration would mean less economic security for every American. For proof, look no further than Paul Ryan's radical House Republican budget... On one hand, Democrats are committed to shared economic prosperity, investment in the American people, and a secure retirement for our seniors. On the other hand, a Romney-Ryan administration would lead us down a dark path towards austerity, greater income inequality, and fewer jobs. Simply put, Romney's selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate sends an unmistakable message to the American people that if you fall on hard times, you'll be on your own. Americans can't afford a Romney-Ryan administration. I look forward to making that case over the coming months."

GOP state Rep. Kurt Bills, who is challenging Sen. Amy Klobuchar for her U.S. Senate seat, made the following statement:

"Mitt Romney made a superb choice! Paul Ryan is a leader in Congress on budget issues, and has led the fight to pass responsible budgets for the past several years. Budget bills that unfortunately have been blocked in the Senate, which has failed to pass their own budget plan in three years. The Senate has been a roadblock, refusing to even pass a budget. I look forward to being a part of new Senate that can work with President Romney and VP Paul Ryan to pass needed reforms that save our future and get our country on the path of true recovery."

Sixth Congressional District Rep. Michele Bachmann wrote:

"Today, Mitt Romney cemented his vision for America as the economic leader in the world. Paul Ryan's leadership in Congress and his boldness to deal with our financial problems is exactly what Americans want to hear. More importantly, Ryan's boldness is exactly what America needs. Since 2008, uncertainty has plagued employers, families and our economy and the Obama-Biden ticket has failed to realize the depth of the situation."

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison, who represents Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District, said Romney's decision to pick Ryan means Romney is "doubling down on failed Republican policies that drove our nation into the worst recession since the Great Depression."

Americans now have a clear choice between two very different visions for our country.

On one hand, Democrats are committed to shared economic prosperity, investment in the American people, and a secure retirement for our seniors. On the other hand, a Romney-Ryan administration would lead us down a dark path towards austerity, greater income inequality, and fewer jobs.

Simply put, Romney's selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate sends an unmistakable message to the American people that if you fall on hard times, you'll be on your own.

Eight Congressional District Rep. Chip Cravaack posted this comment on Twitter:

Glad to hear my workout buddy is Romney's VP pick. No one understands more how to get America's financial house in order.#2012

— Chip Cravaack (@chipcravaack) August 11, 2012

Republican Party of Minnesota Deputy chair Kelly Fenton wrote:

I'm jazzed for @reppaulryan as @mittromney VP pick. #WI has got it ALL going on over there! #GOP #stribpol

— Kelly Fenton (@kellyfen283) August 11, 2012

First Congressional District GOP hopeful Allen Quist wrote:

Exciting @reppaulryan VP pick by @mittromney. Brings #BalanceTheBudget & #FinancialResponsibility to the table in a big way. #mngopCD1

— Allen Quist (@AllenQuist) August 11, 2012

Mike Parry is also hoping to run on the GOP ticket in the 1st CD.

Excited to hear mitt Romney picked Paul Ryan as his VP. #mncd1

— mikeparry (@mikeparry) August 11, 2012

As Pawlenty campaigns in New Hampshire, Romney to announce VP pick in Virginia

Posted at 10:54 PM on August 10, 2012 by Catharine Richert (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney will announce his vice presidential pick Saturday morning, according to a press release from the campaign. NBC News is reporting Romney has selected Rep. Paul Ryan, R-WI. The move means former Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been passed over as the number two on the GOP ticket.

Romney is scheduled to make the announcement aboard the USS Wisconsin in Norfolk, Virginia at 9:05 a.m. EDT. CNN is reporting that Pawlenty will not be in Virginia. He's scheduled to campaign for Romney in New Hampshire on Saturday.

"Tomorrow I won't be at the announcement. You can deduce from there that since I am keeping my schedule in New Hampshire, I can't also be in Virginia at the same time," said Pawlenty, who ran for the 2012 GOP nomination but dropped out in August of last year.

Late Friday night, news outlets, including the conservative Weekly Standard, were reporting that Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, who chairs the House Budget Committee, was the likely Romney choice.

Pawlenty has been reportedly one of Romney's top picks. If Ryan is the pick, it will be the second time that Pawlenty was passed over for the job. John McCain seriously considered Pawlenty as his running mate in 2008 but ended up picking Sarah Palin.

Pawlenty will still be on the campaign trail this weekend for Romney. He's scheduled to be in New Hampshire on Saturday and will appear on NBC's Meet the Press and ABC's This Week on Sunday morning.

Update:

Pawlenty told several reporters that he isn't the pick. Here are some of his quotes.

Pawlenty says "I'm keeping my schedule tomorrow so I won't be in va and now we just have to wait for gov romney to announce his pick."

— Shushannah Walshe (@shushwalshe) August 11, 2012

Pawlenty: "I didn't enter this thinking I was going to be the VP candidate so I'm not disappointed and I'm excited about his candidacy"

— Carrie Dann (@CarrieNBCNews) August 11, 2012

"This doesn't affect my attitude towards wanting him to be president," Pawlenty said. "Im going to continue to work really hard to help him"

— Carrie Dann (@CarrieNBCNews) August 11, 2012

One of Romney's calculations in picking Ryan may be whether his vice president can help him win in a contested state. According to a New York Times analysis, choosing Ryan would give Pawlenty a slight advantage over President Barack Obama in Wisconsin; picking Pawlenty would expand Obama's advantage in Minnesota.

MPR's Tom Scheck contributed to this report.

This blog post has been changed for content and style as a result of new information coming in.

Pawlenty does double duty on Sunday shows

Posted at 4:38 PM on August 9, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Tim Pawlenty

Tim Pawlenty, who is in the thick of rumors that he'll be selected to be Mitt Romney's running mate, will appear on two Sunday morning political shows this weekend. Pawlenty is scheduled to appear on both NBC's Meet the Press and ABC's This Week.

Pawlenty's appearances come just two and a half weeks before Romney accepts the GOP nomination in Tampa, Florida. Pawlenty has made campaign appearances for Romney in Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina in recent months. He's also scheduled to campaign for Romney in New Hampshire this weekend.

The former governor has been playing mum about his chances to be Romney's running mate.

"We'll know soon enough," he said when reporters asked him about his chances during a campaign stop in Michigan.

Meanwhile, President Obama's campaign is already looking to criticize Pawlenty and others on Romney's short list. AP says Obama's campaign is sending out e-mail alerts to Democrats asking them to provide information about the shortcomings of those who could be Romney's running mate.

Parry and his campaign become the focus of committee hearing

Posted at 3:03 PM on August 9, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD1, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

State Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, had hoped to use today's Subcommittee on Employee Relations hearing to criticize new state employee contracts but he instead took fire for calling the meeting and how he ran it.

The contract proposals were agreed to by Governor Dayton's administration and the state's two largest public employee unions. The contracts call for an across the board 2 percent pay raise and higher health insurance co-pays. If the subcommittee approves the contracts they go into effect immediately.

Democrats repeatedly questioned why Parry called the hearing now. Several Democrats and union members said the timing is suspicious, given Tuesday's GOP primary in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District that pits Parry against Allen Quist.

"I question that you're using this committee as a different sort of tool than it's been historically used," Rep. Leon Lillie, DFL-North St. Paul said at the outset of the hearing.

Parry repeatedly defended himself. Other lawmakers objected when Parry pounded his gavel and called the audience out of order for guffawing at Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina, for saying he wanted to treat people fairly.

"Excuse me folks, don't make me clear the room," Parry told the audience. Listen

Lillie later questioned why Parry continued to interrupt and editorialize "when other members were asking questions" about the contracts.

"Is that how you work it in the Senate?" Lille asked

"When you're chair it is,' Parry responded.

"So all's good and fair in love and war in the Senate," Lillie said. "It's probably a blessing your down to your last three meetings. I figure you'll milk this for three days of per diem (legislative pay), perhaps." Listen

Parry quickly called a 10 minute recess and left the room. As he walked out, a member of the audience hollered "pop some pills!" in reference to Parry's recent comments that he saw Gov. Dayton take 15 to 16 pills during legislative negotiations.

The committee returned the focus to the state employee contracts after the recess.

But GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina, said they were unhappy that performance-based pay wasn't included in the contract proposal.

"We're still left with length of service and steps as a proxy for value and performance and I don't think that's ultimately where we need to be to get the most out of our state workforce and to encourage innovation and to engage our workers in this difficult process of redesigning and restructuring what we're doing here for the future," Downey said.

Several union leaders and DFL lawmakers called the contract proposal a modest pay increase. Minnesota Association of Professional Employees said Republican opponents of the deal are being vindictive to state workers.

"It's time to move off of pettiness," Monroe said after the hearing. "It's time to get Parry and crew to recognize the work that state workers do and to ratify our contract and move on, so we can move on providing services to the state of Minnesota."

No matter how the subcommittee votes the full Legislature must accept or reject the contracts when the 2013 session starts in January.

Parry said he intends to hold a subcommittee vote on the contracts on Aug. 23. That's nine days after he'll know whether he's on the ballot for Congress in November or will be out of elected office altogether.

New super PAC launches ads against Cravaack

Posted at 10:20 AM on August 9, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

Friends of Democracy, a liberal super PAC, is targeting 8th Congressional District Rep. Chip Cravaack in a new TV ad.

The ad, which focuses on donations Cravaack received from financial interests, is part of a $700,000 two-week ad buy that will also target Republicans running in California, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.

Friends of Democracy is a new super PAC started by Jonathan Soros, the son of wealthy financier and Democratic donor George Soros.

In July, Soros told the Washington Post that, though Friends of Democracy is set up like the average super PAC, it's ultimate goal is to eliminate outside spending in elections.

"We openly acknowledge the irony of being a super PAC trying to address money in politics," Soros told the Washington Post. "But our goal is to eventually decrease the influence of this kind of group...We don't see any other path to real legislative change."

According to its most recent campaign finance filing, the super PAC has raised about $145,000, with $106,000 of that coming from Soros.

U.S. Senate candidates square off in first debate

Posted at 9:30 PM on August 8, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

Three of the candidates for U.S. Senate appeared at a FarmFest forum today near Redwood Falls. DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar, GOP state Rep. Kurt Bills and Independence Party candidate Glen Menze discussed the Farm Bill, renewable energy and other ag issues. It's the first time Bills and Klobuchar appeared on the same stage together since Bills on the GOP endorsement earlier this summer.

MPR's Mark Steil has a story about the debate here.

You can listen to the full debate here: Listen

(Thanks to MPR's Mark Steil for providing the audio)

Graves gets a boost against Bachmann from the DCCC

Posted at 4:52 PM on August 8, 2012 by Catharine Richert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6

Jim Graves, the hotelier looking to unseat 6th Congressional District Rep. Michele Bachmann this fall, has earned a spot on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's list of competitive races.

The DCCC raises and spends money to help Democrats get elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and has identified Minnesota's 6th as a race that's increasingly competitive.

That means Graves' campaign has met certain infrastructure and organizational goals to merit national funds and attention.

"We are honored to have the support of the DCCC," Graves said in a press release. "Their decision to target our race confirms what recent polling clearly shows: the voters of Minnesota's 6th District are eager to elect a businessman who has created thousands of goodpaying private sector jobs and who knows what it will take to get our economy back on track."

But while the DCCC may identify the 6th as a competitive race, politicos don't. For instance, the Rothenberg Political Report rates Bachmann's seat as "Safe Republican."

Romney to raise money in Minnesota this month

Posted at 9:46 PM on August 7, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

An fundraising invitation obtained by MPR News says Romney will hold a fundraiser in Minnesota on August 23. An e-mail notice from Rick Nelson with the Roosevelt Group says the event will be the "one and only event that Governor Romney will attend in Minnesota."

A separate fundraising invite says the event will be held at the Lafayette Club in Minnetonka Beach. Donors are being asked to give a minimum of $2,500 to attend. Couples who give $50,000 can attend a private dinner at the home of Marty Davis in Shorewood.

The fundraiser will be one week before Romney accepts the GOP nomination for president in Tampa Bay, Florida.

The fundraiser also fuels speculation that Romney could pick former Governor Tim Pawlenty as his running mate. Several media outlets report that Pawlenty has submitted paperwork to Romney aides who are vetting prospective candidates.

Pawlenty, former Sen. Norm Coleman and former Sen. Rudy Boschwitz are headlining the fundraiser for Romney.

Americans for Prosperity includes MN in $27m ad buy

Posted at 2:02 PM on August 7, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Americans for Prosperity, a group backed by major Republican donors Charles and David Koch, is including Minnesota in a massive $27 million ad buy set to launch tomorrow.

The initial spot , which targets President Barack Obama's record on the deficit, will run for about a week in 10 battleground states including North Carolina, Iowa, Florida and Colorado, as well as Minnesota.

That buy will cost roughly $7 million, said Levi Russell, Americans for Prosperity's spokesman. The idea is the continue a rotation of ads over an additional three-to-four weeks for a spending total of $27 million. Roughly $500,000 will be allocated to the Minnesota market in the first week, Russell said.

Defeating Obama is a priority for AFP this year, said AFP's President Tim Phillips in a press release.

"These are unprecedented times, and AFP has made an unprecedented decision. Simply put, the stakes are too high, and this election is too important," Phillips said of the buy. "President Obama's economic policies have been a detriment to our nation's economy, and the American people can't afford another four years."

AFP is a conservative organization that supports small government and low taxes among other policy issues. It was founded by David Koch, who, with his brother Charles, is co-owner of Koch Industries, a conglomerate that operates oil refineries and owns several household goods brands.

While the new round of ads will spill into western Wisconsin, a state that is competitive in its own right, AFP has been increasingly active in Minnesota. Earlier this year AFP's local arm funded mailers targeting two state Republicans and one state Democrat for their votes on the Vikings stadium.

And in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on the legality of Obama's health care law, AFP ran ads in Minnesota saying the new mandate was "one of the largest tax increases in history."

By most accounts, Minnesota is not considered competitive for GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney right now; the Rothenberg Political Report says that the state "leans Obama." But Russell said that AFP views Minnesota as increasingly important.

Update: Obama campaign spokesman Danny Kanner issued the following statement regarding the AFP ads.

"President Obama has already signed $2 trillion of deficit reduction into law and has proposed a balanced plan to reduce the deficit by more than $4 trillion over the next decade. But Mitt Romney and his billionaire friends funding this ad refuse to ask the wealthiest Americans to contribute even one dollar to help reduce the deficit, even if every dollar in revenue would be matched with $10 in spending cuts. What's worse is that Romney has proposed $5 trillion in new tax cuts geared toward multi-millionaires like himself that would either add to the deficit or raise taxes on middle class families with children by an average of more than $2,000. It's no wonder independent economists have said Romney's economic plans would do nothing to create jobs or reduce the deficit, and could push us back into recession."

Dayton calls Parry's comments "gutter politics"

Posted at 1:14 PM on August 7, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton says a Republican state senator's comments about the medication he takes is a form of gutter politics.

Republican Sen. Mike Parry, R- Waseca, who is running for the GOP nomination the 1st Congressional District talked about Dayton during a fundraiser in Brown County on Monday. In a video, posted online by a New Ulm Journal reporter, Parry said Dayton is "scary."

"When you sit across from him and watch him pop 15 to 16 pills while you're having a meeting, it's scary," Parry said. "We all know how scary Obama is, he is at the same level."

Dayton said he does take medication but said Parry is exaggerating. He said Parry is trying to boost his campaign for Congress by criticizing him.

"That's a lie," Dayton said about Parry's remark. "Somebody who probably thinks he's losing an election in six days is going to reach for anything he can and try to make an issue out of it and blow it up and see if he can get an advantage with it. To me it says a lot more about him than it does about me."

Dayton said he won't ask Parry to apologize for the remarks, but he said Parry should apologize for suggesting he cut funding for veterans services. Parry's campaign manager says Parry stands by his comments.

Parry faces former state Representative Allen Quist next week in the Republican primary in Minnesota's 1st District. The winner will face incumbent DFL Congressman Tim Walz in November.

Update: Parry released this statement:

Statement from Mike Parry:

"I have great sympathy for those who struggle with addiction and depression. Governor Dayton has been upfront about facing these challenges and confirmed today that he takes medication. Last night at a Republican fundraiser, I shared a story from a breakfast meeting I had with Governor Dayton. At that meeting, Governor Dayton took pills. The larger point I made last night was that our state is at a great risk if Democrats take control of the state house and senate -- consequently, Governor Dayton would be able to enact legislation that is out-of-the mainstream with the majority of Minnesotans."

GOP Senate candidates spar over signs

Posted at 12:02 PM on August 7, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

A dispute between two Republican state Senate candidates over campaign signs landed before an administrative law judge today.

Bruce Schwichtenberg of Carver filed a complaint against incumbent Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, over her use of signs that include the words "Republican for Minnesota Senate." Schwichtenberg, who is challenging Ortman in the GOP primary in Senate District 47 next week, contends the signs violate state campaign rules, since Ortman did not receive the party endorsement. Carver County Republicans decided back in May not to endorse either candidate.

Administrative Law Judge Richard Luis held a probable cause hearing on the complaint via conference call. During the call, Schwichtenberg suggested the signs are harming his campaign.

"The county convention went through the process of doing the endorsement," Schwichtenberg said. "If being able to put the Republican word on that without a disclaimer, to me, undermines the action of that county convention."

But Ortman disputed the allegations in the complaint.

"It is a Republican primary in a partisan race. Voters have to ask for a Republican ballot in order to vote in the election," Ortman said. "It was never my intention to imply an endorsement that I do not have."

Judge Luis took the complaint under advisement. He will soon decide whether to dismiss the complaint, or to rule that there is probable cause and schedule further proceedings.

St. Paul Attorney declines to prosecute Sutton

Posted at 3:42 PM on August 3, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Political parties, Recount 2010

St. Paul City Attorney Sara Grewing says she will not pursue criminal charges against former Minnesota Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton. Grewing said today that it would be difficult to prove criminal wrongdoing beyond a reasonable doubt.

"While the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board did an extremely thorough job investigating this matter and assessing civil penalties, its finding of probably cause of a criminal violation does not necessarily merit a criminal prosecution. While Mr. Sutton's actions are troubling, and indeed go to the heart of what Minnesota's Campaign Finance System is created to avoid, we believe that we would not be able to prove his criminal intent beyond a reasonable doubt in court."

The executive director of Common Cause Minnesota requested Grewing file criminal charges against Sutton for his actions related to a fund created to help in the 2010 gubernatorial recount. The Campaign Finance Board fined Sutton $3,000 for circumventing campaign finance laws. Sutton still faces other penalties. Common Cause also filed a complaint with the Office of Administrative Hearings to investigate Sutton, the Republican Party of Minnesota and the recount fund known as Count Them All Properly.

Here's Grewing's letter:

Ccm Response Final

Pawlenty opposition researchers already at work

Posted at 3:23 PM on August 3, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Tim Pawlenty

As former Gov. Tim Pawlenty waits to hear whether he is Mitt Romney's choice for running mate some parts of his record are showing up again in the news.

The latest example is a piece published by the Guardian in England today that resurrects a story first reported by the St. Paul Pioneer Press back in 2003.

The story details nearly $60,000 Pawlenty earned from a telecommunications firm owned by a close political ally as he was running for governor the first time, money that Pawlenty did not report as income during the campaign. He later revised disclosure forms to report the money.

Democrats tell the Guardian they intend to exploit the incident if Pawlenty ends up on the GOP ticket, in part because Pawlenty then, like Romney now, refused to release his income tax returns.

Ahead of primary, campaign finance reports roll in

Posted at 11:06 AM on August 3, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD1, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD2, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD3, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD4, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD5, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD7, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON - Although candidates for federal office were required to file campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission just a few weeks ago to cover their 2nd quarter fundraising, they're filing more paperwork now ahead of next month's primary elections. This reporting period covers just the 25 days between the close of the old period on June 30 and July 25.

Here's where things stand:

U.S. Senate

- Incumbent U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar brought in $131,996 in July, bringing her total fundraising to date to just a shade under $8 million. The Democrat's campaign spent about $215,000 in the same period, eating slightly into her cash but leaving Klobuchar with a still-large war chest of nearly $5.4 million. About $90,000 of Klobuchar's donations came from donors who have more than $200 and from political action committees.

While the FEC deadline for posting campaign finance reports was midnight on Aug. 2, as of noon on Aug. 3, Klobuchar's likely Republican rival state Rep. Kurt Bills had not posted his fundraising figures. In an email, a campaign spokesman said he was looking into the matter.

CD 1 - Rep. Tim Walz, the DFL incumbent in this district, continues to outraise his two GOP opponents. Walz brought in $27,845 compared to $18,800 by Allan Quist and $8,890 by state Sen. Mike Parry. Walz kept his campaign spending to a modest $28,611 in July and his war chest has more $807,000 compared to nearly $118,000 for Quist and nearly $28,000 for Parry. Almost all of Walz's contributions came from donors who gave more than $200 and political action committees.

CD 2 - Incumbent Republican Rep. John Kline brought in $109,780, bringing his total raised this cycle to just over $1.8 million. Of those contributions, more than $96,000 came from donors giving more than $200 and political action committees. Kline's campaign spent more than $91,000 in the 25 days recorded in July and has more than $1.3 million in the bank for the contest this fall.

His DFL challenger, Mike Obermueller, raised $54,505 in July and has thus far brought in $275,000 since entering the race. Obermueller has $227,283 cash on hand and his campaign's operating expenses hit $41,391 during the reporting period. The Obermueller campaign has also taken on $32,500 worth of debt so far. More than $45,000 of Obermueller's contributions campaign from donors giving more than $200 and PACs.

CD 3 - Erik Paulsen, the Republican who represents western suburbs of Minneapolis, is the delegation's biggest fundraiser not named Bachmann. But Paulsen's campaign raised $54,309 in July, a relatively small total for him, bringing his total fundraising this term to more than $2.2 million. Paulsen's campaign spent a little more than $51,000 and his cash on hand is nearly $1.6 million. Almost $43,000 of Paulsen's fundraising came from large donors and PACs.

Paulsen's DFL challenger, Brian Barnes, raised $26,735, bringing his total to date to $217,000. Barnes' campaign spent more than $33,000 in July and has about $50,000 in the bank.

CD 4 - Incumbent DFLer Betty McCollum raised the least of any sitting member from Minnesota, bringing in $12,270 in July for a total to date of $658,123. Still, that's more than double what Republican-endorsed challenger Anthony Hernandez brought in, $5,700. McCollum has $170,199 cash in the bank, compared to $5,370 for Hernandez. McCollum's campaign spent more than $48,000 in July while Hernandez spent $2,506.

CD 5 - Rep. Keith Ellison, the DFL incumbent representing Minneapolis and the inner suburbs, brought in $103,890 in July and has raised more than $1.4 million since January 2011. However, Ellison's campaign spent even more, $111,370, during July, and Ellison ended the reporting period with $126,481 in the bank and no debt. Nearly $69,000 of Ellison's current fundraising came from large donors and PACs.

Republican challenger Chris Fields raised $31,126 bringing his fundraising to date to $113,886. Fields' campaign spent $13,299 and sits on $51,609 in the bank. Large donors contributed $10,600 to his campaign and no PACs gave him money.

CD 6 - Expect to see huge sums spent on this race. Incumbent Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann has a huge fundraising and cash advantage over DFL challenger Jim Graves. Two thirds of her contributions came from small donors who gave less than $200. She raised nearly $1.1 million in 25 days compared to Graves' $64,482. Bachmann also spent big, dropping nearly $700,000 in the same period compared to the $116,000 spent by Graves. Bachmann has more than $2 million in the bank while Graves has about $350,000 on hand but also has $250,000 in debt due to loans he's made his campaign.

CD 7 - Veteran DFL Rep. Collin Peterson pulled in $67,438 in July and has now raised more than $821,000 since his term started in January 2011. His campaign spent almost as much as he raised in July -- $68,057 -- and ends the period with almost exactly $800,000 in the bank. More than $57,000 of Peterson's donations came from large donors and PACs.

Lee Byberg, the Republican who hopes to replace Peterson, raised $25,677. But his campaign's $50,320 worth of spending far outstripped his fundraising and Byberg ends the period with $91,920 in the bank.

CD 8 - This is likely to be Minnesota's most contested race in the fall with Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack defending his seat for the first time after a long DFL lock on the district. Cravaack brought in $59,005 in July, bringing his total fundraising to a hair under $1.5 million. His campaign spent $39,000 and has $916,000 on hand. About $37,000 of Cravaack's fundraising came from large donors and PACs.

Former state Sen. Tarryl Clark, one of three DFLers running in a primary for the chance to compete against Cravaack, was the strongest fundraiser in the district in July. Her campaign raised $65,509 and has raised more than $1.1 million overall. But ahead of the primary, Clark's campaign is spending heavily -- $225,821 -- and she has a little less than $99,000 on hand. Thanks to Democratic grassroots funding networks, Clark raised about two thirds of her fundraising in July from small donors.

Former U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, who received the DFL endorsement in the 8th District, brought in $27,618 and has raised $357,655 since entering the race. Nolan's campaign spent about $33,000 in July and has a little less than $88,000 on hand. Most of Nolan's funds came from large donors.

Former Duluth City Council President Jeff Anderson lags the other two DFL challengers, bringing in $8,031 in July for a total so far of $172,359. His campaign spent more than twice as much -- $19,285 -- in the same period, and Anderson has just $7,238 in the bank.

Group backing Clark hits Nolan on abortion votes

Posted at 9:46 AM on August 2, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

A group is sending out campaign literature in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District that takes issue with some of DFLer Rick Nolan's votes on abortion.

Women Vote!, the political arm of Emily's List, says in the mailing that Democrat Tarryl Clark will protect abortion rights for women. It raises Nolan's voting record on abortion during his tenure in Congress in the 1970s.

"As a member of Congress, Rick Nolan failed to protect a woman's right to choose, voting repeatedly in favor of limiting access to abortions for some low-income women," the mailing says.

This is the first action Emily's List has taken on behalf of Clark. The group, which works to elect female candidates who support legalized abortion, endorsed Clark's candidacy last year. A spokeswoman for Women Vote! did not returned messages to comment on the group's activity in the race.

Nolan's campaign reacted swiftly to the lit piece. In a statement, Nolan said the mailing "badly distorts" his record.

"I've been in the forefront of the battles for choice, women's rights, and Planned Parenthood for more than 30 years. In fact, my wife, Mary, and I were holding a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood here in the 8th District on the very night the Brainerd Planned Parenthood office was firebombed in August 1994. We will never turn the clock back for women on my watch."

Nolan, Clark and former Duluth City Council member Jeff Anderson are competing for the 8th District DFL nomination. Clark and Nolan have largely held back on criticizing each other during the primary battle, but that appears to be changing in the final two weeks before DFLers head to the polls.

Here are the two lit pieces. Click on each picture for a larger image. (Sorry, we don't have higher resolution for the Nolan votes listed at the bottom of the mailer. We altered the images to remove addressee information.)

Doepke to Cummins: You've been misled on my 'right-to-work' record

Posted at 8:00 PM on August 1, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

State Rep. Connie Doepke, R-Orono, is pushing back against a mail campaign paid for by an outside spending group that typically supports candidates on her side of the aisle.

In a letter to Freedom Club founder Robert Cummins, Doepke, who is running in a GOP Primary in Senate District 33, says that her opponent and others have been spreading misinformation about her record on "right-to-work" legislation that would have made unions voluntary.

She's concerned that the Freedom Club's support of her GOP-endorsed primary opponent David Osmek, who also supports right-to-work legislation, hinged on that misinformation. Right-to-work legislation has been a top issue for the Freedom Club and, reportedly, for Cummins.

"I've been distressed that my opponent and others have distorted my vote and record on this issue, and especially in this past session when we came so close to putting this issue on the ballot," Doepke quoted from a letter she wrote Cummins on July 17.

Doepke says her support for right-to-work is clear, pointing to a letter Rep. Steve Drazkowski, a chief proponent of the bill, wrote thanking her for her support on the issue.

Doepke said that Cummins is one of her constituents and that he has been supportive of her campaigns in the past. The Freedom Club has also donated to Doepke in the past

But this time around, the Freedom Club, which is backed by wealthy Republican donors including Cummins, who is the organization's most generous financial benefactor, has been sending mailers to voters in Doepke's district near Lake Minnetonka targeting her spending record and praising Osmek .

"Connie Doepke voted to waste our tax dollars in Latin America for tropical bird habitats," says one mail piece sent by the group.

"Politicians like Connie Doepke's fiscally irresponsible leadership and wasteful spending is pushing out state and nation to the brink," the mailer goes on.

The same message is echoed on a website also set up by the Freedom Club.

But Doepke says those accusations aren't true, and so does retiring Sen. Gen Olson, the Republican both Doepke and Osmek are vying to replace this fall.

Olson, who has endorsed Doepke, came to her defense in an opinion piece posted on Doepke's website.

"Residents of the new Senate District #33 have received two literature pieces recently trashing Connie Doepke for wasteful spending of your tax dollars on tropical birds," Olson wrote. "They have been generated and paid for by the Freedom Club PAC with money given by business people for whom I have had great respect. These allegations, however, are not the truth."

Doepke voted in favor of the environment, energy and natural resources funding bill, which included a provision that allowed the DNR Commissioner to set aside money to improve habitat in Costa Rica for Minnesota songbirds, Olson wrote. That money comes from the Non-game Wildlife Fund, which Minnesota taxpayers voluntarily contribute to on their tax return. The check-off has been around since 1980, Olson explained.

For her part, Doepke is surprised by the amount of money the Freedom Club has so far spent on a primary race between two conservative candidates.

"I think that the unprecedented spending in a primary, this is amazing," Doepke said.

According to a recent finance report, the Freedom Club has spent more than $7,000, roughly split between mailers in support of Osmek and in opposition to Doepke.

The group has also spent about $2,500 against Republican Rep. Steve Smith, who is running for re-election in House District 33B. Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers recently endorsed Smith's opponent Cindy Pugh over Smith.

Dayton's former foe to raise money for him

Posted at 4:20 PM on August 1, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton's former DFL opponent is hosting a fundraiser for him. Former Minnesota House Minority Leader Matt Entenza is scheduled to headline a St. Paul fundraiser for Dayton on Monday night.

Dayton defeated Entenza and former state House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher in the 2010 DFL Primary. He has, however, signaled a willingness to work with both of them since he was elected governor. Dayton recently appointed Kelliher to the MnSCU Board of Trustees. Dayton also appointed Entenza to serve on the Minnesota Sunset Commission, a group that examines government agencies and determines whether they should continue operating.

Pawlenty's beer line has a familiar ring

Posted at 4:24 PM on July 31, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate, Tim Pawlenty, U.S. Senate

Tim Pawlenty's getting good press for his line that President Obama's policies are "all foam and no beer." Politico's Veep Sheet reports that Minnesota's former governor used the line on several occasions in the past couple of days.

"Imagining the unsatisfying scenario of being served a foamy pint of beer, Pawlenty delivered the punch line: 'Barack Obama is all foam and no beer. And you can't live on the foam. His speeches are his foam.'

Pawlenty, however, is not the first Minnesota politician to use the line.

Democrat Amy Klobuchar used the same attack six years ago against Republican Mark Kennedy during an MPR News debate at the State Fair.

"Your proposal, Congressman Kennedy -- it reminds me of when I was at the beer garden and I was hearing some kids talking, 'I got too much foam in my beer,' this college student said, 'Your proposal is all foam and no beer.'" Listen

Pawlenty is rumored to be on Mitt Romney's short-list for vice-presidential candidates. Ironically enough, Kennedy made his case on Monday as to why he thinks Pawlenty should be the pick.

Legislative caucuses report fundraising numbers

Posted at 1:15 PM on July 31, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

With the start of a tough election season nearing, the Senate DFL Caucus has more cash than Senate Republicans.

So far, the DFL has raised $1.36 million, largely coming from large dollar donations from individuals and groups. Among the party's largest individual donors is Alida Messinger, Gov. Mark Dayton's former wife and daughter of John D. Rockefeller III, who gave $50,000.

Other major donors include some of the state's Indian tribes, unions and political action committees.

The Senate DFL Caucus gave more than $215,000 of their cache to other parties, among other expenditures. That leaves the caucus with $1.25 million going into the election.

Meanwhile, the Senate Victory Fund, the pot of money used to raise and spend on behalf of Republican Senate candidates, has raised $410,332 so far this year. Nearly $20,000 came from Stanley Hubbard, chairman of Hubbard Broadcasting and reliable GOP donor.

Among other expenditures, the Senate Republicans spent a little over $18,000 on polling.

Still, the Senate GOP has about $860,400 in the bank, largely due to the nearly $700,000 it had saved up end of 2011.

The House DFL and House Republican caucuses are on more equal footing when it comes to cash in the bank.

House Republicans raised nearly $673,000 so far this year, and they have a little over $1 million saved up.

House DFLers have raised nearly $1.3 million this year, and have $1.2 million in the bank.

Neither House fundraising operation has so far spent money on mailers or other advertising for individual campaigns.

Minnesota DFL Party leads 2012 fundraising race

Posted at 12:21 PM on July 31, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Political parties

The Minnesota DFL Party has a big lead in this year's fundraising race, which could be crucial in deciding which party ends up controlling the state Legislature.

The numbers are stark: since the start of the year, the DFL Party has raised $2.2 million from individuals and groups, while the Republican Party has raised only $99,240 during the same period from individuals and groups.

At this time in 2010, the last election year, the Minnesota GOP had raised nearly $600,000 from individual contributors.

All told, the DFL's fundraising totaled nearly $2.3 million, which includes miscellaneous income, while the Minnesota GOP brought in nearly $400,000, with some of that cash coming from party convention registration fees and some coming in the form of in-kind contributions and unitemized income.

Minnesota DFL Party Chair Ken Martin says the numbers show his side is in a good position going into what's expected to be a tough fight for control of the Legislature.

"We're in a better position than we've been in a long time here at the DFL, and it's definitely a sign of things to come," Martin said.

GOP Party Chairman Pat Shortridge said the party is still rebuilding its coffers after learning it was deeply in debt last year. He said he's happy with how his party is doing on small dollar donations. The opposition, he said, is making its money from wealthy Minnesotans and unions.

"We're digging out of a hole and we're making progress," said Shortridge. "We always want it to go faster. We don't have Gov. Dayton's ex-wife, Alida Messinger, writing us $300,000 checks. Basically she's giving him a blank check to get a blank check Legislature that's going to give Gov. Dayton what he wants. They have more of the super wealthy donors writing great big checks to them."

Both parties are burning through cash quickly. Though the DFL has raised more than $2.2 million this year, it has spent almost all of it, leaving the party with only about $46,000 in the bank. Republicans did the same, and now have about $24,400 in the bank. The GOP also has a loan of $30,000.

Though the DFL has already spent a lot of the money it raised through its state fund, Martin points out that his party had more than $437,487 cash-on-hand in its federal fundraising account as of June, which can be transferred to the state account. For its part, the Minnesota GOP had about $40,600 cash-on-hand in its federal account at the end of June.

Martin added that the money spent is another sign his party is doing well.
"If you really dig deep into these reports I think the thing you'll see is just how robust our activity is compared to the Republicans," Martin said. "We have lots of activity going on out there, and Republicans are just paralyzed right now."

Most of the DFL's donations came from big names in the world of Minnesota Democratic politics and loyal contributors who have supported the party for years. Education Minnesota, the state's teachers' union gave nearly $230,000 in cash and in-kind contributions. Other unions, including the Laborers District Council of Minnesota and North Dakota gave generously as well.

The single largest individual donor to the DFL Party is Alida Messinger, Gov. Mark Dayton's former wife and the daughter of John D. Rockefeller III. She gave the party $302,500. She's a primary contributor to other fundraising campaigns set up to help Democrats take control of the state Legislature as well.

Other major DFL contributors include both the House and Senate DFL caucuses.

Meanwhile, some of the Republican Party of Minnesota's most generous donors do not appear on the party's roster, including Primera Technology owner Robert Cummins.

Cummins is one of the wealthiest and most influential GOP donors, who has largely funded his own outside spending group, the Freedom Club, and has been a reliable contributor to Republican campaigns and the parties for many years. Between 2010 and 2011, Cummins gave the Republican Party more than $700,000. And Cummins gave $30,000 to a special fund set up by the party to pay for Tom Emmer's legal fees during the 2010 gubernatorial recount. He was the only donor.

This year, Cummins has given nothing to the party's state account and only $10,000 to the party's federal account.

Other reliable Republican donors seem to have slowed their giving. For instance, Stanley Hubbard, Chairman of Hubbard Broadcasting, and his wife have so far given the party about $25,500. At this time in 2010, Hubbard had given the party $35,000.

The GOP's single largest individual donor this year is Robert Ulrich, the former CEO of Target, who gave $40,000.

Shortridge said the party still has some work to do with donors.

"Most of our donors have come back, and even some new ones," Shortridge said. "We're cognizant of the fact that we have more work to do. It's a daily process. You get up every day, you put one foot in front of the other and we're restoring confidence with our major donors. More importantly, we're explaining the plan that we have to get our work done as a party."

The state GOP is still dealing with the sudden resignation of the party's former chair Tony Sutton, the revelation that the party was $2 million in debt, and fallout from a scandal involving former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and her top aide Michael Brodkorb.

Most recently, the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board fined the party and the recount fund nearly $30,000.

That's only a fraction of the $848,708 the Minnesota GOP still owes vendors from prior work, including legal fees stemming from the recount, according to its state report.
The Minnesota DFL also has unpaid bills. According to the report, the party owes vendors $310,456, including $111,831 to law firm Fredrickson and Byron for their assistance during the redistricting process.

The two parties are on more equal footing when it comes to how much they have spent to assist individual candidates.

The Republicans have invested nearly $3,000 into individual races, including mailers in support of Cory Jensen, who is running for an open seat in Senate District 46, which encompasses Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park, Gregg Kulberg running in Senate District 20, which includes Chippewa and Lac Qui Parle counties, and Bruce Lundeen, who is running in Senate District 61, which includes parts of Minneapolis.

Meanwhile, the DFL party has spent roughly $3,800 on Sen. Kari Dziedizic's re-election campaign in Senate District 60, including parts of Minneapolis.

House DFL Caucus has more than $1.2 million in the bank for campaign

Posted at 1:56 PM on July 30, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

Minnesota's House DFL Caucus has raised more than $2 million in what is shaping up to be a competitive battle for the state Legislature, nearly $1.3 million of that since the beginning of the year.

House Minority Leader Rep. Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said the numbers show momentum among voters and put his caucus in a strong position going into the fall.

But Thissen still expects a tough fight for the majority.

"I don't have any illusions that the Republicans are going to spend a lot of money in Minnesota to try and retain their majorities, so it's going to continue to be a very competitive environment," Thissen said. "But these numbers that we're putting up put us in a position to make the kind of investments we need to make to get our message out to Minnesotans about what our priorities are.

It's a record fundraising cycle for the Caucus compared to the last two elections. In 2010, for instance, House Democrats had raised only $813,140 in the same period of time. And at this time in 2010, they had only $773,473 in cash-on-hand.

This time around, the contributions have come from 6,300 individual donors, according to a House DFL Caucus press release.

Candidates and parties are required to file their first round of fundraising numbers for the year with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure board today, but their reports will not be on-line until Tuesday, July 31.

So far, House and Senate Republicans and Senate DFLers have not released their fundraising reports. We'll update the blog as they come in.

"Quick Kurt" of 2012 echos "Fast Paced Paul" of 1990

Posted at 12:24 PM on July 30, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

If Kurt Bills' latest ad seems familiar, that's because it is:

Frame for frame, Bills' web spot mirrors Paul Wellstone's "Fast Paced Paul" ad from his 1990 bid for Senate.

Like Wellstone's spot, Bills' starts off with a familiar line:

"Hi, I'm Kurt Bills. I'm running for the United States Senate here in Minnesota. I don't have millions of dollars in lobbyist and Wall Street money, so I'm going to have to make this quick," Bills says in a shot of him standing in front of a converted school bus he is using to tour the state - another similarity to Wellstone's 1990 campaign.

From there, Bills jumps from shot to shot introducing his family (so did Wellstone), his house (again, Wellstone), and Rosemount High School, where Bills teaches (Wellstone was a teacher, too.)

Though Wellstone narrowly beat incumbent Rudy Boschwitz in 1990, he was long considered an long-shot in the race.

Fast forward to 2012, and Bills is an underdog in his bid to unseat DFL incumbent Sen. Amy Klobuchar, too. According to a recent SurveyUSA/KSTP poll, Bills is trailing Klobuchar by 24 percentage points.

School buses and underdog status aside, Bills and Wellstone share little in common. Before his death in 2002, Wellstone was one of the most liberal lawmakers to have represented Minnesota in the Senate. Bills is running to the right on a platform of lower spending, lower taxes and smaller government.

So far the Bills ad is only on YouTube.

GOP fundraiser features Zellers, Dean and top GOP donor

Posted at 9:00 PM on July 28, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

A Minnesota House Republican fundraiser Tuesday night will feature Speaker Kurt Zellers and Majority Leader Matt Dean, but also up-and-coming GOP donor Brad Rixmann.

Rixmann owns PawnAmerica. Though Rixmann has previously given campaign donations to both Democrats and Republicans, he's recently started giving larger sums to GOP candidates and the party.

For instance, between 2010 and 2011, Rixmann gave the Republican Party of Minnesota about $110,000, according to campaign finance records.

The fundraiser will be held at Target Field, where the Twins will play the Chicago White Sox. The suggested donation is $1,000 per person, according to the invitation.

Freedom Club weighs in on Senate District 33 primary

Posted at 3:30 PM on July 27, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

The Freedom Club, a conservative group backed by Minnesota business and wealthy Republican donors, is wading into the GOP primary battle in Senate District 33.

In the last two weeks, the organization, which typically helps out conservative candidates, has sent out two mailers - one in favor of David Osmek, the GOP-endorsed candidate, and one opposing incumbent Republican Rep. Connie Doepke, who already represents constituents who live near Lake Minnetonka.

"They apparently like me better than they like Connie Doepke, and they're showing it rather publicly," said Osmek of the tri-fold mailers that have been showing up in mailboxes around his region.

It's a slight shift for the Freedom Club, which gave Doepke $500 in 2008 for her House race, according to finance records.

Doepke did not return a call for comment.

Both Osmek and Doepke are seeking to replace retiring Sen. Gen Olson in the Minnesota Senate.

The Freedom Club has been around for years, but has recently become an important player in Minnesota elections, spending several hundred thousand dollars in 2010 to usher a new class of Republican legislators into Minnesota Legislature.

The group's founder and primary benefactor, Robert Cummins, is the state's most generous Republican donor. He shuns public attention and traditionally has influenced Minnesota politics through donations to the Freedom Club, the party or directly to specific candidates.

The law prevents the Freedom Club from coordinating its direct mail or any other advertising with the candidates.

But Osmek has seen both mail pieces.

"One is a really well-designed - frankly, I think it was better designed than my first piece," he said. It focused on a "message about Dave Osmek being the Republican endorsed candidate and that I'm the right choice to lead Senate District 33."

The second piece goes after Doepke's votes on a number of issues, including her spending record, Osmek said.

Osmek has not been formally endorsed by the group, which typically invites select candidates to speak to the organization as part of its vetting process.

Nevertheless, Osmek has had informal conversations with individual members of the Club who live in his area, and says that among the topics of discussion is his support for right-to-work legislation that would make unions voluntary. It's a top issue for the Freedom Club and reportedly for Cummins.

Osmek isn't the only candidate in District 33 that's getting an assist from the Freedom Club. The group has also sent out a mailer opposing Rep. Steve Smith, Osmek said. Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers recently announced that he's backing Smith's opponent, Cindy Pugh, who won the party's endorsement earlier this year.

Molnau backs Parry in race for Congress

Posted at 10:50 AM on July 25, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House

Republican Mike Parry's campaign for Congress announced today that former Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau is backing Parry. The announcement comes less than three weeks before a GOP primary between Parry, a state Senator from Waseca, and former state Rep. Allen Quist.

Molnau served as lt. governor from 2003-2011 under then Gov. Tim Pawlenty.. In a statement she said Parry is the most qualified candidate in the race.

"Mike is a strong leader who has fought for our conservative principles at the state Capitol," Molnau said. "I know Mike is the right candidate to retire Congressman Tim Walz and return southern Minnesota common-sense to Washington."

Molnau is a former state representative who represented Chaska. She now lives in Nicollet County, which is in the heart of the 1st Congressional District.

Her time as lt. governor was not without controversy. The Minnesota Senate rejected her confirmation as Transportation Commissioner (she served two roles in the Pawlenty Administration) because of the way she handled the I-35W bridge collapse, and because Democrats believed she wasn't doing a good enough job improving the state's roads and bridges. She was also criticized for being absent during key moments of the planning for new the I-35W bridge.

Parry's statement focused on Molnau's leadership as lt. governor and as a state lawmaker.

"For years, Carol and her family have been leaders in the agriculture community, and Carol's endorsement demonstrates our campaign's growing momentum," Parry said in a statement."

Parry and Quist are in a primary battle that has each candidate questioning the conservative credentials of the other. The winner will face DFL Rep. Tim Walz in November.

Fraternal Order of Police backs Klobuchar

Posted at 3:15 PM on July 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

The Fraternal Order of Police, a group representing 2,700 police officers in Minnesota, is backing DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar's reelection. The group backed Klobuchar's Republican opponent, Mark Kennedy, in 2006. In a statement, Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police President Gary Cayo said Klobuchar has stood up for Minnesota police.

"In the Senate, she has continued the work she started as a prosecutor, and she is an effective advocate for our members because she understands the challenges they face day in and day out. Senator Klobuchar is tough, fair, and delivers results - that's why she has earned our support," Cayo said.

Klobuchar is being challenged by state Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount.

Zellers backs challenger over House GOP caucus member

Posted at 12:50 PM on July 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, MN Legislature

Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers announced today that he's backing Cindy Pugh over Rep. Steve Smith, R-Mound, in the August 14 primary. On his Facebook page, Zellers said he was backing Pugh because she "will represent the conservative values of the district."

"On important issues like education, government reform and protecting child care providers from forced unionization, I know where Cindy stands. She stands with students, with taxpayers and with families. She isn't someone who is going to let a special interest push her around."

"Cindy is a true conservative, and she's proven it through her years working on behalf of conservatives as a party and local volunteer. She is endorsed by the Republican Party, and is going to stand up for what is right - limited government, lower taxes and economic freedom. A vote for Cindy is a vote for the principles that make us conservative."

Zellers' announcement is rare example of a leader backing a challenger over a member of his own caucus. Smith is also the longest serving Republican on the House. He was elected in 1990.

Smith has not followed GOP leadership on some issues. He voted against the same-sex marriage amendment in 2011. The Legislature ultimately passed the amendment and put it on the 2012 ballot.

Zellers also ousted Smith as chair of the House Judiciary and Policy Committee in 2011. The speaker said at the time that the move was "due to personal reasons."

Smith filed to run again on the last day of filings. Despite losing his party's endorsement to Pugh, Smith said he wanted to "continue to do good work at the Capitol."

"I think I've served well for 22 years, and I want to continue," Smith told MPR News last month.

Pugh highlighted the endorsement on her Facebook page.

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is so refreshing to see that people all over the state recognize that a fresh voice is needed for the good people of 33B."

The legislative district includes Mound, Excelsior, Deephaven and other communities around Lake Minnetonka.

Ellison to Bachmann: "Just admit you're wrong."

Posted at 11:45 AM on July 20, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD5, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6, Michele Bachmann

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison says GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann should apologize for suggesting that members of President Obama's administration have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Ellison said he won't ask for a personal apology even though Bachmann said yesterday that Ellison has "a long record of being associated with CAIR [The Council on American-Islamic Relations] and with the Muslim Brotherhood." Ellison said he has no ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and said her claims have no factual basis. He said Bachmann should change course.

"Instead of doubling down and claiming to be distorted, just admit that you're wrong," Ellison said.

Ellison has criticized Bachmann and four other Republican members of the U.S. House for suggesting Secretary of State's Hillary Clinton's top aide has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. GOP House Speaker John Boehner, Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, and others have denounced the allegations without mentioning Bachmann by name.

Through her office Bachmann declined a request for an interview.

Ellison said this isn't the first time Bachmann has made specious claims.

"She has a pattern of making allegations and then being called upon to prove them. She either switches the subject or says she didn't say that or claims to having been distorted," he said.

Ellison said he hasn't reflected on whether Bachmann should face disciplinary charges for her comments.

The other Republican members of Minnesota's Congressional delegation have been quiet about Bachmann's comments. GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen declined comment through a spokesperson. GOP Rep. John Kline and GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack could not be reached for comment.

Bachmann claims Ellison has ties to Muslim Brotherhood

Posted at 10:52 PM on July 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck (27 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD5, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6, Michele Bachmann, U.S. House

With MPR's Jon Collins...

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann intensified her claims on assertions that federal officials have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. On a talk show tonight, she zeroed in on DFL Rep. Keith Ellison, a fellow member of Congress who represents a district adjacent to hers.

Bachmann hasn't backed down from claims that a top administration aide has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, even after GOP House Speaker John Boehner and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle condemnedher for making the suggestion. Bachmann instead has turned her fire on Ellison.

Ellison "has a long record of being associated... with the Muslim Brotherhood," Bachmann said on Glenn Beck's radio program on Thursday morning. Listen

Bachmann also told Beck that Ellison wanted to "shut down" her proposed investigation into the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood on the federal government.

Ellison said on Anderson Cooper 360 tonight that he had no ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

"I don't have any Muslim Brotherhood connections as she's talking about," Ellison said. He also said he's not trying to shut down any investigation but is working to raise concerns that Bachmann is making unfounded allegations against Muslims who work for the federal government.

Ellison is the first Muslim elected to Congress and has widely criticized Bachmann for making the allegations that a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. He has repeatedly criticized Bachmann for "fear mongering" by suggesting Muslims working in the federal government are linked to extremist groups. He said he hopes people stand up to Bachmann's claims.

He told MPR News recently that Bachmann's claims were "the very stuff of McCarthyism, charges of disloyalty or subversion based on thin or attenuated evidence or prejudice."

Bachmann has been the main source of criticism after she and four other lawmakers sent letters in mid-June to federal agencies asking that Huma Abedin, an aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, be investigated for ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

In the past week, her statements about Abedin have been condemned by Boehner, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) and Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ). Ed Rollins, who ran Bachmann's campaign for president, also criticized Bachmann's actions as "extreme" and "dishonest." Bachmann's comments have also reportedly upset House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-Mich.). She sits on the House Intelligence Committee.

Bachmann and Ellison were both elected to Congress in 2006. They are both running for reelection.

TCF Bank PAC gives $25,000 to Americans for Prosperity

Posted at 11:47 AM on July 19, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD2, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

TCF Bank's employee political action fund has donated $25,000 to the conservative non-profit Americans for Prosperity.

The donation, which amounts to about a fourth of the $105,000 the fund has given away so far this election cycle, was made on May 31, 2012, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission.

Many companies have political action committees. Employees give money to these special funds, and the money is typically given to individual candidates or parties. Many employee funds spread their money equally between Republicans and Democrats.

That's what makes TFC Bank PAC's donation so unusual, says Viveca Novak, a spokeswoman for OpenSecrets.org, a non-profit that tracks political spending and that initially identified the contribution.

Americans for Prosperity is technically a non-profit that can engage in some political activity, but doesn't have to disclose its donors.

"Normal, regular company PACs can be used to give money to candidates. There aren't a whole lot of other ways that you can give money to candidates unless you give as an individual," Novak siad. "There are a lot of other ways to give money to a [non-profit]. You can give some money out of the corporate treasury, which is not something you can do to a candidate."

"It's unclear whether employees who give to the company PAC might be unhappy with the PAC giving such a large percentage of the money that's been donated by employees to a partisan group," Novak said.

It appears the TCF Bank PAC hasn't given to other such non-profits, OpenSecrets.org reports.

Americans for Prosperity is a conservative organization that promotes small government and lower taxes, among other things. It was founded by David Koch, a major Republican donor who, with his brother Charles, owns Koch Industries, a conglomerate that operates oil refineries and owns several household goods brands.

TCF's donation was to the national arm of Americans for Prosperity, but the group has a local branch in Minnesota that's been weighing in this election cycle on the Vikings stadium and the health care law.

TCF Bank PAC has also given thousands to other candidates all over the country who represent both parties. Republican Reps. Chip Cravaack, Michele Bachmann and John Kline are among the recipients.

Read more from OpenSecrets.org.

Ron and Rand Paul to hold Virginia fundraiser for Bills

Posted at 3:01 PM on July 18, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and his son, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) are scheduled to headline a fundraiser for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills. The event will be held at David and Jo Thoburn's home in Vienna, VA on July 24. Donors are being asked to give $350.

Jeff Lorsung, Finance Director for Kurt Bills' U.S. Senate campaign, said he hopes the fundraiser will fetch between $25,000 and $30,000 for the campaign. Bills has received the backing of Ron and Rand Paul, support that helped him win the GOP endorsement in June.

"With both having Ron and Rand endorsements, and with Kurt running on a platform to revitalize America, there are quite a lot of folks who support the idea of sending a citizen legislator to Washington," Lorsung said.

Bills is working to boost his fundraising account as he tries to unseat DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar. The latest fundraising report showed Klobuchar with a significant fundraising advantage over Bills. She has $5.5 million in the bank. Bills had $64,681 in the bank.

Pawlenty and Christie to headline Wayzata fundraiser for Romney

Posted at 6:27 AM on July 18, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Tim Pawlenty

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will hold a fundraiser in Minnesota today for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.

The fundraiser will be at a Wayzata home. Donors are being asked to give $2,500. Those who give or raise $25,000 will be able to attend a private reception featuring Christie and Pawlenty. The money will be directed to Romney's Victory Committee, a fundraising effort for Romney and the Republican National Committee.

The fundraiser comes as both Christie and Pawlenty are being mentioned as potential running mates for Romney. The buzz around Pawlenty has increased in the past week as he's appeared on the campaign trail and on cable TV news discussing Romney's candidacy.

Democrats say President Obama will still win Minnesota even if Romney picks Pawlenty. Republicans say a Romney/Pawlenty ticket would help energize Republican voters in the state.

As for Mitt Romney, his campaign won't say when an announcement will come.

The New York Post, however, is reporting that Christie will be the keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention in Tampa Bay, FL.

American Action Network reserves $860K in MN air time

Posted at 10:24 AM on July 17, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD2, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

The American Action Network is reserving $860,000 in air time in the Twin Cities media market this fall for candidate advocacy, according to a press release sent out by the organization.

"This initial investment for the fall will enable the Network to directly communicate with local households about the key congressional candidates and issues in their area," said American Action Network (AAN) spokeswoman Brook Hougesen in a press release.

Hougesen wouldn't say which congressional races the ads will focus on.

But there are at least two Minnesota districts that appear competitive at this point: the 8th Congressional District, where Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack is running for re-election and the 2nd Congressional District, where Republican Rep. John Kline is running for re-election. The U.S. House Democrats' fundraising arm has pledged to assist Democrat Mike Obermueller, who is running against Kline.

AAN is an issue advocacy group co-founded by former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, and focuses on center-right issues. The organization is tax-exempt and therefore doesn't have to disclose its donors. But this election cycle, it has been spending heavily in regions important to the Republican party.

Minnesota appears to be one state where AAN will be focusing more of its efforts.

Earlier this month, AAN announced that it will spend money on direct mail, print advertising and robocalls in Cravaack's district. The buy is part of a $1.2 million national initiative in 35 House districts.

Coleman's group also aims to build a long-term relationship with Minnesota. The state is part of AAN's "orphan state" effort, a $10 million pledge to build a national grassroots network that focuses on encouraging lawmakers to support or oppose specific legislative issues, particularly in states where local parties are struggling financially.

DFL buys ad time to support Nolan

Posted at 12:11 PM on July 16, 2012 by Catharine Richert (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

After the latest fundraising reports showed their endorsed candidate trailing a challenger in fundraising, the DFL state party is stepping in with a TV ad in the 8th Congressional District.

The Minnesota DFL today released this ad in support of party-endorsed candidate Rick Nolan.

It focuses on Nolan's previous experience as a member of Congress and his roots in the 8th. The party expects to spend $100,000 to run the ad on Duluth broadcast and cable channels between now and the Aug. 14 primary, but a DFL spokeswoman cautioned that the amount could change.

Though Nolan has won his party's endorsement, he's still locked in a primary battle with Tarryl Clark and Jeff Anderson, two other Democrats vying to take on Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack this fall. And Clark raised nearly twice as much money as Nolan in the second quarter of the year.

In a press release announcing the ad, DFL party chair Ken Martin said it's time for the district's Democrats to unite around one candidate.

"With the general election less than four months away, it's more important than ever that we unify behind the candidate who is ready to send Chip Cravaack packing and get to work creating jobs and helping rebuild the economy in Northern Minnesota," Martin said. "That candidate is Rick Nolan, and we are proud to stand by him in this race."

Nolan raised $127,721 last quarter for his campaign. Clark raised $232,128, while Anderson raised $50,095.

Walz raises $235K in second quarter

Posted at 4:39 PM on July 15, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD1

First Congressional District Rep. Tim Walz has raised $234,855 in the second quarter of the year, according to a campaign finance report filed with the Federal Election Commission Sunday.

That brings the three-term Democrat's total fundraising for this election cycle to $1,466,453.

Walz reports having $808,644 in the bank and no debt.

A big chunk of Walz's cash came from political action committees or "PACs" as they are commonly called. All told, these organizations, including the American Sugar Cane League of USA PAC, the Delta Airlines PAC, and a variety of labor, energy and health care fundraising committees, gave Walz $102,000 this quarter. That brings the amount of cash Walz has raised this election from specific groups to $577,925.

Walz's potential opponent Allen Quist has raised $178,230 this quarter, much of it coming from his own pockets.

Minnesota Sen. Mike Parry, the other Republican vying to take on Walz this fall, has yet to report his finances for April, May and June.

Contenders in 1st, 7th districts file reports

Posted at 6:39 AM on July 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD7

Allen Quist, a Republican hoping to challenge 1st Congressional District Rep. Tim Walz this fall, has raised $178,230 in the second quarter of the year.

All told, Quist has raised $243,160 this election cycle, according to a recent report filed with the Federal Election Commission. Quist has $165,214 in the bank.

Most of Quist's cash has come from his own pockets. This quarter, he gave $170,000 to his campaign for a total of $195,000 this election cycle. He's also loaned his campaign $25,000.

Campaign finance reports are due July 15, and so far Walz, a Democrat, and Minnesota Republican Sen. Mike Parry, who is also hoping to be Walz's challenger, have not filed their finances for the quarter.

Making his second bid to represent Minnesota's 7th Congressional District, Republican Lee Byberg has raised roughly $113,449 during the second quarter of this year.

Byberg is looking to oust long-serving Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson.

That figure doesn't include a $40,000 loan, which brings Byberg's total receipts between April and June of this year to roughly $153,449. Byberg has raised more than $320,000 for the entire election cycle.

Byberg has about $119,430 in the bank and is $116,794 in debt, according to his quarterly report.

Peterson's fundraising haul dwarfs Byberg's. He brought in $191,174 this quarter, has $819,648 in the bank, and has no debt.

Thomson Reuters opposes amendment banning same-sex marriage

Posted at 11:59 AM on July 13, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment

Thomson Reuters is the latest company to announce that it's opposing Minnesota's proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

In an e-mail to employees, the highest two ranking executives headquartered in Minnesota (Mike Suchsland, President of Thomson Reuters Legal, and Rick King, COO, Technology) wrote that the amendment would hurt their ability to attract employees to work in Minnesota. Thompson Reuters is headquartered in New York and Westlaw, formerly West Publishing, is a subsidiary in Eagan.

"We believe the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, if passed, would limit our ability to recruit and retain top talent," the e-mail said. "For this reason, we do not believe that the Amendment would be good for Thomson Reuters or the business community in the state."

Thomson Reuters has 7,900 employees in Minnesota. In the e-mail, company officials also noted that the company's position is a "business decision" and that "as a news organization, Thomson Reuters is dedicated to upholding our Trust Principles and does not advocate political or religious positions."

The company's announcement comes just weeks after General Mills announced that it would oppose the amendment. It has also sparked a debate over whether the amendment would hurt or help the state's business climate.

"Today's historic announcement by Thomson Reuters shows that, more and more, companies in Minnesota are standing up and saying that this hurtful amendment is not in the best interests of businesses, families or the state of Minnesota," Richard Carlbom, executive director of Minnesotans United for All Families, said in a statement.

Minnesota for Marriage, the group campaigning to pass the amendment, has also been working to counter the argument that the amendment would hurt Minnesota's business climate. The group issued a press release yesterday noting that nine of the ten business friendly states in a recent CNBC study of America's Top State for Doing Business, have amendments in the constitution that ban same-sex marriage.

"The claim that the passage of the Marriage Protection Amendment will hurt Minnesota's economy is a complete myth," said John Helmberger, Chairman of Minnesota for Marriage. "If anything, the opposite is true. The CNBC study is yet another in a string of studies that consistently show states with a marriage protection amendment in their constitution are among our top performing economic states."

The campaign over whether to amend the state constitution to define marriage as between "one man and one woman" is expected to be fierce. The constitution will be amended if a majority of those voting in November's election vote yes on the ballot question.

Here's the e-mail from Thomson Reuters officials:

From Mike Suchsland and Rick King: Responding to questions on the Minnesota Marriage Amendment

Dear Colleagues,

We're writing today to respond to questions we have received from employees about an important issue that we are facing in Minnesota.

Some of you have asked if Thomson Reuters has a point of view on the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, which voters will decide on this November. As you probably know, the question Minnesotans will vote on is whether our state constitution should be amended to limit marriage
to one man and one woman.

As we've heard from employees, recruiters and customers, one thing has been very clear: we're a better place when we have a rich variety of perspectives, talents, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences in our workplace, and within the broader community from which we recruit. We
believe that building a culture that thrives on diversity and inclusion and provides equal opportunities to everyone is a critical factor in our ability to serve our customers and be successful.

We believe the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, if passed, would limit our ability to recruit and retain top talent. For this reason, we do not believe that the Amendment would be good for Thomson Reuters or the business community in the state. It's important to note that as a news organization, Thomson Reuters is dedicated to upholding our Trust Principles and does not advocate political or religious positions. Rather, our perspective on the Amendment is a business position.

Our view on the Amendment is also in keeping with our company's long-standing history of supporting diversity initiatives and promoting social justice in our local and global communities. Thomson
Reuters does these things because they support our core values and, in the end, we believe they are good for business.

We know that there are varying points of view on the Amendment and we encourage each of you to express your individual opinion at the polls. Thomson Reuters is a business that values open dialogue, and we know that this communication may generate some discussion. It's an issue that is full of emotion for many, so please remember to honor our tradition of treating all people fairly and with respect - whether your conversations are in person or online. We know you will.

All the best,

Operating Engineers union backs Cravaack for Congress

Posted at 5:17 PM on July 12, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 announced today that it is backing Republican Congressman Chip Cravaack for Congress. In a statement, the union said its members strongly supported the 8th district congressman over the three DFL candidates running to replace him.

"Ultimately the membership decided we needed to take our partisan hats off, keep political party affiliation out of it, and make an evidence based decision," the release said.

The union noted that Cravaack supports several efforts that labor likes, including increased mineral exploration and mining in the northeastern Minnesota district. It also noted that he worked to protect union interests as well.

"When we took a look at Congressman Cravaack's term in office, it became clear that he has done a good job of staying away from partisan Washington politics, and really focusing on bread and butter issues that are important to construction workers in his district. He is not afraid to stand up to his party when he disagrees with their direction, and his votes reflect that."

The union has roughly 13,000 members in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota but the endorsement will help Cravaack make inroads into a group that traditionally supports Democrats. Cravaack is expected to face a tough reelection battle. Former Duluth City Council member Jeff Anderson, former state Sen. Tarryl Clark and former U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan are all running in the DFL primary.

Here's the full statement:
Local 49 8th CD Endorsement Release

Clark raised more than $1 million for campaign, has $259k on hand

Posted at 4:08 PM on July 12, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

Democrat Tarryl Clark reports raising $210,302 $232,128 from April 1 through June 30, bringing her total fundraising for the 2012 cycle to more than $1 million. Clark, who is running for Congress in Minnesota's 8th District, reports raising $1,054,865 for the election cycle. She has $259,022 in the bank.

Clark started running TV ads with the hopes of boosting her name identification heading into the August primary. She's running in the DFL primary against former DFL Rep. Rick Nolan and former Duluth City Council member Jeff Anderson. Every member of the DFL delegation and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak have held fundraisers for Nolan, who has the DFL endorsement.

The winner of the August 14 primary will challenge GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack in November. It's expected to be the most competitive Congressional race in the state this cycle.

Cravaack, Nolan and Anderson have not yet released their fundraising reports yet.

(This report was updated to reflect that Clark's fundraising also included other receipts like dividends and interest that weren't contributions)

Behind in the polls, Bills calls on Klobuchar to debate

Posted at 1:04 PM on July 11, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills told Morning in America radio host William Bennett this morning that he's polling about 26 percentage points behind DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Bills touted his background as an economics teacher and said his standing will improve once voters get to know him.

"Nobody knows me," Bills said as he referred to the campaign's polling data. "What we find out is that once people understand that I grew up blue collar, I actually have been in a union my whole life though I'm a coauthor on Right to Work, I'm a public school teacher who is still taught his class and stayed in the classroom, I'm a citizen legislator, all of a sudden my [favorability] to [unfavorability] goes 71-13."

Bills is working to increase that profile on several levels. He told Bennett that he'd love to see Mitt Romney "stand on the stage with a public school teacher and union member and campaign because it shows that things are tightening up here. "

Bills is also pushing for more debates with Klobuchar. Bills said there's one debate scheduled at this point - FarmFest in Redwood Falls in August. He said he'd like to get other debates on the schedule.

"I would say that I need your listeners to help out so I can actually build my name ID so that I can actually be big enough to say 'Hey let's sit down and actually talk about the economy," Bills said. "This big powerful attorney, this big U.S. Senator should be able to sit down and have a discussion with a little old economy teacher from Rosemount High School."

Bills also said he'd love to have a Lincoln/Douglas style debate between himself and Klobuchar. MPR News has invited Bills and Klobuchar to appear at a debate at the State Fair and to the station's traditional last debate on the Sunday before Election Day.

Klobuchar's campaign spokespeople didn't immediately return calls to discuss their debate plans. I'll update if/when they get back to me.
Update: A spokesman for Klobuchar's campaign says they're confirmed for FarmFest and will appear at MPR's State Fair debate (date and time To Be Determined). He also said they're working on other debates for the fall.

Here's Kurt Bills' full appearance on Bennett's show.

Obermueller raises $252K for race against Kline

Posted at 10:29 AM on July 9, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD2

WASHINGTON - Mike Obermueller, the DFL candidate vying to unseat Republican John Kline in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District, raised $252,976 in the first two months of his campaign. As of June 30, the Obermueller campaign reports having $214,404 in the bank.

While the 2nd District has been a Republican stronghold since Kline first won his seat in 2002, Democrats believe that the district's new boundaries will be friendlier to them this election cycle. The district has been added to the national Democrats' list of potential swing seats and Obermueller's campaign is getting fundraising support and logistical help from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Still, Kline, who also serves as the chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, has a significant financial advantage over Obermueller. Last Friday, Kline's campaign reported raising $428,000 and has about $1.3 million in its campaign war chest.

Outside groups are also signalling that they will also get involved in the 2nd District contest. The Service Employees International Union and House Majority PAC, which both back Democratic candidates, announced plans last week to reserve $900,000 in airtime in the Twin Cities media market which could be spent on the Kline-Obermueller race, as well as the 8th District and contests in Wisconsin.

MN part of Coleman group's $10 million 'orphan state' effort

Posted at 9:48 AM on July 9, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races

The center-right American Action Network is pouring $10 million into multiple states, including Minnesota, that are facing competitive Republican House races but have struggling local parties.

AAN is an issue advocacy group co-founded by former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman. Spokesman Dan Conston said that the so-called "orphan state" effort is part of the group's long-term plan to build a national grassroots network that focuses on encouraging lawmakers to support or oppose specific legislative issues.

"Minnesota is one of the key states we were interested in from the outset," Conston said.

The Republican Party of Minnesota announced late last year that it was $2 million in debt, and it is still paying off what it owes.

Conston would not confirm which Minnesota districts AAN is focusing on, but said the group already has staff on the ground in Minnesota.

That said, Minnesota has two competitive races this year. The 8th Congressional District race featuring Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack and a yet-to-be-determined DFL opponent has been rated as a "pure toss-up" by the Rothenberg Political report. And the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has pledged to help Mike Obermueller defeat 2nd Congressional District Republican Rep. John Kline.

AAN will invest in office space and phone banks, and help organize volunteers and events. In each state, AAN plans to work with local organizations.

Meanwhile, in a separate but overlapping effort, AAN announced this morning that it will spend money on direct mail, print advertising and robocalls in Cravaack's district, encouraging him to continue supporting efforts to repeal the health care law. The buy is part of a $1.2 million national initiative in 35 House districts.

Founded in 2010, Coleman's group has become a powerful force in politics, spending and raising millions in part to defeat lawmakers who voted for the health care law and to promote right-of-center policies. AAN's tax status doesn't require it to disclose its donors, so individuals and corporations can give freely to the group without having their gifts made public.

UPDATE: The Taxpayers League of Minnesota is among the organizations that AAN has been coordinating with in the state.

The relationship started last winter when AAN connected the League with the Northern Liberty Alliance, a tea party organization in Duluth, said Taxpayers League of Minnesota director Torin Kelly.

Together, the three groups hosted a State of the Union watch party in January. The relationship worked so well that the League and the Liberty Alliance hosted more Tax Day events across the state in April.

Though Kelly stressed that the League and AAN have no formal strategic plan going forward, she said that she expects similar coordination in the future: AAN will provide the infrastructure and connect disparate groups across the state, and organizations like the League and the Liberty Alliance will organize events and rally voters.

Kelly said AAN has provided much needed networking and message coordination among disparate organizations across the state.

"Their efforts are greatly focused on carrying message, and getting that message together and streamlined, because it's already in place," Kelly said. "We have those conservative messages, conservative voices throughout the state, but because they are siloed we are kind of viewed sometimes as a fly-over state. We don't get as much national attention as conservatives here."

Kline quarterly fundraising reaches $428,000

Posted at 11:50 AM on July 6, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD2

Second Congressional District Rep. John Kline has raised $428,000 in the second quarter of the year, according to a campaign spokesman.

The Republican incumbent has made about $1.7 million since the start of the cycle and has about $1.3 million in the bank.

The state's political boundaries were redrawn earlier this year, and in the process, Kline lost conservative Carver County and gained more DFL voters.
As a result, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which helps Democrats get elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, thinks it can flip the 2nd district, and has pledged to help DFL Party-endorsed candidate Mike Obermueller with his campaign.

Nevertheless, Kline appears to be having a particularly fruitful fundraising year.

The last time Kline made roughly $428,000 in the second quarter was in 2002, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission; typically his 2nd quarter fundraising numbers were lower than that. And Kline has more cash-on-hand than he did in previous years.

The latest round of campaign finance reports are due July 15, but books closed on June 30.

Kline's primary opponent, David Gerson, and Obermueller have not yet released their fundraising hauls for the quarter.

Kline joins pro-Romney veterans group

Posted at 2:47 PM on July 3, 2012 by Brett Neely (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, U.S. House

WASHINGTON - 2nd District Republican Congressman John Kline is joining Mitt Romney's presidential campaign as part of a veterans and military families group, the Romney campaign announced Tuesday.

Kline, a retired Marine Corps officer with 25 years of service, joins a long list of Republican luminaries who are part of the Veterans and Military Families for Romney coalition. They include former President George H.W. Bush, former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, as well as sitting Senator (and former GOP presidential nominee) John McCain.

Romney and other Republicans point to the higher-than-average unemployment rate for recently returned veterans and say President Obama's economic policies have failed vets. While former military personnel often have a reputation for voting Republican, a Reuters poll from May suggests that veterans favored Obama over Romney by seven percentage points.

Kline isn't the only prominent Minnesota Republican who's stumping for Romney. Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty has become an active surrogate for the Romney campaign, 6th District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann endorsed Romney in May and campaigned with him in Virginia while 3rd District U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen endorsed the former Massachusetts governor in January of this year.

Bills campaign and Minnesota for Marriage campaign say they were hacked

Posted at 1:40 PM on June 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck (10 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate, Marriage Amendment

A group campaigning to amend the state's constitution to ban same-sex marriage and the GOP endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate say someone hacked into their Facebook accounts to write posts on the same-sex marriage issue.

Andy Parrish, deputy campaign manager for the group Minnesota for Marriage, said someone also made unauthorized posts to the group's Twitter account, He said on Facebook someone posted an Old Testament verse saying the penalty for homosexuality is death.

Parrish said no one with authorized access to the Facebook page posted the verse. He said the post is out of bounds.

"Minnesota for Marriage would never advocate for anybody being put to death," Parrish said. "We strongly believe that anybody is entitled to love whomever they want to love. We don't have a position on that. We just have a position on whether marriage in Minnesota should be redefined."

Parrish said he's working with Facebook to see who hacked into his account.

The alleged hacking comes a day after Minnesota for Marriage organized a protest outside of General Mills to criticize the company's opposition to the amendment.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills campaign said its Facebook page was also hacked in the past 24 hours. The unauthorized posting said Bills opposes the marriage amendment. Bills' campaign manager Mike Osskopp said Bills actually supports it.

"This particular post caught our attention because it's not a subject we're talking about," Osskopp said. "We're talking about the fact that our economy is in trouble. So we immediately went onto the site and rectified it and pulled the post down, and we now resecured it and hopefully it won't happen again."

Osskopp said he'll contact the Minnesota Attorney General's office to investigate the matter.

It's unclear if the two incidents are related.

ABM targets GOP in shutdown-themed ads

Posted at 12:36 PM on June 27, 2012 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

A political organization that backs DFL candidates is launching an advertsing campaign tied to the one-year anniversary of last summer's state government shutdown.

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota said today that it will run newspaper and online ads in targeted legislative districts. According to a news release, the ads will blame Republican legislators for causing the shutdown, which lasted 20 days.

"We must remember the extremism that caused legislative Republicans to reject fair compromises on the road to the state shutdown," wrote ABM executive director Carrie Lucking.

The newspaper ads will also feature the names of Minnesotans who have signed the organization's "No More Shutdowns" petition.

Brodkorb sets deadline for settlement talks with Senate

Posted at 4:41 PM on June 26, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature, State Government

Attorneys for a former GOP staffer have set a deadline for the Minnesota Senate to settle its case. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, attorneys for Michael Brodkorb requested the two sides try to reach a settlement.

"Prior to filing a Summons and Complaint in this case in District Court, to save on expenses and avoid unnecessary publicity, I suggest that we sit down for early mediation on this matter in order to try and reach a global settlement," wrote Brodkorb's attorney Phil Villaume.

Villaume also said he wanted attorneys representing the Senate to notify him whether they are open to mediation before July 16.

The letter notified the Senate that Brodkorb intends to also sue Senate Secretary Cal Ludeman for invasion of privacy.

"Mr. Brodkorb's unemployment information is 'absolutely privileged' and by releasing said information, Cal Ludeman and the State of Minnesota are liable to Mr. Brodkorb for invasion of privacy."

Ludeman confirmed to MPR News in April that the Department of Employment and Economic Development rejected Brodkorb's application for unemployment benefits. He declined comment today. Ludeman has previously said that the Senate will not settle with Brodkorb.

The Notice of Claims was filed yesterday, the same day that Brodkorb met privately with GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem and Deputy Senate Majority Leader Julianne Ortman. Senjem and Brodkorb declined to say what was discussed at the meeting.

Brodkorb is planning to sue the Senate for wrongful termination, defamation of character and invasion of privacy. He's seeking at least $500,000 in damages. He claims that he was fired in December for having an affair with Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch even though female staffers who had affairs with their male employers were treated differently. Koch resigned her leadership position after being confronted about the affair. She is not running for re-election.

Brodkorb's attorneys say they're waiting for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to weigh in on the matter before they file suit.

Last week the Senate Rules Committee approved $85,000 in taxpayer money to pay for an outside attorney to help prepare for the pending litigation.

Here's the Notice of Claims:

MB Notice of Complaint

Marriage protest at General Mills

Posted at 3:16 PM on June 26, 2012 by Tom Scheck (14 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment

(Minnesota for Marriage staffer Tim Gould is stacking General Mills products that will be donated to a local food shelf. MPR Photo/Tom Scheck

About fifty people protested outside of General Mills headquarters in Golden Valley today to speak out against the company's opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in Minnesota. Chuck Darrell, with the group Minnesota for Marriage, said he believes General Mills should stay out of the debate.

"The purpose of the rally is to send a message to General Mills and all Minnesota companies that marriage matters to a majority of Minnesotans," Darrell said.

The group will be holding similar protests each of the next three days. Organizers asking supporters to deliver their General Mills products to a local food shelf.
John Ruiter from Edgerton, Minnesota drove two hours to attend the protest. He said he's no longer buying General Mills products.

"Here's a huge corporation that's making a statement that's actually favoring a minority of people," Ruiter said. "The majority of the people that do business with General Mills, and they are families, with children. As far as I'm concerned, we won't buy any of their products anymore."

It's unclear whether the protests will have any impact on General Mills' bottom line. The Fortune 500 company had $15 billion in sales worldwide in 2011.

General Mills spokesman Tom Forsythe declined to answer questions but released a written statement saying the company acknowledges the strongly held views on all sides of the amendment debate.

"We respect and defend the right of others to disagree," Forsythe said in the statement. "But General Mills has worked to create an inclusive culture for our employees for decades. As a Minnesota-based company, we believe it is important for Minnesota to be viewed as inclusive and welcoming as well."

The debate over the proposed marriage amendment is expected to be one of the most contentious in this year's campaign.

MPR's Heather Beckius contributed to this report...

Senate GOP leaders meet privately with Brodkorb

Posted at 1:59 PM on June 25, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature, State Government

Republican Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem and Deputy Senate Majority Leader Julianne Ortman met privately today at a St. Paul coffee shop with former Senate staffer Michael Brodkorb. MPR News learned of the meeting, which was later confirmed by Senjem. Brodkorb has said he plans to sue the Senate for wrongful dismissal after he was fired from his job last December.

Senjem would not say what was discussed at the meeting.

"We had a brief conversation," Senjem said. "I can't go any further than that because it's a private conversation."

Ortman didn't return calls. Brodkorb said in an e-mail that he no comment about the meeting.

Brodkorb's attorney, Phillip Villaume, was surprised to hear of the meeting.

"It's news to me," Villaume said. He said he had "no clue" when first asked about the focus of the meeting. Later Villaume said it was a 10 minute "by chance meeting." He said there was a discussion about Brodkorb's suit against the Senate. Another person with knowledge of the meeting said Brodkorb, Senjem and Ortman met for roughly 30 minutes.

Villaume said he didn't know what specifically was discussed at the meeting and said Brodkorb would not discuss the issue further. Villaume also stressed that the meeting was "not a lawyer authorized meeting." He said Brodkorb is still his client. Brodkorb's attorneys had been pushing for an outside mediator to settle the issue, but that idea was later rebuffed by Secretary of the Senate Cal Ludeman.

The meeting between Senjem, Ortman and Brodkorb comes less than a week after the Senate Rules Committee approved $85,000 in legal fees to an outside attorney who is preparing to defend the Senate in Brodkorb's pending lawsuit.

Brodkorb filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claiming he was dismissed because of gender discrimination. Villaume said he expects the EEOC to issue a what's known as a right-to-sue letter in two weeks. That letter could pave the way for Brodkorb to file a lawsuit in federal court.

Villaume says Brodkorb will seek at least $500,000 in damages. He claims that he was wrongfully dismissed for having an affair with Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch. His attorneys say he dismissed even though female staffers remained in their jobs even though they had affairs with male lawmakers.

Koch stepped down from her leadership position in December after being confronted about the affair. She is not running for re-election.

State's two political parties still face debt

Posted at 11:18 AM on June 25, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Political parties

The state's two political parties are heading into the November election facing significant debt.

The latest campaign fundraising reports show that the Minnesota Republican Party had a debt of $964,367 as of May 31st. That debt does not include $700,000 in legal bills stemming from the 2010 gubernatorial recount. Party officials have said that they are heading in the right direction after reporting nearly $2 million in debt in December. The party says it has $37 thousand in the bank.

Meanwhile, the DFL Party reports a debt of $267,654 but says it has more than $400 thousand on hand. DFL Party Chair Ken Martin says he inherited a debt of more than $700 thousand dollars when he took over as party chair in 2011. He said his goal is to erase the party's debt by the end of the year.

"That debt is slowly being whittled down and at the same time we've talked to all of the people that we have obligations to and worked out payments plans," Martin said.

Martin also said his party is on pace to have one of the most successful fundraising years in the DFL Party's history.

Both parties are preparing for an active election season, given that the president and Senator Amy Klobuchar are up for re-election. The state's eight congressional seats and every seat in the state Legislature are also on the ballot.

The party's finances will come into clearer focus next month. That's when the state parties have to file both a monthly report on the federal level and the pre-primary report on the state level.

Graves the wealthiest candidate on the Congressional ballot

Posted at 6:15 PM on June 25, 2012 by Brett Neely (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD3, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD4, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD5, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

WASHINGTON - It's not just members of Congress who are required to file public disclosures of their personal finances. Those who want to replace them in Washington also have to file. MPR News took a visit to the basement of the Cannon House Office building where those forms are available to the public to get a peek.

Some candidates filed these forms last year while others filed them within the past weeks. The forms ask for candidates' year to date and last year's earnings. In this post, I have used full year figures unless otherwise noted, so as to give readers a better sense of a candidate's financial status. Candidates are required to list assets in broad categories, making a precise calculation of net worth difficult. They are not required to list the value of their personal residence but are required to disclose any debts, including mortgages, exceeding $10,000.

Here's the rundown of candidates who have filed forms by congressional district:

CD3 - Brian Barnes is the DFL candidate running against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen. Barnes works for Cummins in Minneapolis and reports making $111,000 in salary and bonuses. He lists assets worth as much as $145,000 invested in 401(k) and individual retirement accounts and has no reported debts.

CD4 - Republican Anthony Hernandez is challenging DFL incumbent Betty McCollum in the St. Paul-based 4th District. He lists his full year salary from MRL Company at $17,000, has no reported assets and lists debts in the range of $115,000 to $300,000 which include a mortgage and a student loans.

CD5 - Chris Fields is the Republican challenging DFL U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison. Fields and his spouse earned $171,000 from a law firm they run together. Their assets could be worth as much as $1 million or as little as $466,000. They also earn between $5,000 and $15,000 from a rental property.

CD6 - Hotel owner and 6th District DFL challenger Jim Graves is the wealthiest candidate or incumbent running for federal office in Minnesota this cycle and his wealth would likely be enough to put him among the top 10 wealthiest members of Congress were he to defeat Republican U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann.

His net worth is between $22 and $111 million and Graves's campaign says the actual number lies somewhere in the middle. Graves's assets include a number of partnerships and companies he owns, mostly concentrated in the hotel and real estate businesses. Graves reports debts worth as much as $36 million, all mortgages on properties related to his businesses.

Bachmann has attempted to use Graves's wealth as a political issue against him. In fundraising appeals to supporters, Bachmann has called Graves a "self-funding multi-millionaire." So far, Graves has lent his campaign $100,000 and says he expects donations to make up the bulk of the campaign's funds.

CD8 - The Democrats, Jeff Anderson, Tarryl Clark and Rick Nolan are competing in a primary to run against first-term Republican Chip Cravaack. Anderson, a former Duluth City Member and an ad salesman for REO River Broadcasting, reported assets between negative $46,000 and positive $45,000. In 2010 he earned $85,000 from his sales job and an additional $10,000 from the city of Duluth. His assets are invested in mutual funds, and he has a car loan that is between $15,000 and $50,000.

Clark, a former state senator, could have a net worth as low as negative $66,000 or as much as $265,000. Clark's assets are invested in a variety of mutual funds while her debts include credit cards and student loans belonging to herself and her children.

Rick Nolan served in the U.S. House between 1975 and 1981 before going on to a business career in Minnesota. He receives a $24,000 a year pension from the state of Minnesota and earned $27,000 in real estate commissions from Sotheby's brokerage. His assets, which include a stake in the firm Emily Forest Products and a condo in Florida, are worth between $717,000 and $1.5 million. Nolan reports no debts.

Obama outraises Romney in Minnesota

Posted at 4:50 PM on June 21, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

So far, President Barack Obama is winning the Minnesota money race by a landslide.

Since April 2011, Obama has raised $2.2 million from donors in the state - less than 1 percent of the $255 million Obama's campaign has raised throughout the nation, according to the most recent reports filed with the Federal Election Commission yesterday.

Obama's campaign has spent about $150 million so far, according to OpenSecrets.org, a website that tracks political money.

Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney raised $401,000 in Minnesota during the same period of time. All told, Romney has raised $120 million nationally.

Both candidates can boast big donations from high-profile Minnesotans.

Members of Gov. Mark Dayton's family, the Pohlad family, which owns the Minnesota Twins, and the Cowles family, which owned the Minneapolis Star Tribune, all gave the maximum donation of $5,000.

Meanwhile, former Target CEO Robert Ulrich has given Romney $2,500, and prominent GOP donors David and Sandra Frauenshuh have each given the campaign $2,500.

Obama or his surrogates have made several fundraising trips to the state in the last year, and his campaign has more than 30 staffers working at five offices across the state. Earlier this month, Obama raised an estimated $1.8 million for his campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and several state parties during a one-day blitz through the Twin Cities area.

Meanwhile, Romney's Minnesota operation has been comparatively been low key, with no full-time staff in Minnesota.

The candidates are getting support in other ways, too. For instance, these figures don't include the millions raised and spent by super PACs or non-profits that don't have to disclose their donors. Nor do they include money collected through joint fundraising committees set up by the candidates and the parties.

Liberal outside groups raise money for legislative campaigns

Posted at 1:28 PM on June 20, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature

An early peek at the finances of a tight-knit group of liberal donors and political committees shows that fundraising and spending on a campaign to flip the Legislature in the DFL's favor is already underway.

Groups expected to do a great deal of fundraising to win seats for Democratic lawmakers have together raised $1.3 million.

Leading spending on the effort to win the Legislature is the Alliance for a Better Minnesota Action Fund, a special fund set up by the Alliance for a Better Minnesota (ABM), which has raised $136,000 in cash since the start of the year, and has collected an additional $19,900 in in-kind contributions during the same period.

That's compared to roughly $93,000 the group had collected in cash and in-kind contributions around this time in 2010, when ABM was gearing up to help elect a DFL governor.

ABM has already started spending the cash on a few legislative races it thinks Democrats can win, including mailers opposing Republicans Keith Downey, who is running in state Senate District 49 in Edina area, David Hancock, who is running in House District 2A in northwestern Minnesota, Ted Lillie, who is running in Senate District 53 in the east metro, and Doug Wardlow, who is running in House District 51B in Eagan.

ABM Executive Director Carrie Lucking said the early round of mailers focused on property tax increases, an issue that is at the core of ABM's election-year messaging.

"Unlike a statewide race, this was a situation where we had the ability to point out some key votes in the Legislature that were very out of step with the values of certain legislator's constituents, and we felt we needed to take that opportunity," Lucking said.

All told, the ABM Action Fund has spent more than $51,500 on independent expenditures.

Most of the ABM Action Fund's cash came from WIN Minnesota Action Fund, which collects substantial amounts from wealthy donors and, in the past, has given almost exclusively to the ABM Action Fund.

WIN Minnesota Action Fund reports bringing in more than $652,000 so far. By far the group's top donor is Alida Messinger, who helped launch WIN Minnesota and is Gov. Mark Dayton's ex-wife. This year, she's given $500,000 to WIN Minnesota.

Messinger also gave $50,000 to the 2012 Fund, which two years ago also funneled much of its cash to the ABM Action Fund. Attorney Sam Heins, one of President Barack Obama's top Minnesota fundraisers, also gave $50,000 to the 2012 Fund, as did investor Vance Opperman. So far, the group has raised a total of $695,000.

Meanwhile, there's been less action so far among a constellation of business-backed political funds that supported Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor in 2010, and that helped elect state lawmakers who back pro-business initiatives.

For instance, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Fund has raised $42,240 since the start of the year. Among its expenditures are a $10,000 to the state House Republican re-election fund and a $5,000 to the state Senate Republican re-election fund.

The Chamber's Pro Jobs Majority fund, which collects dollars mostly from businesses, raised more than $94,000 so far this year and ended the reporting period with nearly $225,000 in cash. But so far, it hasn't spent any of that money on specific candidates.

Another Chamber of Commerce fund that spent largely on legislative races in 2010 has raised more than $20,800 and has so far spent very little of that cash.

The Minnesota Business Partnership also played a significant role in the 2010 elections. The group's political fund has raised $84,700 this year, in addition to the $121,204 it had in the bank Jan. 1. It's spent $42,000 so far with $40,000 going to the House and Senate Republican re-election committees.

Minnesota Business Partnership Communications Director Mark Giga said it's still early for his organization to be raising and spending lots of cash.

"I don't think our inactivity or activity is any different than past election years as far as our political action committee goes," he said. "People don't really pay attention until after the State Fair."

Noticeably absent from the money race so far is the Freedom Club, an organization started by prominent conservative donor Robert Cummins. In 2010, the group spent all its money on electing Republican lawmakers to the state Legislature, and Cummins contributed substantially to the effort.

This year, the Freedom Club has raised $3,000 on top of the more than $285,000 it had in the bank at the start of 2012. Its expenditures have been so far limited to nearly $9,000 consulting, accounting and legal fees.

Live chat: This week in Washington

Posted at 11:00 AM on June 15, 2012 by Michael Olson
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MPR in D.C., U.S. House, U.S. Senate

Police union backs Klobuchar

Posted at 4:10 PM on June 14, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association has endorsed DFL Senator Amy Klobuchar for a second term.

"Senator Klobuchar has always been a favorite with our membership because they know that she works tirelessly on issues important to them and she always makes public safety a top priority. She is seen as an aggressive advocate," said MPPOA Executive Director Dennis Flaherty.

The MPPOA represents more than 7,500 law enforcement and public safety officials throughout Minnesota.

Klobuchar is running for reelection. She faces Republican Kurt Bills in November.

Groups react to General Mills' opposition to marriage amendment

Posted at 2:31 PM on June 14, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment

The groups lining up in support of and against a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage are reacting to the announcement by General Mills CEO Ken Powell that the company will oppose the amendment.

General Mills Vice President Ken Charles wrote on the company's blog that the company values inclusion.

"While General Mills doesn't normally take positions on ballot measures, this is a business issue that impacts our employees. I am proud to see our company join the ranks of local and national employers speaking out for inclusion. We do not believe the proposed constitutional amendment is in the best interests of our employees or our state economy - and as a Minnesota-based company we oppose it. We value diversity. We value inclusion. We always have ... and we always will."

The move was quickly praised by Minnesotans United For All Families - a group working to defeat the amendment. Richard Carlbom, the group's executive director, wrote this on his Twitter page when he learned of the news.

Eat your Wheaties! Just landed in Chicago and will be up all night excited that General Mills came out against the amendment! #VoteNo

— Richard Carlbom (@richardcarlbom) June 14, 2012

Carlbom also released a statement praising the company's decision:

"The business case against this amendment is straightforward and powerful. General Mills' decision to publicly oppose this hurtful, freedom-limiting amendment sends a clear message that neutrality on this amendment is simply not in Minnesota's best interest. In order to keep our state a thriving and competitive place to live and do business, we must maintain our status as a national leader in attracting top talent. Doing so begins in November with the defeat of this amendment, and we're proud to stand with General Mills and other Minnesota businesses - both big and small - in refusing to limit the freedom to marry for some committed couples in our state."

The decision was panned by Minnesota for Marriage, a group working to pass the amendment. John Helmberger, chair of Minnesota for Marriage, released this statement:

"It is very disappointing that General Mills has decided to play PC politics by pandering to a small but powerful interest group that is bent on redefining marriage, the core institution of society.

Marriage is more than a commitment between two people who love each other. It was created by God for the care and well-being of the next generation. The amendment is about preserving marriage and making sure that voters always remain in control over the definition of marriage in our state, and not activist judges or politicians.

By taking this position, General Mills is saying to Minnesotans and people all around the globe that marriage doesn't matter to them.

Marriage is in the interest of children, because it is society's best way to help children experience the ideal environment where they are raised by their mother and father. It's ironic and regrettable that a corporation that makes billions marketing cereal to parents of children would take the position that marriage should be redefined."

General Mills is the latest Minnesota based-business to speak out against the amendment. Carlson Companies Chair Marilyn Carlson Nelson, former Medtronic CEO Bill George and RBC Wealth Management CEO John Taft have all spoken out against the amendment.

Voters will decide in November whether the Minnesota Constitution should be amended to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

Pawlenty joins the board of a Frac sand miner

Posted at 11:34 AM on June 12, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Tim Pawlenty

Former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is being mentioned as Mitt Romney's running mate, has joined another corporate board.

Smart Sand, a company that houses its main facility in Oakdale, Wisconsin, produces a product used in oil and gas exploration.

"Having served as Minnesota governor for two terms, and with deep roots in the region, Tim is experienced in the oversight and development of our natural resources," said Andrew Speaker, chief executive officer of Smart Sand. "Tim's experience in the energy and transportation sectors combined with his respect for the environment and the communities in which we operate makes him a strategic addition to our board. We look forward to drawing on his expertise as CEO of the great state of Minnesota as we continue to build our company."

Pawlenty now sits on four boards, including Smart Sand's. The others include e-commerce company Digital River, global supply chain Red Prairie and biotech firm Micromatrix Medical.

Pawlenty, who dropped his bid to become president after losing the Iowa straw poll last August, has been spending the bulk of his time campaigning for Mitt Romney's campaign for president.

Pawlenty said he'd be "honored" if asked to be Romney's running-mate, but added that he thinks he can serve Romney in "other ways."

Republican John McCain considered Pawlenty to be his running mate in 2008. McCain eventually picked Sarah Palin.

DFL complaint against Senate GOP may continue

Posted at 2:57 PM on June 11, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature

The Office of Administrative hearings ruled today that a case accusing Republicans in the Minnesota Senate of using taxpayer money for campaign literature may go forward.
An administrative law panel ruled that all but one of the complaints against the Senate Republican Caucus, 15 Senate Republicans and the spokesman for the Senate GOP may continue.

The DFL Party filed the complaint in February after several senators handed out pamphlets at precinct caucuses. Those leaflets outlined the legislative successes of the first year in power for Senate Republicans but also linked to websites that solicited political contributions. Democrats argued the pamphlets violated state law that prohibits using taxpayer money to campaign for office. Republicans wanted the charges dismissed because they said the leaflets were constituent services pieces.

(Note: Senate GOP spokesman Steve Sviggum apologized in February and said he would refund the state of Minnesota).

The administrative law panel said there is enough evidence to proceed with a hearing but did dismiss a complaint against Senator Doug Magnus. He said he didn't prepare or distribute the materials.

A hearing date on the matter has not been scheduled yet.

Here's the ruling:
0320-22622

Poll: Obama up in Minnesota

Posted at 1:17 PM on June 7, 2012 by Catharine Richert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

A new poll shows President Barack Obama leading Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney by 15 percentage points in Minnesota.

The results of Public Policy Polling's latest survey of registered Minnesota voters show that 54 percent of Minnesotans support Obama, while 39 percent support Romney. Seven percent of voters are undecided.

Public Policy Polling (PPP) is a Democratic-leaning firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The group's results mirror a separate poll conducted in May by SurveyUSA that shows 52 percent of registered Minnesota voters supporting Obama and 38 percent supporting Romney.

The last time PPP surveyed Minnesotans about their presidential preferences in January of this year, Obama lead Romney by 10 percentage points.

But as with a separate poll released by the same firm earlier this week regarding the marriage amendment, much of Obama's new support is coming from independents. In January, they supported Obama by a margin of 9 percentage points; today, they support Obama by 23 percentage points.

The results show that "Minnesota is not going to be a swing state this fall," said PPP president Dean Debnam in a press release."Barack Obama's standing is very solid there right now and it was one of Mitt Romney's weakest states during the GOP primary season."

Earlier this week, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina talked through strategy in this video , which labeled Minnesota as a "Leans Democratic" state - not a sure thing, as Debnam believes it to be.

The Obama campaign in Minnesota has repeatedly said it is not taking voters here for granted despite a comfortable lead.

PPP surveyed 973 registered Minnesota voters from May 31-June 3. The poll has 3.1 percent margin of error. Read more about the survey here.

Dayton family ramps up efforts to defeat marriage amendment

Posted at 10:00 AM on June 6, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Marriage Amendment

Gov. Dayton is scheduled to headline a fundraiser later this month to help a group that wants to defeat an constitutional amendment that would define marriage between one man and one woman.

The fundraiser is being billed as the "first-ever Governor's Pride Reception." It will be held on June 19, four days before the Twin Cities Pride Festival. The funds will go to Minnesotans United for All Families, which is working to defeat the amendment.

Meanwhile, Dayton's sons, Eric and Andrew, announced that they're donating $200,000 to the group. In an e-mail to supporters through Minnesotans United for All Families, the Daytons are encouraging donors to "match their contributions."

"It's simple: Committed, same-sex couples should have the freedom to marry. Together, we can contribute $400,000 toward Minnesotans United's efforts to protect that freedom," they wrote in the e-mail.

Their e-mail comes one day after Public Policy Polling released a poll saying there is growing opposition to the proposed amendment among those polled.

June 19 is the filing deadline where the public will get a better understanding of who is funding the groups. Minnesota for Marriage, a group that supports the amendment, reported raising roughly $1.3 million most of it coming from the Catholic Church, the National Organization for Marriage and the Minnesota Family Council.

If a majority of those support the measure in the November election, Minnesota's Constitution would be amended to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

Filing deadline up, active primary season ahead

Posted at 6:45 PM on June 5, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

With MPR's Tim Pugmire...

The stage is set for Minnesota's primary and general election. The filings for office closed today at 5pm.

There will be primaries in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, six Congressional races and 44 legislative races.

In Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Republican Kurt Bills each face lesser known, perennial candidates.

The races for Congress include two highly-watched primary battles. State Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, and former state Rep. Allen Quist are running in the Republican primary in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. Republican delegates in that race failed to endorse a candidate. The winner of the primary will face DFL U.S. Rep. Tim Walz in November.

Former Congressman Rick Nolan won the DFL endorsement in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District. He faces a primary challenge from former Duluth City Council member Jeff Anderson and former State Sen. Tarryl Clark. The winner will face GOP U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack in November.

The other Congressional incumbents are facing primary challenges from lesser known candidates.

The race for Minnesota Legislature also features several primary contests in both the House and Senate.

Incumbent state Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, is facing a primary challenge. It's one of at least nine Republican Senate primaries.

Incumbent DFL state Senators Chris Eaton of Brooklyn Center, Tom Saxhaug of Grand Rapids and Lyle Koenen of Clara City have primary challengers. There will also be DFL contests in at least seven other Senate districts, including the St. Paul district where four Democrats want to replace retiring state Sen. John Harrington.

In the Minnesota House, there are Republican primaries set in at least 11 districts, and DFL primaries in at least 14 districts. Multiple candidates filed for the seats of several retiring representatives, including Republican Morrie Lanning of Moorhead and DFLer Tom Rukavina of Virginia.

Forty-six incumbents will not run for their current office in the Minnesota Legislature. 11 of those incumbents are running for another office. They include Bills and Parry, who are running for federal office. Nine members of the Minnesota House are opting to run for a state Senate seat.

There's an unusually high turnover of candidates for a regular campaign year but that's in large part because redistricting pairs incumbents together and forces others to consider retirement.

Minnesota's Legislative Library say 47 members of the 2002 Legislature opted not to run for their current seat. That's the last time the political lines were redrawn as a result of redistricting.

Here's the retirement list:

Democrats not running for re-election in the Minnesota Senate:
Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon
Sen. Mary Jo McGuire, DFL-Falcon Heights
Sen. Ken Kelash, DFL-Minneapolis
Sen. Linda Higgins, DFL-Minneapolis
Sen. John Harrington, DFL-St. Paul

Republicans not running for re-election in the Minnesota Senate:
Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas
Sen. Doug Magnus, R-Slayton
Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca (Running for Congress)
Sen. Amy Koch, R-Buffalo
Sen. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley
Sen. Michael Jungbauer, R-East Bethel
Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina
Sen. Claire Robling, R-Jordan
Sen. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista
Sen. Al DeKruif, R-Madison Lake
Sen. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake

Democrats not running again in the Minnesota House:
Rep. Marion Greene, DFL-Minneapolis
Rep. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kate Knuth, DFL-New Brighton
Rep. Denise Dittrich, DFL-Champlin
Rep. Larry Hosch, DFL-St. Joseph
Rep. Bev Scalze, DFL-Little Canada (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kent Eken, DFL-Twin Valley (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Nora Slawik, DFL-Maplewood
Rep. Bill Hilty, DFL-Finlayson
Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville
Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia
Rep. Kory Kath, DFL-Owatonna
Rep. Sandra Peterson, DFL-New Hope
Rep. Tom Tilberry, DFL-Fridley

Republicans not running again in the Minnesota House:
Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove
Rep. Mike LeMieur, R-Little Falls
Rep. Pat Mazorol, R-Bloomington
Rep. Connie Doepke, R-Orono (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Ron Shimanski, R-Silver Lake
Rep. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount (running for the U.S. Senate)
Rep. Brandon Peterson, R-Andover (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mark Murdock, R-Perham
Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan
Rep. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo Township (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake
Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead
Rep. Roger Crawford, R-Mora

Walker wins in Wisconsin

Posted at 8:50 PM on June 5, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Wisconsin Recall Election reaction and results

Heavy turnout is reported today in Wisconsin where voters are deciding if Gov. Scott Walker will be recalled. Walker foes launched the recall effort after the Republican governor led an effort to dismantle collective bargaining in the Badger State.

Storified by Michael Olson · Tue, Jun 05 2012 16:23:43

Vandeveer not running for reelection

Posted at 3:01 PM on June 5, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

Sen. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake, announced today that he's not running for reelection. Vandeveer, who already filed for office, announced that he's reversing his decision. He said his declining health played a huge factor in deciding to not run again.

"I was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2000 and my thought at that time was that I would serve until it started impacting my ability to represent my constituents," Vandeveer said. "In the wake of a grueling session I decided that the time has come."

Vandeveer was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2006. He was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1998. Vandeveer said he put off his decision until the last minute and said it was an extremely difficult.

"Campaigning has been a huge part of my family for my last 15 years and they'd walk on nails to see my get reelected but I don't want to put them through that again."

Vandeveer is one of the more conservative members of the Minnesota Senate. He said he wanted to be remembered for fighting against government spending, less government intervention and for personal freedom and opportunity.

Republicans now have to scramble to find another candidate on the final day of filing. Former Rep. Julie Bunn, DFL-Lake Elmo, is running for the seat. Update: Two Republicans have filed for the seat. Karin Housley and Eric Michael Langness. Housley failed in her bid for the Minnesota Senate in 2010. She lost to Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Newport.

Redistricting paired Vandeveer and Sen. Ted Lillie, R-Lake Elmo. Lillie decided to move into an open seat rather than to challenge Vandeveer for the GOP endorsement.

Vandeveer's decision means there are 16 members of the Senate not running for reelection.

Here's the list:

Democrats not running for re-election:
Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon
Sen. Mary Jo McGuire, DFL-Falcon Heights
Sen. Ken Kelash, DFL-Minneapolis
Sen. Linda Higgins, DFL-Minneapolis
Sen. John Harrington, DFL-St. Paul

Republicans not running for re-election:
Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas
Sen. Doug Magnus, R-Slayton
Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca (Running for Congress)
Sen. Amy Koch, R-Buffalo
Sen. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley
Sen. Michael Jungbauer, R-East Bethel
Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina
Sen. Claire Robling, R-Jordan
Sen. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista
Sen. Al DeKruif, R-Madison Lake
Sen. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake

As Bills helps Walker in Wisconsin, Klobuchar courts female voters

Posted at 5:45 PM on June 4, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota Kurt Bills spent some time today campaigning in Wisconsin.. Bills was in Hudson making get out the vote calls for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Bills said he's from Wisconsin and believes Walker's efforts to change government are important.

But Bills sent a mixed message by saying he supports both collective bargaining rights and Walker's efforts to roll back union protections for public employees in state and local governments.

"Can you collectively bargain? Yes, you absolutely can," Bills said. "But I think people have to be very careful especially with the public union side that sometimes you can drive costs up too much and at that point, these districts are going to get into rough shape."

When pressed for a clarification, Bills said he would need to study up on the changes made under Walker. Wisconsin residents choose tomorrow between Walker and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in a recall election.

Bills also said his fundraising is going very well suggesting the campaign has raised more than $100,000 since he entered the race.

He also repeated his criticism that Klobuchar and Senate Democrats have failed to pass a budget resolution in three years.

Klobuchar spent Monday morning speaking to Women Winning, a group that supports legal abortion. Klobuchar said the group's support will be critical to help Democrats win in November.

She encouraged the group of 1,200 people in attendance to work harder to elect female candidates.

"We have been through tough times in this country but we are going to make it and we will win but to do it, we need to deploy a secret weapon," Klobuchar said. "We need women to win." (Full speech here: Listen )

Klobuchar declined to answer questions after her speech because she said she was late for her flight to Washington D.C.

Oberstar backs Nolan for Congress

Posted at 1:07 PM on June 4, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

From MPR's Dan Kraker...

Longtime DFL Congressman Jim Oberstar endorsed Rick Nolan today in his bid to unseat GOP freshman incumbent Chip Cravaack. Cravaack beat Oberstar two years ago by fewer than five thousand votes. In accepting the endorsement today at the Minnesota Mining Museum in Chisholm, Nolan said Oberstar's endorsement matters even though he lost the last election.

"He lost it because Democrats got complacent," Nolan said. "94,000 of them didn't show up for the election and having traveled throughout this district, a number of things become clear. One is the enormity of respect that people in this district have for Jim Oberstar."

Nolan served in Congress representing a different Minnesota district from 1975 to 1981. He won the DFL endorsement last month. But he has two challengers in September's Democratic primary: former state senator Tarryl Clark, and former Duluth city councilor Jeff Anderson.

DFL delegates confident Obama, Klobuchar will win

Posted at 2:06 PM on June 2, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment, Political parties, Voter ID Amendment

With just five months until the general election, DFL delegates say they are confident that their candidates at the top of the ticket will have no trouble winning Minnesota this November.

Matt Toburen of Minneapolis is among those who say President Barack Obama and Sen. Amy Klobuchar are shoo-ins.

"I think Minnesota will go strongly for Barack Obama and Amy Klobuchar this year," he said.

Mike Quinn of Rochester shares Toburen's optimism.

"I don't think Minnesota is going to go anywhere but with Obama and Klobuchar," he said, adding that he believes the top of the ticket will help the DFL win majorities in the Legislature as well.

But not everyone at the convention believes that Obama and Klobuchar have flawless records.

Beth Walters of Sauk Rapids said she wished both had done more for labor unions. And she expressed some disappointment with the new health care law.

"I think the health care reform was a good first step, but I think it needed to go further," Walters said.

While the crowd has legitimate reasons to be optimistic - both Klobuchar and Obama are so far enjoying strong support in the state - party leaders have warned against over confidence.

"No one is taking the president's election for granted starting with the president, who expects a very tough campaign. Certainly not Amy [Klobuchar], who is working harder than anybody," said Gov. Mark Dayton. "Everybody has spent the last two years in the minority, and with all the frustrations involved with that, there's no complacency whatsoever."

Some delegates are more concerned about passage of two constitutional amendments on the ballot, one that would require voters to show identification at the polls, and another that would define marriage between a man and a woman.

Quinn said he's confident Minnesotans will reject the marriage amendment, because voters don't want to change the state's constitution.

But voter ID is on shakier ground, he said.

"I think you have a lot of people on both sides, probably even a lot of Democrats, who don't quite understand what the problem is in regards to the election ballot," said Quinn. "I think we have to do a lot more to get them to understand that it is difficult to get older people and students their notification of having an ID like that especially in a short period of time close to an election period."

Dayton: DFL must win majorities in the Legislature

Posted at 11:42 AM on June 2, 2012 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Political parties

ROCHESTER -- In his speech to delegates at the DFL convention, Gov. Mark Dayton said the party must make rebuilding majorities in the Legislature its priority this election year.

"We must, we must elect DFL majorities in both the Minnesota House and the Minnesota Senate," Dayton said. "We must."

Dayton said he will do everything he can to win both chambers, whether it be fundraising or campaigning.

"I always tell candidates I'll do whatever helps them the most," Dayton said. "I'll campaign for them, I'll campaign against them, whichever does the most good."

Though candidates will be counting on Dayton to help them win this year, in 2010 Dayton wasn't allowed to speak at the DFL convention. This year, he was welcomed warmly by the party and the delegates.

The episode two years ago is "history," Dayton said. "I'm just glad to get such an enthusiastic reception."

During his speech, Dayton reflected on what the Legislature might look like had there been a Republican Governor, quoting Tom Emmer, the GOP candidate Dayton narrowly defeated in 2010.

"An Emmer administration would make Wisconsin look like the poor, ugly stepchild that they are," Dayton said.

Dayton said there would have been $200 billion more in spending cuts, more pollution, collective bargaining would have been "eviscerated" and Minnesota would be a "right-to-work" state.

With a DFL majority and governor, Minnesotans can count on higher taxes on the wealthiest, property taxes would be lower, and public education would improve - all issues DFL candidates and liberal groups campaigning for them will be highlighting this election season.

Hear the rest of Dayton's speech here: Listen

Photo Credit: Gov. Mark Dayton speaks to delagates at the DFL state convention in Rochester Saturday, Jun. 2, 2012. (Alex Kolyer for MPR)

DFL state convention gets underway in Rochester

Posted at 9:58 AM on June 2, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate, Marriage Amendment, Political parties, Voter ID Amendment

ROCHESTER - The state DFL convention is underway. There's not much suspense about the main order of business-- endorsing U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar for a second term.

DFL party chair Ken Martin welcomed delegates Saturday morning by urging them to re-elect Klobuchar and President Barack Obama, and to defeat two constitutional amendments that will be on the ballot this fall.

"President Obama has asked all of us if we are in for 2012," Martin said. "I want President Obama to know that we have heard him and his call to action."

The crowd responded with shouts of, "I'm in!"

Martin said DFLers must vote against the two constitutional amendments, one that would require Minnesotans to show identification at the polls before they can vote and another that would define marriage as between a man and a woman.

"Who are we, as a people, to tell two committed, loving same-sex individuals that they cannot marry each other?" Martin said. "What kind of state do we want to leave to our children?"

Groups opposing both amendments have a noticeable presence at the convention, taking down delegate information, and passing out buttons and signs.

Martin also used his opening speech to attack the Minnesota Republican Party, which has been troubled by financial woes and leadership turnover.

The DFL party is united while Republicans are "in disarray," Martin said. The Republican party has been "beset by scandal, riddled with debt, and torn apart at the seams by infighting," he said.

Obama hauls in $1.8 million in Minnesota

Posted at 4:16 PM on June 1, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

According to a pool report, President Obama raised as much as $1.8 million at three fundraisers in Minneapolis. Obama held the events at the Bachelor Farmer restaurant in downtown, which is owned by Gov. Dayton's two sons.

The pool report says roughly 100 people paid $5,000 each to attend a fundraiser that was open to the press. Twenty people paid $40,000 each to attend a round table with the president where the media was not allowed. Ten people paid $50,000 each to attend another separate round table that was also closed press.

That would put the total take at $1.8 million if everyone in attendance paid the asking price. The money will be split between the campaign, the Democratic National Committee and several state parties.

During his remarks to donors in the session where the pool reporter was allowed, Obama said the nation will see a stark contrast between himself and Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee. He said the Republican party has moved in a different direction than John McCain, his Republican opponent in 2008

"John McCain believed in climate change. John believed in campaign finance reform. John believed in immigration reform. There were some areas where you saw some overlap," Obama said.

The president also suggested that Republicans have been more focused on defeating him than improving the economy. He said he hoped that would change after the election in November especially on debt reduction, public works spending and government streamlining.

"I believe that when we are successful in this election, that the fever may break," he said. "There is a tradition in the Republican Party of more sense than that. My hope and my expectation is that after the election -- now that the goal of beating Obama doesn't make much sense because I am not running again - that we can start getting some cooperation again."

The pool report said most of Obama's remarks focused on the nation's economy. He said the economy has started to stabilize because of his efforts.

"We are not there yet, but the good news is that we have made enormous progress," he said.

Obama also said he was trying to deal with the problems in front of the administration but also focusing on the long-term. For example, he cited higher fuel efficiency standards implemented under his tenure.

"So that halfway into the next decade, cars will get 55 miles per gallon," he said.

The president is headed to Chicago to attend another round of fundraisers before he returns to Washington.

Video and social reax: Obama campaigns in Minnesota

Posted at 12:00 PM on June 1, 2012 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Pawlenty knocks Obama over jobs numbers

Posted at 11:31 AM on June 1, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Pawlenty travel, Tim Pawlenty

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty says President Obama's visit to Minnesota is an opportunity to discuss the Obama's "dismal" impact on the nation's job market.

On a conference call with reporters before Obama's visit, Pawlenty, who dropped his own bid for the White House before the Iowa caucuses, said the disappointing May job numbers released today are a signal the president's policies aren't working.

"What we see is a president whose policies are hostile to free enterprise, are hostile to job creators and are not only not sparking the kind of economic recovery and the pace that we hope for and need in America," Pawlenty said.

Pawlenty said Republican Mitt Romney has a better plan to improve the nation's job market.

Pawlenty, who is a national surrogate for Romney, said he doesn't think Romney is giving up on winning Minnesota but acknowledged the state hasn't voted for a Republican for president since 1972.

Pawlenty also said he'd "be honored" to serve if asked to be Romney's running mate.

"As a national co-chair of Romney's campaign, we just don't talk about the VP process," Pawlenty said. "I think I can best serve him in other ways as a volunteer and otherwise but obviously anybody, if asked to serve, would be honored to do it."

Pawlenty was vying to be John McCain's running mate in 2008, but McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin instead.

Pawlenty says he'll travel to North Carolina tonight to speak at the North Carolina Republican Party Convention.

Wisconsin recall pours cash into Twin Cities TV

Posted at 10:02 AM on May 31, 2012 by Curtis Gilbert
Filed under: Campaign 2012

The candidates in Wisconsin's gubernatorial recall election are spending more than $350,000 dollars to run ads on Twin Cities TV stations.

The ads started airing this week on KSTP, WCCO, KARE 11 and FOX 9, according to publicly available files at the four stations. The spots are scheduled to run through next Tuesday. That's when Wisconsin voters will decide whether Republican Gov. Scott Walker should serve out the final two-and-a-half years of his four-year term.

So far Walker has outspent Democratic challenger Tom Barrett by more than three to one in the Twin Cities media market. He's also raised more than $20 million dollars over the last year. That's more than five times as much as Barrett. Plus, west-central Wisconsin skews Republican. So Walker has more to gain by advertising in the market.

But most of the people who will see the ads live in Minnesota, and can't vote in the election.

Morrie Lanning retires

Posted at 10:01 AM on May 31, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Dan Gunderson...

State Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, is announcing his retirement this morning. Lanning says after prayerful consideration he decided not to seek re-election to a sixth term. Lanning says he looks forward to spending more time with family and friends.

Lanning authored the Vikings stadium bill that was enacted into law this year. He served five terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives. He was mayor of Moorhead for 21 years before he was elected to the state legislature.

Lanning's decision comes less than a week before filings close.

GOP legislative leaders said they expected Lanning to run for reelection. Democrats say they have a shot at winning the open seat.

Play the audio below to hear Lanning's interview on All Things Considered Thursday.

Update: GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers issued this statement on Lanning's retirement:

"Representative Lanning has served his community and our state with great class, and he is a true statesman. I've had the privilege of knowing Morrie since before either of us came to St. Paul. His dedication to public service and the honorable way he goes about working with his colleagues are second to none. We will miss having him as a legislator. I wish him well as a colleague and a friend."

Here's the list of House retirements:

Democrats not running again:
Rep. Marion Greene, DFL-Minneapolis
Rep. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kate Knuth, DFL-New Brighton
Rep. Denise Dittrich, DFL-Champlin
Rep. Larry Hosch, DFL-St. Joseph
Rep. Bev Scalze, DFL-Little Canada (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kent Eken, DFL-Twin Valley (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Nora Slawik, DFL-Maplewood
Rep. Bill Hilty, DFL-Finlayson
Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville
Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia
Rep. Kory Kath, DFL-Owatonna
Rep. Sandra Peterson, DFL-New Hope

Republicans not running again:

Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove
Rep. Mike LeMieur, R-Little Falls
Rep. Pat Mazorol, R-Bloomington
Rep. Connie Doepke, R-Orono (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Ron Shimanski, R-Silver Lake
Rep. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount (running for the U.S. Senate)
Rep. Brandon Peterson, R-Andover (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mark Murdock, R-Perham
Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan
Rep. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo Township (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake
Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead

Note: Rep. Tom Tilberry, DFL-Fridley lost his party's endorsement to former Rep. Connie Bernardy. Tilberry hasn't said whether he'll run in a primary.

Bill Clinton to headline DFL fundraiser

Posted at 9:43 AM on May 31, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Political parties

Former President Bill Clinton will headline this year's annual DFL dinner.

"In this critical election year, we are proud to welcome President Clinton as we honor two of the Minnesota DFL Party's greatest leaders - Walter Mondale and Hubert H. Humphrey," said DFL Party Chair Ken Martin in a press release.

The event will be held August 4 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

The party also announced that the event, previously known as the Hubert H. Humphrey Day Dinner, will now be called the Humphrey-Mondale Dinner to honor former Vice President Walter Mondale.

Peterson is the latest MN House member to announce retirement

Posted at 3:45 PM on May 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, MN Legislature

Rep. Sandra Peterson, DFL-New Hope, announced today that she's retiring from the Minnesota House of Representatives. Citing health concerns, Peterson said it was time for her to step aside and not run in 2012.

"Due to recent, unexpected health concerns, I need to refocus my energies onto recuperation and spending time with my family. I will not be able to devote the time and energy necessary to serving my constituents in the manner they deserve from their elected representative," Peterson said in a statement.

Peterson didn't specify an illness in her statement. Her decision must have come in the past 24 hours because she filed for office on Tuesday.

Peterson is the 27th member of the Minnesota House to announce that she isn't running for re-election.

Here's the list of House retirements

Democrats not running again:
Rep. Marion Greene, DFL-Minneapolis
Rep. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kate Knuth, DFL-New Brighton
Rep. Denise Dittrich, DFL-Champlin
Rep. Larry Hosch, DFL-St. Joseph
Rep. Bev Scalze, DFL-Little Canada (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kent Eken, DFL-Twin Valley (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Nora Slawik, DFL-Maplewood
Rep. Bill Hilty, DFL-Finlayson
Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville
Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia
Rep. Kory Kath, DFL-Owatonna
Rep. Sandra Peterson, DFL-New Hope

Republicans not running again:

Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove
Rep. Mike LeMieur, R-Little Falls
Rep. Pat Mazorol, R-Bloomington
Rep. Connie Doepke, R-Orono (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Ron Shimanski, R-Silver Lake
Rep. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount (running for the U.S. Senate)
Rep. Brandon Peterson, R-Andover (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mark Murdock, R-Perham
Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan
Rep. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo Township (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake

Note: Rep. Tom Tilberry, DFL-Fridley lost his party's endorsement to former Rep. Connie Bernardy. Tilberry hasn't said whether he'll run in a primary.

Bills starts dialing for dollars

Posted at 11:58 AM on May 22, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

Kurt Bills is spending his first week as the GOP endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate raising money for his campaign. Mike Osskopp, Bills campaign manager, said Bills will be focused primarily on raising money for the statewide race.

"The best use of his time right now is to raise money," Osskopp said.

Osskopp said Bills will spend most of his time this week reaching out to potential donors. Bills is scheduled to be on TPT's Almanac on Friday and will attend a parade in Zimmerman on Saturday.

The emphasis on fundraising signals a shift from winning the endorsement to winning a general election. Candidates win endorsements by spending plenty of time on the phone convincing GOP delegates that they're the best candidate to represent the party in November. Now, Bills has to ramp up his fundraising to create a campaign network that can win the general election.

Campaign fundraising reports show Bills had $33,000 in the bank at the close of the last quarter. DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar had more than 150 times that amount on hand.

The latest campaign finance report showed Klobuchar had $5.1 million in the bank on March 31. She's also holding a fundraiser tonight in Washington D.C.

Bills acknowledged on MPR News Monday that he won't be able to raise as much money as Klobuchar but said he hopes to raise roughly $5 million for the statewide campaign.

Early bird candidates first in line to file

Posted at 8:00 AM on May 22, 2012 by Tim Nelson
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Candidates for political offices on this fall's ballot were lined up before dawn today outside the Secretary of State's office. Well a candidate was anyway. Rep. Joyce Peppin, R-Rogers, actually brought a chaise lounge down to the State Office Building hallway to spend the night and make sure she was the first among equals this morning.

"This is the fifth time I've been first in line. Every time I've run," she said. "I want to show my constituents that I'm still enthused to run, energetic to start the campaign, and that it's an honor and privilege to represent them."

She was joined, as you can see above, by state Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, who's running against rival Republican Allen Quist for the nomination to face DFL U.S. Rep. Tim Walz this fall.

"It's time for us to be serious down in that part of the state about our representative. We know Washington's broken and I plan on being there next year to help fix it," said Parry. "It's good to get started early in the morning."

Former Democratic Congressman Rick Nolan was the third in line. The DFL endorsed candidate to take on freshman GOP U.S. Rep Chip Cravaack came down from the Brainerd area to submit his paperwork. It's his second shot at Capitol Hill. He was a member of Congress from what used to be Minnesota's 6th District.

"This is one of the most highly contested races in the country," Nolan said. "It's in the top 10 group for both the Republicans and the Democrats, and I believe in getting an early start and running hard and running fast. And so I decided I wanted to be here first thing this morning, get myself registered and get our race underway."

Nolan is facing a primary challenge from two Democrats--former state Sen. Tarryl Clark and Jeff Anderson.

Frequent candidate Dick Franson also made an appearance. He's planning to run for U.S. Senate -- his eighth shot at the office.

Kath joins a growing list of retirements in the Minnesota House

Posted at 12:05 PM on May 21, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, MN Legislature

Rep. Kory Kath, DFL-Owatonna, announced today that he's not running for re-election. Kath, who was first elected in 2008, cited family considerations as the main reason he's not running again.

"For over four years my wife, daughter and son have sacrificed so much so I can prioritize our community needs in St. Paul, and I need to turn my attention to them now," Kath said in an e-mail to his colleagues and constituents. " I look forward to more days of tucking my kids into bed rather than hearing goodnight over the phone."

Kath is the 26th incumbent in the Minnesota House to announce that he's not running for re-election (14 Republicans and 12 Democrats).

Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake, announced last week that she's not going to challenge GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean in a primary. The two were paired in the same district when a new set of political lines were released in February. Dean won the GOP endorsement.

Here's the list of House retirements:

Democrats not running again:

Rep. Marion Greene, DFL-Minneapolis
Rep. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kate Knuth, DFL-New Brighton
Rep. Denise Dittrich, DFL-Champlin
Rep. Larry Hosch, DFL-St. Joseph
Rep. Bev Scalze, DFL-Little Canada (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kent Eken, DFL-Twin Valley (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Nora Slawik, DFL-Maplewood
Rep. Bill Hilty, DFL-Finlayson
Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville
Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia
Rep. Kory Kath, DFL-Owatonna

Republicans not running again:

Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove
Rep. Mike LeMieur, R-Little Falls
Rep. Pat Mazorol, R-Bloomington
Rep. Connie Doepke, R-Orono (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Ron Shimanski, R-Silver Lake
Rep. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount (running for the U.S. Senate)
Rep. Brandon Peterson, R-Andover (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mark Murdock, R-Perham
Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan
Rep. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo Township (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake

Note: Rep. Tom Tilberry, DFL-Fridley lost his party's endorsement to former Rep. Connie Bernardy. Tilberry hasn't said whether he'll run in a primary.

Bills suggests cuts to federal workforce to reduce deficit

Posted at 11:21 AM on May 21, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate, U.S. Senate

The newly endorsed Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate suggests that cutting the federal workforce is one of the ways he'd reduce the federal budget deficit.

In an interview with The Daily Circuit on MPR News, state Representative Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount, said this year's election will focus on specifics.

In particular, he wants to reduce the federal budget deficit by cutting programs. Bills didn't offer many specifics of his own but said he would look at the budget plan put forward by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc. He compared the success of North Dakota's economy to the federal government.

"One's booming of real economic growth that's natural resource-based, and the other one is booming because of borrowed money. So we have to get in and look at the federal workforce that has grown so much and pare that back so the private sector can grow," he said.

Bills won the Republican endorsement on Friday over several other candidates after receiving strong backing from delegates who support Texas Congressman Ron Paul's campaign for president.

Bills said he still backs Paul for president but will eventually back the GOP nominee. He also said he shouldn't be considered someone who agrees with Ron Paul on every issue.

"I had somebody ask me are you a Ronald Reagan Republican or a Ron Paul Republican?" Bills said. "I said I'm a Kurt Bills Republican. I think whatever your name is within the party, you're that person."

Bills said he doesn't expect a significant primary challenge. He will face DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November.

Bills said he's going to spend the day focusing on how much money his campaign needs to compete with Klobuchar. He said his campaign is looking at a budget of roughly $5 million but acknowledged he'll be outspent by Klobuchar. The latest campaign finance reports shows her with more than $5 million in the bank, much more than Bills has raised so far.

You can listen to the full interview here: Listen

Beihoffer elected Republican National Committeewoman

Posted at 9:09 PM on May 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

The Minnesota Republican Party's State Central Committee elected Janet Beihoffer as the state party's next Republican National Committeewoman. She defeated incumbent committeewoman Pat Anderson to win the position 215 to 124.

Beihoffer served as Election Day Operations Director for the state Party. She also serves as the party's Voting Integrity Director. In a statement, Beihoffer thanks the delegates for electing her.

"This is a critical time for our country, our state and our State Party, and I look forward to joining the team in this new capacity," Beihoffer said. "We must unite as conservatives and work to see our initiatives move forward and our candidates get elected. I am ready to get to work on behalf of our endorsed candidates as we head into November,"

Beihoffer will start her role after the Republican National Convention in August. Anderson, who served as State Auditor from 2006 until 2010, will represent the party at the Republican National Convention.

Anderson will leave her term as National Committeewoman after serving a year in the position. She played a big role in pushing the state party's financial problems to the forefront. Anderson pushed to have a more proper vetting of the party's books during Tony Sutton's time as chair. She also pushed to disclose all of the party's debt. The party revealed at the end of last year that it was nearly $2 million in debt.

The delegates also re=elected Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson as the state's Republican National Committeeman. Johnson was running unopposed.

Paul versus Romney

Posted at 2:51 PM on May 19, 2012 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

From Conrad Wilson:

ST. CLOUD - After nearly two full days at the state GOP convention, a Republican Party leader directly took on the divide between Ron Paul and Mitt Romney supporters.

Republican National Committeeman Jeff Johnson said everyone's avoided the "big old elephant in the room."

"There is a tension. It's a real tension. It's not perceived," he said. "It's what you're all talking about, it's what we're all taking about."

But Johnson said the party's been there before.

"We always have disagreements about what we should be focusing on or which candidates we should be supporting or maybe even some serious disagreements about the substance of actual issues," Johnson said.

To the Ron Paul supporters in the room, the "ones who are here because of Ron Paul," Johnson said, stay involved in the party.

"Don't disappear. Don't let someone else do the work. Don't lose interest."

Johnson told the "Ron Paul haters" at the convention to "get over it," he said. "If we don't grow, we die as a party ... We need to can Barack Obama and we need to file Amy Klobuchar. And we need to do it together."

Johnson will run unopposed later today to hold onto his party position.

Paul supporters score near sweep of national delegates

Posted at 3:04 PM on May 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck (8 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

ST. CLOUD - Supporters of presidential hopeful Ron Paul picked up 12 of 13 national delegates chosen at this weekend's state Republican party convention. They will represent the state party in Tampa, FL at the Republican National Convention.

The audience of mostly Paul supporters erupted after they realized they nearly swept the slate. It means 32 of the 40 delegates heading to Tampa are confirmed supporters of Ron Paul. Another potential Paul delegate, Don Huizenga,dropped his bid after he didn't pick up the needed 50 percent on the first ballot. His concession means GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann, a one-time candidate for president, can be a delegate at the national convention.

"We're very happy," said Pastor Kevin Erickson, a national delegate elected out of the 8th Congressional District. "From Minnesota, we'll cast 32 votes for Ron Paul. The rest, we'll see what happens."

The strength of Paul's supporters means several well known Republicans will not be headed to Tampa. They include former Congressman Mark Kennedy, state Rep. Keith Downey, Republican Party Treasurer Bron Scherer, Republican Party Deputy Party Chair Kelly Fenton and 6th District Republican Party Chair Jen Niska.

Paul supporters have said repeatedly that they are likely to back presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney in November but they say they want to send a message that candidates should stick to constitutional principals.

Paul played a major role at this weekend's convention. He spoke to delegates, held a fundraiser for the party and posed for pictures for hundreds of people who backed his campaign. Romney's presence was virtually nonexistent. His wife, Ann, recorded a video message but there were no surrogates.

Three of the national delegate slots are awarded to the state party chair, the Republican National Committeeman and the National Committeewoman.

Update: Paul supporters also picked up the 13 of the 13 alternate delegates to the RNC. That means 25 of the 26 people elected delegates and alternate delegates at the State Party Convention are Paul supporters. 32 of the 40 delegates to the RNC are confirmed Ron Paul supporters.

Note: Post has been updated that Huizenga conceded and to clarify delegate totals.

Cravaack warns of looming budget showdown

Posted at 1:45 PM on May 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8, U.S. Senate

(MPR Photo/Tom Scheck GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack addresses the 2012 MNGOP Convention)

From MPR's Conrad Wilson....

ST. CLOUD - Speaking before delegates at the state GOP convention, Eighth district Congressman Chip Cravaack warned that the GOP House could be in a budget battle later this year with President Obama.

"I can guarantee you that we are going to have one heck of a budget battle at the end of this year," Cravaack said in his speech to the delegates.

In an interview with MPR News following his speech, Cravaack said the only solution to the coming budget debate is for Republicans and Democrats to come together.

"One party's not going to solve this. We have to come together as Americans," he said. "We can't keep spending money we don't have."

If Congress doesn't pass a budget this year, across the board cuts in the current budget will get triggered. Cravaack, a former Navy pilot, said those cuts will hit defense spending especially hard.

"Sequestration is going to be absolutely disastrous for our military," he said. "Fifty-percent of that is coming out of national defense, which is only 20-percent of the actually budget in itself. So, do the math. An inordinate amount of money's being taken out of our military."

Cravaack was the only member of the state's Congressional delegation to address the convention. Republicans Eric Paulsen, John Kline and Michele Bachmann were noticeably absent.

Cravaack is facing a stiff reelection competition against three Democrats in the Eighth Congressional District. Former Congressman Rick Nolan won the DFL Party's endorsement but former state Senator Tarryl Clark and Duluth City Council member Jeff Anderson say they'll run in the primary.

You can listen to Cravaack's speech here: Listen

(MPR's Tom Scheck contributed to this report)

Convention gets rowdy as delegate voting starts

Posted at 12:27 PM on May 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

ST.CLOUD - Thirty-five people are asking the 2,200 delegates at the Minnesota Republican Party convention to select them as delegates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL.

The contest at the Minnesota convention showcases a growing divide between supporters of presidential candidate Ron Paul and the presumptive nominee Mitt Romney. Thirteen delegates slots are at stake. Both campaigns are putting forward a slate of candidates that they hope can get elected.

Clear divisions are emerging between Paul and Romney backers. Paul backers say they should back a candidate based on principles even if it's unlikely Paul will win the GOP nomination.

"Most of you know me as the Ron Paul person," Paul's state chair Marianne Stebbins said. "I will vote for Romney in the general election, but we as delegates need to take every opportunity as we go through convention processes and to nomination processes to support the candidates who really do believe in smaller government."

But several Romney supporters say they're concerned that the Paul backers could hurt Romney's chances to win the general election. Republican Party activist John Gilmore paid for campaign literature that calleded 22 candidates for delegate who back Ron Paul the "Convention Chaos Slate."

"The following candidates are running for National Delegate to create chaos at the National Convention in Tampa, and will help re-elect Barack Obama," the literature said.

Several of those listed on the sheet expressed surprise. Most said they would back the endorsed candidate, but a few declined. Some others said "if he adheres to the U.S. Constitution."

Others were mystified by the notion that they intend to cause chaos.

"As a professional wrestler, I'd like to challenge that guy to a cage match," said James McKinney, a former professional wrestler and dance instructor.

Many in the crowd booed when Kenn Cobb said that they had to unify behind Romney.

"We only get one nominee for president," Cobb told the crowd. "That's why it's time that tea party Republicans, pro-life Republicans, 2nd Amendment Republicans, main street Republicans, free market Republicans, Ronald Reagan Republicans and yes, Ron Paul Republicans come together to support our nominee who will be Mitt Romney."

Republican Party Chair Pat Shortridge tried to unify the delegates by calling the Conservative Chaos Slate "offensive.

"I don't think they'll embarrass us in Tampa," Shortridge told the audience. "If they get elected, I think they'll do a fine job. Vote for whatever slate you want to vote for."

The crowd applauded when the audience suspended the rules to allow someone to speak on Chris Tiedeman's behalf. Tiedeman was severely injured in a car accident in March.

"Chris started walking this week and he'll be ready to go in August in Tampa," Tiedeman's friend Luke Hellier said.

Delegates are now voting...

Tin Foil Hats at Republican Party Convention

Posted at 11:25 AM on May 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

Nathan Atkins of Minneapolis has an interesting take on those who question his love for Ron Paul - a tin foil hat. Atkins crafted a hat out of tin foil to mock those who say Paul supporters are believe in black helicopters and wear tin foil hats.

"A lot of people say the Ron Paul people are conspiracy nuts," Atkins said. "This is a play on that."

GOP officials call for unity as national delegate vote looms

Posted at 11:30 AM on May 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

Minnesota Republican Party officials are urging Republican delegates and voters to unify behind U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills.

Bills tried to showcase that unity this morning as he hosted a breakfast fundraiser for the Republican Party of Minnesota. The featured guest was Texas Congressman Ron Paul, a presidential candidate who has quite a following at this year's convention. Paul urged the party to rally around Bills' campaign, which he says stands conservative principles similar to his own.

"He can't even get their without your support and your money and your work and your effort," Paul said. "But he's the kind of individual who will stand strong."

The event attracted 600 people and raised $12,000 for the Republican Party of Minnesota. Minnesota Republican Party Chair Pat Shortridge thanked the audience, which was dominated by Paul supporters. But Shortridge said he wanted to see them work for all Republican candidates in November.

"This breakfast would not be successful and will not be successful if you're not taking this same passion, this same energy, this same enthusiasm, back to communities, back to where you live and to persuade people to get on the bus," Shortridge said.

But unity could face a big test later today as supporters of Paul and likely GOP nominee Mitt Romney battle to decide which candidate will win the 13 remaining delegates to represent the state party at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL.

The state party will have a total of 40 delegates at the national convention. They include party Shortridge, the state's National Committeeman and National Committeewoman. Twenty of the 24 delegates already selected at earlier conventions are backing Ron Paul over Romney.

And even though Romney is the presumptive nominee, he has little presence at this year's convention. Despite a handful of signs plastered on the convention walls, there are few people vocally supporting him. Romney surrogates, including former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, are not at the event speaking on his behalf. The party did play a 43-second video message from Romney's wife, Ann.

"President Obama has our country headed in the wrong direction, and it is up to us, together, to get this great nation back on track," Ann Romney said on the video message. "Mitt and I would appreciate your support for the Conservative Unity Slate endorsed by Romney for President."

That Conservative Unity Slate features GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann, Deputy Party Chair Kelly Fenton, former Congressman Mark Kennedy and several state lawmakers. The Romney campaign is trying to create a slate that could be attractive to supporters of Ron Paul.

But Paul supporters have been working behind the scenes to ensure that their delegates make it to Tampa. Mark Santelman of Winthrop is one of the Paul supporters who wants to be a national delegate. He said one of the reasons he wants to be at the convention in Florida is to force Romney and other national candidates to adhere to constitutional principles.

"If Romney is the candidate, I'm going to vote for him and work for him, but we want to bind him down," Santelman said. "That's my goal as a delegate is to just get a Republican Party that says OK, we're going to vet our candidates better."

Will be updated...

Ron Paul rocks GOP Convention

Posted at 6:21 PM on May 18, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

From MPR's Conrad Wilson...

Texas Congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul spoke at the Republican state convention in St. Cloud today.

Paul affirmed his support for state Representative Kurt Bills, who earlier won the GOP's endorsement to take on US Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November.

Paul's support helped propel Bills to winning the endorsement. As he talked to delegates about his message of limited government, personal liberty and a less aggressive U.S. foreign policy, Paul also struck a chord of bi-partisanship.

"Whether liberals or conservatives or modest Republicans, come together and do the right thing. What don't we just all come together and all obey the Constitution," Paul said. "That would be a unique idea."

Four years ago Paul was not allowed to speak to the state Republican convention.

You can listen to Paul's speech here: Listen

Severson says he has the network to win

Posted at 1:49 PM on May 18, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

With MPR's Conrad Wilson...

ST. CLOUD - Former Minnesota Rep. Dan "Doc" Severson took the stage in St. Cloud pushing a platform backed by "new American's and minorities." A former Navy pilot, Severson was the first Republican to announce his candidacy for U.S. Senate a year ago.

"I'm the only one running with a proven track record," Severson said. "I'm the only candidate with name recognition and an effective state-wide ground game."

Severson also mentioned that he received 1 million votes in his 2010 campaign for Minnesota Secretary of State. He lost that bid to DFLer Mark Ritchie. Severson also mentioned that Republicans haven't won a statewide election since 2006. He said Republicans have to reach out to nonwhite voters in the Twin Cities.

"We need to reach out to conservative groups in the inner city," he said. "I'm the only candidate who has reached out those minority communities. And in fact I've spent the last two years forging relationships."

Severson said, if elected, he'll work to repeal the federal health care law, the Dodd/Frank financial regulation bill and push to audit the federal reserve.

Severson also said his fingerprints were on the two proposed constitutional amendments that will be on the November ballot. He was an author of the definition of marriage amendment when he served in the Minnesota House. He also pushed for requiring people to show photo identification to vote.

During a video presented to the delegates, Severson touted his work on the so-called photo ID amendment.

"In 2010, I fought for photo ID and narrowly lost that battle to a [George] Soros funded incumbent but we won the war," Severson said. "Photo ID will be on the ballot in November."

Listen to Severson's speech here: Listen

Live Blog: Republican Party of Minnesota State Convention

Posted at 2:19 PM on May 18, 2012 by Michael Olson (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

Hegseth says he has experience to beat Klobuchar

Posted at 12:55 PM on May 18, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

With MPR's Conrad Wilson

ST. CLOUD- Pete Hegseth, a former Army Captain, told GOP delegates today that he has the political experience to defeat DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November.

"It will take more than courage to win this race in November," Hegseth said. "It will take the right candidate."

Hegseth said his experience as executive director of the group Veterans for Freedom will help build a campaign that can defeat the popular incumbent.

"We don't run against Democrats to make a point, we run against Democrats to win and then to govern with Republican principles."

Hegseth said he helped Republicans win federal races when he took over Vets for Freedom which has 95,000 members and raised over $10 million. He also said he'll work to highlight Klobuchar's record.

"Many Minnesotans have a warm and fuzzy feeling about her, but they don't know how she votes," Hegseth said. "Do they know she has a more liberal voting record than DFL Rep. Keith Ellison?"

Hegseth said that he stood up to liberals during his time at Princeton University, as executive director of Veterans for Freedom and while serving in Afghanistan.

"As your candidate for U.S. Senate, I will be the consistent, courageous conservative that you deserve," Hegseth said. "Not because I say so but because I always have been."

Hegseth said one of his biggest priorities will be to reduce the size of the federal deficit.
Referring to the economy, Hegseth said it's not just Democrats that got "us into this mess." He blamed Republicans for talking like conservatives on the campaign trail and then voting like Democrats in Washington.

Here's Hegseth's speech: Listen

Bills wants to "slay the giants"

Posted at 12:45 PM on May 18, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate

ST. CLOUD -The endorsement battle for U.S. Senate is underway at the Republican state convention.

State Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount, used the imagery of David vs. Goliath to showcase his race against DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

"Politically the experts say Amy Klobuchar is unbeatable, she's a nice person, and have you tried her hotdish recipe?" Bills told the audience. "But we're not here to elect Miss Congeniality."

Bills said he was basing his campaign on five principles: economic freedom, incentives, competition, voluntary exchange and private property

Bills, a high school economics teacher at Rosemount High School, has emphasized lowering the federal deficit and "taming the tax code." He also said that there is a deficit of leadership in Washington D.C. Bills linked Klobuchar to President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. He called Klobuchar a "rubber stamp" for their agenda.

"These liberals have teamed up to give us years of trillion dollar budget deficits," Bills said. "The debt that Klobuchar and Obama has created are a giant we face."

Bills is relying on Ron Paul supporters who are exhibiting their strength at the convention. He has Paul's endorsement and that of more than 40 state lawmakers including Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers.

State Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina, nominated Bills at the convention. He suggested Bills background as an economics teacher would help him win over swing voters.

"Let me show you the headline," Downey told the audience."Minnesota GOP endorses public school teacher for U.S. Senate."

You can listen to Bills' speech here: Listen

State Republican Convention prepares to endorse Senate candidate

Posted at 11:12 AM on May 18, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

(MPR Photo/Tom Scheck)

With Mark Zdechlik and Conrad Wilson

About 2,200 Republican delegates gathered in St. Cloud today. Their main job is to endorse a candidate for U.S. Senate. They will also vote on Saturday to parcel out the remaining 13 delegates that will represent Minnesota at the Republican National Convention in Tampa.

The morning's session got bogged down as delegates debated convention rules and how the convention will operate.

Some shouted "you're wrong" when Republican Party Chair Pat Shortridge announced that the party rules were mailed to every delegate. Others argued over the proper disclaimers on signs being raised on the convention floor.

Party officials are hoping that the U.S. Senate endorsement contest will start at noon.

There are five candidates vying for the party's endorsement but there are three that are getting the most attention.

State Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount, is the expected front-runner. Bills has the backing of presidential hopeful Ron Paul, Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, and Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers. Bills is a high school economics teacher serving his first term in the state House.

Minnesota National Guard Army Captain Pete Hegseth is also running. Hegseth has garnered plenty of national support including Texas Gov. Rick Perry. He was also executive director for Vets for Freedom, which supported former President George W. Bush on the war in Iraq.

Former state Rep. Dan Severson is also running. Severson is also a military veteran and has the most election experience, running as the Republican nominee for Minnesota Secretary of State in 2010. He lost that race to Mark Ritchie.

Harold Shudlick and Bob Carney are also running.

The endorsement contest is expected to start around noon. A candidate needs to win 60 percent support to win the endorsement.

Some delegates are still weighing their options. Fred Wright of Moorhead said he's not sure who he'll support for the Senate nomination.

"I think we've got three very good conservative candidates right now," Wright said. "Politically, ideologically they're all good. So I think then it becomes a question of who's got the strongest committee, who's done the most leg work, who a lot of the delegates feel is the most electable. It's going to an interesting day."

Bills, Severson and Hegseth have all agreed to step aside if one of the others wins party backing.

As MPR's Mark Zdechlik reported this morning, Ron Paul and his backers are exhibiting some strength at the convention.

Paul has announced that he's no longer actively campaigning for the White House but is still seeking delegate support at state conventions. Paul is expected to address the convention tonight. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is expected to win the presidential nomination.

Party leaders are hoping that any disputes between Paul supporters and Romney supporters is handled amicably. Arguments betwen factions at some other state party conventions resulted in shouts and fighting.

Shortridge started the convention by suggesting the group leave the convention unified and end "Republican on Republican violence."

Will be updated....

Ortman fails to win endorsement in re-election bid

Posted at 4:45 PM on May 16, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature, Redistricting, State Government

The Deputy Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate didn't win her party's endorsement for re-election on Tuesday night.

Republican delegates in Senate District 47 chose not to endorse a candidate after neither incumbent Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, nor auto mechanic Bruce Schwichtenberg could win 60 percent delegate support after five ballots.

No endorsement means primary voters will decide which candidate should represent the party in the November election.

Schwichtenberg says he believes his work as vice chair of the Carver County Republican Party will help him win the August primary. He said he's concerned that Ortman authored plans to tax internet purchases and make other changes that he considers tax increases.

"There's a lot of tax bills that she's authored that, quite frankly, a lot of Democrats would be proud of," Schwichtenberg said.

Ortman, who chairs the Senate Taxes Committee, did not respond to an interview request but said in a text message that she has no plans yet except to take a couple of days off.

Common Cause Minnesota calls for state ALEC investigation

Posted at 10:02 AM on May 15, 2012 by Catharine Richert (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

As part of a national campaign to draw attention to the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) activities, Common Cause Minnesota is asking state Attorney General Lori Swanson and the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to investigate whether the group has violated state law.

In a letter to Swanson, Common Cause Executive Director Mike Dean contends that ALEC, a tax-exempt charitable organization, lobbies state lawmakers, and has therefore misrepresented its purpose under state laws regarding charities.

"In view of the overwhelming evidence that ALEC is engaged in lobbying, I urge you to review its compliance with all applicable state laws or to refer this matter to the appropriate state regulatory authorities for their action," Dean wrote.

Meanwhile, Common Cause is also filing a complaint with the state's campaign finance board contending that ALEC should be registered as a lobby but isn't.

Groups organized as a 501(c)(3) under the Internal Revenue Code are allowed to lobby, as long as it doesn't constitute a substantial part of a group's activities.

ALEC is a national group with a conservative bent that caters to state lawmakers. It is best known for bringing together lawmakers and business interests to write model legislation.

ALEC's lawyer, Alan Dye, says that the group abides by legal lobbying limits, but that the organization is free to communicate with state lawmakers in ways not covered by those definitions, such as sending out research and analysis.

But Common Cause, a national liberal group that has been targeting ALEC's activities, says the group's talking points, model legislation, and other communications with state lawmakers are evidence of ALEC's lobbying efforts.

The letters sent to Swanson and the state campaign board by Common Cause Minnesota are part of the group's nationwide effort to scrutinize ALEC's activities. At least 29 state attorneys general have received similar requests, according to Common Cause.

Among other bits of lobbying evidence, Common Cause Minnesota points to memos sent from ALEC to Minnesota lawmakers regarding bills similar to ALEC model legislation, including one that would have allowed defendants to challenge whether a case should be defined as a class action suit, one that would have lowered the interest rate on judgements over $50,000, and one that urged Minnesota legislators to support the repeal of a moratorium on radiation therapy facility construction.

Common Cause recently filed a request with the Internal Revenue Service to look into ALEC's activities.

Dye called Common Cause's claims "patently false."

Rukavina joins retirement list

Posted at 10:48 AM on May 11, 2012 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

During his ill-fated run for governor, state Rep.Tom Rukavina addresses delegates at the 2010 DFL convention in Duluth, Minn. (Derek Montgomery for MPR)

Longtime Iron Range state Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, has announced he will not seek a 14th term in the Minnesota House.

Rukavina released a letter today announcing to his colleagues his decision to retire after 26 years in office. In the letter, Rukavina said his decision was expedited by what he termed "the changing atmosphere at the Capitol."

"I recall a kinder and gentler time here when even the most conservative members of our body still believed government could do good things for our people," Rukavina wrote. "But times changed, and I haven't, so it's time for a new direction."

Rukavina was well known for his passionate and often humorous floor speeches. He was a candidate for governor in 2010.

House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, was stunned and saddened by the news.

"He is one of the all-time characters," Zellers said. "He is a true people's representative. He is great guy, a great, great friend. I will miss him deeply."

Here's Rukavina's retirement letter:

Rukavina Retirement Letter

As session ends, liberal group launches campaign

Posted at 2:53 PM on May 10, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

Minutes after the gavel went down on the end of the 2012 legislative session, the Alliance for a Better Minnesota went live with a new website that will serve as a landing pad for the liberal group's campaign for Democrats to take back the Legislature.

"A Better Legislature" is "an online and paid media campaign to hold legislators accountable for their misplaced priorities and to make the public aware of the negative impacts of Republican leadership on Minnesota," a press release on the new website states.

The campaign will highlight homes and schools, the website says - two issues that the Republican-controlled Legislature has "consistently ignored" by "increasing property taxes on middle-class families and borrowing billions of dollars from Minnesota's schools."

If this video is any indication, "A Better Legislature" provides an peek at what ABM's strategy will be over the next few months: hammer the GOP for last year's government shutdown, two constitutional amendments that will be on the ballot this fall, and former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch's affair with former staffer Michael Brodkorb.

With financial assistance from a handful of wealthy donors, including members of Gov. Mark Dayton's family, unions and other interest groups, ABM poured all its resources into electing Dayton in 2010.

But Democrats lost control of the Legislature that year, and ABM leaders have said they plan to make winning seats for DFLers their priority in 2012.

Pawlenty to close remnants of national political operation

Posted at 3:23 PM on May 9, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Tim Pawlenty

WASHINGTON - Having long ago dropped out of the Republican presidential race, Tim Pawlenty is now bidding adieu to what's left of his national political organization.

The former Minnesota governor is closing the political action committee he used to launch his failed presidential bid. In a letter to the Federal Election Commission, the treasurer of Pawlenty's Freedom First PAC said the organization "has essentially been dormant" except for minor expenses related to winding the committee down.

The news was first reported by Politico.

Pawlenty was among the first candidates to enter the Republican presidential primary and used the Freedom First PAC to develop his political organization and pay for travel. He ended his campaign after a disappointing third-place finish in the symbolic Iowa straw poll in August.

Since leaving the presidential race, Pawlenty has endorsed the now-presumptive nominee, Mitt Romney, and has served as Romney's surrogate in the national media from time to time. Romney's supporters helped Pawlenty pay off his campaign debt.

Ron Paul to address state GOP convention

Posted at 2:13 PM on May 9, 2012 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul will speak at the Minnesota Republican Convention in St. Cloud on May 18.

Having the Texas Congressman speak "will highlight our common Republican purpose of restoring limited government and individual liberty by electing Republican candidates who believe in those core party principles," said Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Pat Shortridge.

"It will also establish the Republican Party as the growing party that is welcoming new people and new ideas and preparing to be a long-term, conservative governing majority," Shortridge said.

Paul is scheduled after the conclusion of the U.S. Senate endorsement, according to a party statement.

Paul's Minnesota supporters are already expected to be well represented at the convention. That could help Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount, as he seeks party endorsement to challenge DFL incumbent Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Bills endorsed Paul earlier this year, and Paul returned the favor.

Bills' opponents Dan Severson and Pete Hegseth have been playing up Bills' association with Paul. The two say that Bills and Paul's anti-establishment politics are out-of-step with most Republicans, and that Bills won't be able to beat Klobuchar in the general election as a result.

DCCC officially targets Kline

Posted at 3:09 PM on May 3, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD2, U.S. House

WASHINGTON - The national campaign arm of Democrats in the U.S. House has officially put Republican U.S. Rep. John Kline's 2nd District seat in its sights. It has put his DFL opponent former state Rep. Mike Obermuller on the group's "Red to Blue" list of possible districts to add to the Democratic column.

"[Obermuller] is going to have our full support," said Robby Mook, executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "We are already investing in a ground game there to help make sure we have the infrastructure to turn out the vote."

Kline's district is one of three in Minnesota that the DCCC will likely play a role in this fall. In the 1st District, the DCCC is helping U.S. Rep. Tim Walz defend his seat while the group is also engaged in the 8th District, where it hopes to topple first-term Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack.

Despite Kline's strong showing in the past four elections and a million dollars in his war chest, the DCCC and Obermuller say that Kline's votes on the Republican budget and the 2nd District's new boundaries, which now include DFL-leaning South St. Paul, change the electoral math in their favor.

While the DCCC has been making noise about the 2nd District since the new congressional district maps were released in February, it's not clear just how seriously they intend to compete there. Mook declined to say how much material support they would offer Obermuller, and the last DCCC foray against Kline turned out to be a $100 radio ad buy.

Kline's campaign declined to comment on the DCCC's announcement.

House forced to deal with Right-to-Work Amendment

Posted at 2:25 AM on April 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck (7 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

The Minnesota House tabled a measure that would have let voters decide if union membership and the payment of union dues should be voluntary for all workers. Rep. Mark Buesgens made a motion to send the proposal to the Rules Committee. He told reporters before he took the action that he wanted to get the bill moving again.

"It's obviously not getting a hearing where it's at," Buesgens told reporters. "It is very important to a large amount of my constituents. In fact, I heard more on this issue in the crowds that I hang around with than a stadium bill."

Buesgens also told reporters that he believed his motion would be the last chance for the House to vote on the issue this session.

"If they vote against this procedural motion, they have voted to kill Right-to-work for this session," he said.

The House voted 118-9 to table the bill.

This is the second time that a member tried to move the Right-to-Work amendment in the House. Rep. Doug Wardlow, R-Eagan, made a similar motion a few months ago. He was absent from the chamber when he was called to act on his motion.

The state's labor unions have been lobbying heavily to defeat the Right-to-Work amendment in the Legislature. The Senate successfully move the bill to the Senate Rules Committee but Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem said it doesn't have the votes to get out of committee.

Hegseth campaign takes on Kurt Bills and Ron Paul

Posted at 12:48 PM on April 26, 2012 by Catharine Richert (11 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, U.S. Senate

Between now and next month's Republican statewide nominating convention, expect Senate hopeful Pete Hegseth to distinguish himself from the competition by linking his rival, Kurt Bills, to presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Paul's message "is not one that's going to win the general election, and it's not one that's in line with Republicans and Minnesotans at large," said Hegseth's spokesman Kyler Nerison.

Bills endorsed Paul for president, and Paul has endorsed Bills, a member of the Minnesota House, in his effort to win the GOP nomination to run against DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Nerison said the campaign's goal is to make sure delegates at the convention are well aware of the Bills' association with Paul, who supports ending the Federal Reserve, pulling American troops out of Afghanistan, and other libertarian ideas controversial in some Republican circles.

Paul's supporters are expected to make a strong showing at this year's statewide convention. His Minnesota campaign manager told MPR that Paul won 20 of the 24 national delegates elected at Republican district conventions.

Nevertheless, Nerison said that Hegseth still plans to drop his Senate bid if he's not endorsed by the party.

June primary efforts fizzle

Posted at 8:56 PM on April 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Efforts to create an earlier primary in the state Legislature have fizzled tonight after a joint House/Senate conference committee stripped the measure from a broader elections bill.

The bill would have changed the state's political primary from August until June. The six member conference committee stripped the language from the bill after the Senate firmly rejected the plan earlier this week.

It means efforts to schedule an earlier primary are all but done for the year. Rep. Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, says he'll continue to push for an earlier primary.

"I will be an advocate for this issue," Daudt said. "If we don't get it through yet this session and at this point it may not be likely, we'll certainly take it up next session."

Supporters of the June primary say it would have increased voter turnout but critics complain that it would lengthen the campaign season. And since the legislative session runs until late May, critics add some state legislators would have less time to campaign. The primary language was a part of a larger elections bill.

Senate rejects June primary bill

Posted at 2:07 PM on April 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Senate rejected an elections bill today that would have created an earlier primary date in Minnesota.

The Senate voted 35-30 to send the bill back to conference committee for further negotiations. The move doesn't kill the bill for the session, but it sends a signal that the Senate was not in favor of a June primary. Several senators, including Sen. Dick Cohen, DFL-St. Paul and Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, said the June primary would create longer election seasons in Minnesota.

"What I hear when people discuss elections is that people find the length of elections tiresome," Cohen said.

Supporters say a June primary would increase voter turnout. They complained that the current August primary comes at a time when many people are vacationing.

"We all know that there's a tradition of vacationing in August," said Sen. Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka. "A June primary allows more people to participate in the process."

Bonoff also mentioned that the leaders in the DFL and Republican Parties supported the move to an earlier primary.

Today's Senate action comes several weeks after the House voted to move the primary to June. The conference committee will have to meet again to determine whether it should keep the June primary in the bill that includes several other elections issues.

Gov. Mark Dayton said he supports a June primary.

Gov. Dayton's dad gives to Republican Parry for Congress

Posted at 3:04 PM on April 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD1

Gov. Dayton's father, Bruce Dayton, has given $1,000 to Republican Mike Parry's campaign for Congress.

Parry is seeking the Republican endorsement for Congress in Minnesota's 1st District. He's challenging former state Rep. Allen Quist for the endorsement. The winner will face DFL Rep. Tim Walz in November.

Gov. Dayton's spokeswoman, Katharine Tinucci, confirmed that Bruce Dayton is the governor's father. She said Gov. Dayton had "no idea" about the contribution and that "his father does not discuss his political contributions with him."

Gov. Dayton is a Democrat, but The Center for Responsive Politics says Bruce Dayton has given to politicians from both parties (including Republicans who ran in the Minnesota's 1st District in past cycles).

What makes the contribution to Parry interesting is that Parry and Gov. Dayton have engaged in a war of words over the past two years. For example, Dayton canceled a meeting with Parry after Parry sent out a fundraising e-mail that criticized Dayton.

Bills reports raising $50,000 for Senate race

Posted at 10:45 PM on April 16, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races

The campaign for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Bills reports raising "more than $50,000" in the "first three weeks of fundraising." The campaign said he raised the money from more than 500 donors.

"The number of motivated, regular people contributing to our campaign is so encouraging because that is ultimately the key over the long haul," Bills' campaign chair Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina, said in a statement.

Since Bills report hasn't yet been published on the FEC site, it isn't clear whether the fundraising totals released by the campaign include money raised in the 2nd quarter of the year. Federal candidates are required to report their fundraising activities from January 1 through April 1. Bills announced his candidacy on March 8 of this year.

Update: Mike Osskopp, the campaign manager for Bills, says the FEC report will show BIlls raised $47k from 470 donors during the 1st Quarter of the year.

The Bills campaign also announced in a press release that Bills has the support of 34 legislators. His campaign has not yet provided specifics on which members are backing the Rosemount Republican.

Bills is the last Republican U.S. Senate candidate to release his fundraising reports. Army veteran Pete Hegseth reported raising $160,000 in the first quarter. Former state Rep. Dan Severson reported raising $53,000 in the same time period.

Whoever wins the GOP nomination will challenge DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November.

Coleman-backed super PAC gets $5 million from casino owner

Posted at 9:45 AM on April 16, 2012 by Brett Neely (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, U.S. House

WASHINGTON - A super PAC founded by former Minnesota U.S. Senator Norm Coleman has received a $5 million donation from billionaire casino titan Sheldon Adelson, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

Coleman founded the Congressional Leadership Fund last fall to take advantage of the unlimited fundraising and spending potential of super PACs, a less regulated form of political action committee. The Fund's goal is to back Republican House candidates and is closely allied with House Speaker John Boehner. Former Minnesota U.S. Rep. Vin Weber is also involved with the group.

Adelson, who runs the Sands Casino in Las Vegas and Macau, has become a prominent Republican donor this election cycle, contributing more than $16 million to a super PAC that backed the primary campaign of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for the GOP presidential nomination.

The $5 million donation by Adelson represents almost the entirety of the Congressional Leadership Fund's fundraising in the first three months of the year. The Fund reported bringing in almost $5.1 million between January and March. In the previous quarter, the super PAC raised just $131,000.

On Meet the Press, Bachmann praises Romney

Posted at 9:40 AM on April 15, 2012 by Catharine Richert (48 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Rep. Michele Bachmann, a former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, says she is "very seriously looking at an endorsement for Mitt Romney."

Bachmann, who left the race in January a day after she lost the Iowa causes, has said previously that she would get behind the eventual nominee.

In an interview on Sunday's Meet the Press, Bachmann had much praise for her former opponent, Romney.

She defended his wife, Ann, against comments made earlier in the week by Democratic pundit Hilary Rosen. Rosen said that Ann, a stay-at-home mom who raised five children, had "never worked a day in her life." She's among Democrats who argue that Romney has trouble connecting with female voters.

For her part, Bachmann said Rosen's comments were "shocking and insulting."

Bachmann also praised Romney's professional record.

"Mitt Romney is an extremely smart guy," Bachmann said. "He's been extremely successful in creating jobs in the private economy."

Romney's campaign "has a very optimistic message" compared to President Barack Obama's, Bachmann said.

Klobuchar takes in another million

Posted at 1:07 PM on April 13, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate, U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON - DFL U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar's war chest keeps expanding. Her re-election campaign announced Friday that the first-term Senator raised just over $1 million in the first quarter of 2012 and has just under $5.2 million cash on hand.

One of Klobuchar's potential GOP rivals, National Guard veteran Pete Hegseth reported this week that he raised $160,000 in his effort for the Republican endorsement.

More than 25 percent of Klobuchar's million dollar haul came from donors giving less than $200. About 50 percent came from donors giving more than $200 and political action committees contributed about 23 percent of her funds.

Robling not running for re-election

Posted at 10:06 AM on April 13, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature, Redistricting

The chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee announced this morning that she's not running for re-election. Sen. Claire Robling, R-Jordan, says she made the decision after thinking about it for the past year.

"Sixteen years in this position is long enough," Robling said in a statement. "I find my enthusiasm for doing this job for another four years is waning. I think it's time to let someone else step into this spot."

Robling also said that she's becoming more concerned that the Legislature has become more partisan over the years.

"I fear that statesmen are vanishing as partisanship deepens," Robling said in a statement. "It is very difficult to pass common sense measures into law these days because special interest groups block or promote agendas that only benefit themselves."

Robling was first elected in 1996 and didn't face a serious challenge in the upcoming election. She has represented Scott County over the past ten years.

Robling is one of the most senior members in the Senate Republican Caucus. She's also the 14th member of the Senate to announce that they're not running in November (10 Republicans and four Democrats). A court panel released a new set of political boundaries in February.

Update: Here's an interview MPR's Tom Crann did with Robling:

Here's the list of retirements:

Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon
Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas (opted to run for Congress in the 7th District but lost the endorsement to Lee Byberg)
Sen. Doug Magnus, R-Slayton
Sen. Al DeKruif, R-Madison Lake (announced retirement after he was paired with GOP Sen. Julie Rosen)
Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca (running for Congress in the 1st District)
Sen. Amy Koch, R-Buffalo
Sen. Michael Jungbauer, R-East Bethel(lost endorsement battle with GOP Sen. Michelle Benson)
Sen. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista
Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina
Sen. Clair Robling, R-Jordan
Sen. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley
Sen. Linda Higgins, DFL-Minneapolis
Sen. Ken Kelash, DFL-Minneapolis (lost endorsement battle to Michelle Wikilund)
Sen. Mary Jo McGuire, DFL-Falcon Heights (lost endorsement battle to DFL Sen. John Marty)

McCollum raises $123,000 in first quarter

Posted at 4:48 PM on April 12, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD4, U.S. House

WASHINGTON - DFL U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum raised more than $123,000 toward her re-election campaign in the first three months of 2012. The veteran St. Paul lawmaker has more than $222,000 in the bank, her campaign said Thursday.

McCollum has raised less than other members of the Minnesota congressional delegation who have announced their figures so far.

GOP candidate Dan Flood dropped out of the race for the Republican endorsement last month, and McCollum's only rival is Republican Anthony Hernandez, who has not yet filed his fundraising paperwork. Hernandez had been competing for the GOP endorsement for the U.S. Senate race but left that contest in favor of taking on McCollum last month.

Koenen wins special election to replace Kubly

Posted at 9:43 PM on April 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting

State Rep. Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City, has won a special election to fill the seat of the late Sen. Gary Kubly. Koenen received 54 percent of the vote. Republican Gregg Kulberg received 40 percent and Independence Party member Leon Greenslit was third with five percent of the vote. The district includes Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Renville, Swift and Yellow Medicine counties.

Gov. Dayton called the special election to fill the vacant seat after Kubly died from ALS in March. Koenen will serve out the remainder of Kubly's term but will also challenge GOP Sen. Joe Gimse in a newly configured Senate district. A court-appointed panel paired Gimse and Kubly when they designed the new political boundaries in February.

Koenen announced he would challenge Gimse after he was paired Rep. Andrew Falk, DFL-Murdock in the new political boundaries.

Update: Gov. Dayton spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci says Dayton will not call a special election to fill Koenen's seat. She said it's not possible to fill the seat this legislative session (based on timing). She said the seat will be filled on the Nov. 6 general election.

Biden in Minnesota today for Klobuchar fundraiser

Posted at 6:00 AM on April 11, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate, U.S. Senate

Vice-President Joe Biden will be in Minneapolis this morning to raise money for Senator Amy Klobuchar.

Biden will hold the fundraiser at The Hilton in downtown Minneapolis. Donors are being asked to give from $125 per person to $25,000 with the contributions shared by Klobuchar and the DFL Party. Biden has no public events scheduled during his visit.

Klobuchar, who is in her first-term, is considered a safe bet for reelection in November but Republicans say she can be beaten because she voted in favor of the bank bailouts, the federal stimulus and the federal health care law. Three Republicans are vying for their party's endorsement to challenge Klobuchar. They are state Representative Kurt Bills, Army veteran Pete Hegseth and former state Representative Dan Severson.

This isn't the first time Biden has held a private fundraiser in the state. He held a Minneapolis fundraiser for President Obama's reelection last May.

With Santorum out, MNGOP Chair expects Republicans to back Romney

Posted at 3:06 PM on April 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race

The Chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party says he expects the focus of the presidential campaign to shift to a general election fight between President Obama and Mitt Romney.

Pat Shortridge says he expects Mitt Romney to be his party's nominee now that Rick Santorum has suspended his campaign. Shortridge says he expects Republicans to start rallying around Romney's campaign.

"As long as he continue to frame and hone his message in terms of offering solutions to the problems we face, I think he's going to win that conservative support," Shortridge said.

Shortridge says it's hard to predict what impact Santorum's Minnesota supporters will have at the national convention. Santorum won the party's non-binding straw poll at Minnesota's precinct caucuses in February. Minnesota Republicans will vote at the state party convention next month on which delegates go the Republican National Convention in Tampa Bay, Florida in August.

Graves jumps in the race to challenge Bachmann

Posted at 3:02 PM on April 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. House, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD6, Michele Bachmann

From MPR's Conrad Wilson...

A Minnesota businessman has entered the race to challenge Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. Jim Graves told supporters today in St. Cloud that he plans to seek the DFL endorsement in the state's 6th Congressional District.

Graves lives in Minneapolis, but grew up in the St. Cloud area and says he'll establish residency there. He started Graves Hospitality, a hotel management company with hotels in Minneapolis, Chicago and New York. He says 6th District residents need more jobs and higher wages.

"This is a very serious job and I think the 6th District deserves someone full-time that can roll up their sleeves. And believe me, we will," Graves said. "I will stand toe to toe, face to face, bring out the facts and debate with Michele Bachmann what's best for the 6th District."

St. Cloud attorney Anne Nolan and Twin Cities businessman Brian McGoldrick are also seeking the DFL endorsement. Graves says he hasn't decided whether he'll seek the nomination in the primary if he doesn't get the endorsement.

You can listen to Graves announcement here: Listen

Pawlenty terminates presidential campaign

Posted at 11:33 AM on April 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Tim Pawlenty

The former Republican governor announced in August that he was no longer running for president but it took him eight months to officially end his campaign.

Pawlenty filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission this week indicating he erased his campaign debt and terminated his campaign committee.

Pawlenty incurred nearly a half a million dollars in debt last fall. Since leaving the race, Republican front-runner Mitt Romney has been helping Pawlenty whittle away at his obligations. By last month the amount was down to $17,500.

"It was truly an honor to run for President of the United States," Pawlenty said in a statement. "Mary and I will be forever grateful to the many supporters who inspired and sustained the campaign. I am also glad we were able to pay all campaign debts and wind down the campaign properly."

Pawlenty was once considered a top-tier candidate for president. But his failure to excite the Republican base and his third place finish in the Iowa straw poll doomed the campaign.

Pawlenty has been actively campaigning for Romney's campaign for president.

President Obama's MN campaign opposes marriage amendment

Posted at 11:48 AM on April 9, 2012 by Tom Scheck (10 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Marriage Amendment

President Obama's campaign in Minnesota has issued a statement saying the campaign will oppose the state's proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

"While the President does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the record is clear that the President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same sex couples," said Kristen Sosanie, spokeswoman for the Obama for America - Minnesota campaign. "That's what the Minnesota ballot initiative would do - it would single out and discriminate against committed gay and lesbian couples - and that's why the President does not support it."

This isn't the first instance where President Obama has spoken out about a ballot initiative that bans same-sex marriage. The campaign released a statement in March saying Mr. Obama opposed the amendment in North Carolina.

The statement comes as Mr. Obama is courting the gay community heading into the November election. He has long opposed efforts to allow gay couples to marry but said his views on gay marriage "are evolving." His administration, however, is no longer defending the federal Defense of Marriage Act and says it blocks gay rights.

It isn't certain what impact the campaign will have on the constitutional amendment efforts to ban same-sex marriage. Groups have been raising millions to both support and oppose the amendment.

Update: It should be noted that Minnesota law currently bans same-sex marriage.

Biden to raise money for Klobuchar in Minneapolis

Posted at 12:08 PM on April 4, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate, U.S. Senate

Vice President Joe Biden will hold a fundraiser for DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar at The Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis on April 11. The fundraising letter is asking donors to give $10,000 for VIP seating, program recognition and a photo with Biden. Those who give $25,000 will be considered chairs of the event. There are a variety of other suggested contributions. The lowest cost donation to get into the fundraiser is $125.

The fundraising letter says Klobuchar's campaign will split the money raised from the event with the Minnesota DFL State Central Committee.

The White House has not announced Biden's visit yet, so it's unknown whether the fundraiser will be public. It also isn't known whether Biden will hold any other events during his time in Minnesota.

Political committees emerge on both sides of voter ID

Posted at 11:26 AM on April 3, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012

With a constitutional amendment to require photo identification at the polls all but certain to be on the ballot this fall, outside groups are lining up campaigns both sides of the issue.

ProtectMyVote.com was registered with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board on March 27.

ProtectMyVote.com will be spearheaded by Minnesota Majority's Dan McGrath. His organization has long supported voter ID rules.

McGrath wouldn't give many details, but said there's already been some fundraising behind the effort. He said to expect more once the House and Senate approve the voter ID conference committee report.

There's another Dan McGrath in Minnesota who will be working to oppose voter ID. He leads TakeAction Minnesota, a liberal grassroots organizing group, which is bringing together a range of organizations to fight the effort.

"We're all in the process of fashioning together one overarching campaign and TakeAction Minnesota is certainly going to play a big role with it along with a lot of unions, a lot of non-profits, a lot of service providers, a lot of homelessness groups," TakeAction Minnesota's McGrath said.

McGrath wouldn't name the groups, but he added they'll be launching a formal campaign within days.

Voter ID supporters, opponents trade barbs

Posted at 1:28 PM on April 2, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

Officials with the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota say nobody won its cash reward for proof of a prosecuted voter impersonation case that a proposed voter ID constitutional amendment would have prevented.

Just two claims were made on the $1,000 reward, including one from the pro voter ID group Minnesota Majority and another from an individual. But ACLU Executive Director Chuck Samuelson said today that neither example met the reward criteria and the money will be used to help defeat the amendment in November. Samuelson contends the voter ID requirement could prevent thousands of eligible Minnesotans from voting.

"This amendment for example potentially could cause three quarters of a million people to be denied the right to vote, 215,000 by the fact that they either don't have a state identification card, or the state identification card that they have has an improper address," Samuelson said.

Dan McGrath, executive director of the election watchdog group Minnesota Majority, said the Anoka County case he recently highlighted would have been prevented under a voter ID law. He said the ACLU was making a carefull attempt to welch on the bet.

"I think we've won this particular point, and they're not willing to concede that," McGrath said.

Earlier in the day, McGrath and other voter ID advocates held their own news conference to criticize DFL Secretary of State Mark Ritchie over recent comments about the amendment. They take issue with Ritchie's claims that the requirement would end same-day registration and delay election results.

"At best what he's doing is unfounded, wild speculation," McGrath said.

Asked for a response to the specific allegations, Ritchie issued this written statement:

"As the lead election official in the state, who partners with local officials in administering our state's elections, the Office of the Secretary of State has the responsibility for providing public information about how proposed legislation will impact our election system, individual voters, election administrators and taxpayers. Decades of careful bi-partisan election reform has provided Minnesotans with a secure and accurate election system that is the best-in-the-nation. This office will continue to provide information to the public while we work with local election officials to administer what will be the largest election in Minnesota history this November."

Dems and liberal groups target Kline and Cravaack with ads

Posted at 11:45 AM on April 2, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012, U.S. House

SEE UPDATE BELOW

WASHINGTON - With Congress on spring recess, opponents of Republican Reps. John Kline and Chip Cravaack are welcoming the pair back to Minnesota with ads attacking their recent votes for a Republican budget outline.

Kline is not typically a target of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which works to elect Democrats to the House. But national Democrats think that redistricting, which eliminated some conservative-leaning parts of Kline's 2nd District and added some potentially Democratic voters in South St. Paul, may make the five term member of Congress vulnerable.

The DCCC's radio ad asks, "Did you know Congressman John Kline voted twice to essentially end Medicare to give tax breaks to millionaires. Tell Kline to fight for Medicare!"

All four Minnesota Republicans serving in the U.S. House voted last week on a budget that would convert Medicare from an insurance program backed by the federal government to one in which seniors could get government vouchers to buy private health insurance with. The plan also envisions broad tax cuts but eliminates unspecified tax breaks.

Cravaack's vote for the budget plan is also a central component of TV ads airing this week in the Duluth area paid for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and Americans United for Change.

The ad says, "[Cravaack] voted to cut Medicare benefits to give millionaires and big oil companies another tax break!"

The ads against Cravaack and Kline are part of wider campaigns. AFSCME is spending $50,000 to target Cravaack and three other Midwestern Republicans. The DCCC won't say how much it's spending on radio ads against Kline, but it's also targeting seven other House Republicans who could be facing competitive races this fall.

UPDATE According to the National Republican Congressional Committee, the DCCC spent just $100 to broadcast its ads against Kline, part of a low-cost strategy designed to attract media attention.

"Minnesota families can't even buy a tank of gas on what the DCCC is spending on this campaign to scare seniors," said NRCC spokeswoman Andrea Bozek.

Dean, Marty, Byberg among those winning endorsements Saturday

Posted at 7:42 PM on March 31, 2012 by Mike Mulcahy (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, U.S. House

From MPR's Rupa Shenoy:

Party delegates endorsed candidates at a number of local conventions around the state Saturday and here are some of the highlights:

--In House District 38B incumbent Republicans Matt Dean of Dellwood and Carol McFarlane of White Bear Lake were paired by redistricting. Dean, the House Majority Leader won the GOP endorsement on the first ballot.

Afterward McFarlane stood weeping outside the auditorium while Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, who had stopped by unexpectedly, tried to comfort her.

McFarlane and Dean had agreed before the convention to abide by its decision. But after the vote McFarlane told reporters she wasn't sure what she would do next.

"It's too early to say anything," she said. "I need to rest and reflect."

Candidates who pledged to abide by the GOP endorsement have to pay $2,500 to the party if they run in the primary.

Dean said McFarlane has strong support within the party and he wasn't surprised that the endorsement vote was close. He said it was "awful" to go up against a Republican colleague.

But Dean said he expects McFarlane to stand by the earlier agreement to abide by the endorsement.

--Delegates in Senate District 31 also had to choose between two GOP colleagues: first-term Sen. Michelle Benson of Ham Lake and third-term Sen. Michael Jungbauer of East Bethel. Delegates voted five times before Benson had the 60 percent to win. Jungbauer stepped aside and said he was happy to support her.

--In Senate District 54 66, DFL Sens. John Marty of Roseville and Mary Jo McGuire of Falcon Heights were pitted against each other. Marty won on the first ballot and McGuire said she'll retire.

--And in the 7th Congressional District, the Republican party endorsed Lee Byberg to challenge longtime DFL Congressman Collin Peterson. Byberg won the endorsement on the first ballot over state Sen. Gretchen Hoffman.

"Gretchen Hoffman ran a great race, and I know she has a bright future in politics" Byberg said in a statement.

Both candidates pledged to abide by the endorsement and forego a primary challenge.

"Republicans are united and we are convinced that come November Rep. Peterson will be retiring to the 7th District. We know our message of fiscal discipline, limited government, and faith in free enterprise is exactly what Minnesotans believe. Collin has been in Washington too long, and is helping impose Washington values on Minnesotans.

"It's time to bring Minnesota values to Washington instead," said Byberg.

DFL Party leaders concerned about 8th District primary battle

Posted at 1:09 PM on March 29, 2012 by Mark Zdechlik (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Minnesota DFL Party Chair Ken Martin says he's disappointed two of the three Democrats running for Congress in the 8th District will not be abiding by the party's endorsement and instead will run in the August primary election.

In a letter to supporters today, Duluth city Council member Jeff Anderson said he will not to compete for the endorsement. Anderson writes that his support for the mining industry and job creation make the endorsement unattainable, and that a primary campaign is the only route for him.

"To win the DFL endorsement a candidate must be soft on the core issues that are most important to the voters of this district," Anderson wrote.

Of the three DFLers running, only former Rep. Rick Nolan has pledged to end his campaign if another Democrat wins the endorsement.

Earlier this month former State Sen. Tarryl Clark said she too would run in the DFL primary.

Party chair Martin says a primary battle will, "not only waste resources but also create an unnecessary distraction," from the goal of unseating first-term Republican Chip Cravaack.

Democrats consider Cravaack the most vulnerable Republican member of Minnesota's congressional delegation going into the 2012 elections.

National GOP launches ad campaign against Peterson

Posted at 6:05 PM on March 28, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012, U.S. House

WASHINGTON - The House Republican campaign committee thinks longtime DFL U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson may be vulnerable in this year's election and has launched a $41,000 TV ad campaign against him.

The National Republican Congressional Committee's ads say that Peterson, a founder of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition, has "changed" when it comes to his support of a balanced budget.

The NRCC cites Peterson's votes against a 2011 Republican budget proposed by Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan to show that he's no longer a fiscal conservative. Further, the ad goes on to accuse Peterson, who opposed President Obama's health care law when it went through the House, of voting to uphold Obama's "takeover of healthcare." You can see the ad here.

The ad campaign comes ahead of this weekend's 7th District Republican endorsement convention to choose a candidate to run against Peterson. Lee Byberg and State Sen. Gretchen Hoffman are both running to unseat Peterson, who defeated Byberg in 2010 by 17 percentage points.

Peterson also has a considerable financial advantage against both Republicans, with $676,000 in his campaign account, compared to $128,000 for Byberg. Hoffman, who declared her candidacy recently, has not yet filed federal campaign finance reports.

WIN Minnesota director moves to Obama campaign

Posted at 4:10 PM on March 28, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Expect some changes at President Barack Obama's Minnesota re-election office.

Starting Monday, Jeff Blodgett, who was executive director of WIN Minnesota, will direct Obama's state campaign. Blodgett had the same job in 2008.

Blodgett's replacement at WIN Minnesota is Adam Duininck, who previously served as legislative and political director for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49.

"Our number one goal is to take back the Legislature for progressives," Duinick said. "We need to take back our state from tea party extremists and get the focus back on bread and butter issues such as jobs, economic fairness and building our roads, schools and infrastructure."

WIN Minnesota raises cash for political groups, most notably the Alliance for a Better Minnesota, which helped Gov. Mark Dayton win the 2010 gubernatorial election.

One of WIN Minnesota's most generous donors is Alida Messinger, Dayton's ex-wife and daughter of John D. Rockefeller III. She also serves on WIN Minnesota's board, and Blodgett is considered once of her closest advisers.

Senate passes measure that would allow alcohol sales at TCF Stadium

Posted at 1:18 PM on March 28, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Senate passed a bill today that would allow the University of Minnesota to sell alcohol at college football games. Right now there is no liquor sold at the stadium and the measure would end a long-running dispute between the University of Minnesota and the State Legislature.

The U of M and the Legislature have been at odds over where and how the U of M could sell alcohol during its games. The university wanted to sell alcohol only in suites but lawmakers complained that anyone over the age of 21 should be allowed to purchase alcohol.

Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, added the amendment to a broader liquor bill. He said the proposal has the support of both sides.

"I would present it as peace in the valley," Michel said.

The proposal requires that the U of M sell the alcohol in a place that is convenient to everyone and that those legal to purchase alcohol have access to the area. Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, said the measure would ensure that those who legally allowed to drink alcohol can purchase it at the game.

"Part of the problem at TCF Stadium is that maybe when it was built it wasn't set up to be serving alcohol in the way that we would be normally be used to in a football stadium," Tomassoni said. "This compromise allows them to set it up in a way that it will work there."

The measure would also allow alcohol to be sold at Minnesota Vikings games played at TCF stadium.

Senate GOP spends $561 million on bonding bill that focuses mostly on local projects

Posted at 8:08 AM on March 28, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Senate Republicans have proposed a public works bill that spends $561 million on projects throughout Minnesota. The plan focuses mostly on local projects throughout the state including $39 million for the University of Minnesota. $127 million for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, $30 million for flood mitigation, $25 million for a new building at the Minneapolis Veterans Home and funding for the Hormel Institute, the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester and St. Cloud Civic Center. (Full spreadsheet below)

The Senate also spends dramatically less that House Republicans on renovating the State Capitol. House Republicans are proposing to spend $221 million to renovate the Capitol. The Senate bill spends $25 million.

The House has two bonding bill proposals moving. The $221 million for the State Capitol Renovation and a $280 million borrowing plan for local projects.

The plan is also smaller than Gov. Dayton's plan that borrows $775 million.

Here's a breakdown of the projects in the Senate bill ($561 million total cost. State's general fund obligation is $462m)

University of Minnesota $39,060,000
-$35 million for asset preservation

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities 127,028,000
-$32 million for asset preservation
-$5.9 million for Anoka/Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids
-$13.3 million for workforce program renovation at Minneapolis Technical College
-$26 million for North Hennepin Community College Bioscience and Health Careers Addition
-$13.8 million for lab renovation at Ridgewater College, Willmar

Department of Education 1,000,000
Minnesota State Academies 1,000,000
-Perpich Center for Arts Education 263,000

Natural Resources 56,000,000
-$30 million for flood hazard mitigation
-$6 million to fight invasive species
-$5 million to develop the Lake Vermilion State Park

Pollution Control Agency 5,256,000
Board of Water and Soil Resources 12,000,000
Agriculture 706,000
Rural Finance Authority 33,000,000
Zoological Garden 7,000,000
Administration 35,867,000
-$25 million for State Capitol Renovation
-$5 million for Washburn Center for Children

Amateur Sports 375,000
Military Affairs 25,000,000
-$19.5 million for addition to Camp Ripley
Public Safety 4,037,000
Transportation 43,500,000
-$20m local bridge renovation
-$14.2 million local road improvement grantss

Metropolitan Council 12,850,000
Human Services 2,500,000
Veterans Affairs 29,816,000
-$25.4 million for a Minneapolis Veterans Home building.

Corrections 12,391,000
Employment and Economic Development 77,850,000
-$13.5 million for Hormel Institute
-$10 million for the St. Cloud Civic Center Expansion
-$32 million for Mayo Civic Center Expansion in Rochester

Public Facilities Authority 24,850,000
-$20 million for Wastewater Treatment.

Housing Finance Agency 6,000,000
Minnesota Historical Society 3,250,000

Bond Sale Expenses 560,000

TOTAL $ 561,159,000
Bond Proceeds Fund (General Fund Debt Service) 462,283,000
Bond Proceeds Fund (User Financed Debt Service) 64,676,000
State Transportation Fund Bond Proceeds (General Fund Debt
Service) 34,200,000

Here's the spreadsheet:

Capital Investment

Dayton rips Republicans over constitutional amendments

Posted at 2:05 PM on March 26, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Marriage Amendment, State Government

Gov. Dayton is criticizing Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature for putting measures on the ballot that they couldn't get signed into law. Speaking at a rally held by the National Association of Social Workers, Minnesota Chapter, Dayton said he doesn't support the Legislature's focus on constitutional amendments.

"This is supposed to be the center of democracy for the state of Minnesota," Dayton said. "That involves the give and take between the legislative branch and the executive branch. It doesn't mean going around a governor because I can't veto a constitutional amendment and putting constitutional amendments on the ballot that the DFLers don't have anything to say about."

He said he was especially concerned about amendments "that would take away people's rights."

Dayton also expressed confidence that Minnesota would be the first state to reject a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

The House and Senate have also each passed a constitutional amendment to require people to present photo identification to vote. A House/Senate conference committee is expected to be appointed to reconcile the differences on the bill. If the House and Senate agree on new language, both chambers would have to vote again on it for it to pass.

Other lawmakers say they'd also like to pass the "right-to-work" constitutional amendment that would make union membership and dues voluntary for all members.

The governor cannot veto constitutional amendments, so the questions would be put on the ballot if the House and Senate pass the legislation.

Gruenhagen defeats Shimanski in endorsement battle

Posted at 4:15 PM on March 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

Rep. Glenn Greunhagen, R-Glencoe, has won an endorsement battle over Rep. Ron Shimanski, R-Silver Lake.

"Ron Shimanski has conceded," McLeod County Republican Party Chair  Eric Harpel announced on Twitter. 

Harpel reported on Twitter that Shimanski conceded the race after Gruenhagen was close to winning the endorsement. Gruenhagen secured support from nearly 60 percent of the delegates at the convention on the second ballot.  

This is the first endorsement battle between paired incumbents. Shimanski and Gruenhagen both said they wanted to continue to serve and decided that they would let the delegates decide who should represent the Republican Party in November.  

Shimanski currently chairs the House Judiciary Policy and Finance Committee. Gruenhagen is currently serving in his first-term in the Minnesota House.

There is one other endorsing convention today that features two incumbents.

Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis, and Rep. Marion Greene, DFL-Minneapolis are vying for their party's endorsement today at a convention in Minneapolis. The contest is still going on.

Update: There are reports on Twitter that Greene has conceded the endorsement battle to Hornstein.

Slawik retires

Posted at 3:34 PM on March 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

Rep. Nora Slawik, DFL-Maplewood, announced today that she won't be running for reelection. Slawik, who was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1996, cited financial obligations for not running again.

"While I would thoroughly enjoy the honor of continuing to represent our area, the financial circumstances of having one child in college and another preparing for college make that difficult," Slawik said in a statement.

Slawik is best known at the State Capitol for her work around early childhood education.  She said she's most proud of the work she's done to help establish the Office of Early Learning, create a Quality Rating System for child care in the state and helped secure Race to the Top money for Minnesota.

Update: DFL Rep. Denise Dittrich is also retiring.

DFLers cry foul after Republicans abruptly cancel Ethics hearing

Posted at 11:55 PM on March 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

The Senate Ethics Committee was scheduled to meet after the Senate floor session late Friday night but the meeting was abruptly canceled by Ethics Committee Chair Michelle Fischbach. Fischbach, a Republican from Paynesville, issued a statement saying she was not going to reconvene the hearing that focused on an ethics complaint against Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina.

"At this time, I do not intend to reconvene the Senate Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct tonight," Fischbach said in a statement. "It is under advice of counsel that we give them an opportunity to further consider the matter before proceeding with additional committee discussion."

Fischbach's statement said she will "honor Senate rules that state action must be taken within 30 days of receiving the complaint." Her action surprised the two DFL members of the Ethics Committee, Sen. Kathy Sheran, DFL-Mankato, and Sen. John Harrington, DFL-St. Paul.

Sheran and Harrington waited for an hour for an explanation as to why the committee wasn't meeting, as planned. Sheran said she's disappointed Fischbach canceled the meeting, which she said Fischbach didn't have the authority to do.

"She wants to set the agenda by herself and she wants to control the outcome," Sheran said.

The Ethics Committee, made up of two Republicans and two DFLers, was deadlocked on how to handle a complaint against Sen. Michel.

The complaint against Michel centers around whether he lied about when he knew about an affair between former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and former Senate Republican Caucus spokesman Michael Brodkorb. The complaint also alleged Michel should have acted more quickly when he learned of the affair. Michel says he has done nothing wrong.

Part of the reason the Ethics Committee is deadlocked is that members are reluctant to discuss issues involving Brodkorb. The Senate fired Brodkorb one day after Koch resigned her leadership position. Brodkorb has said he's going to file a gender discrimination suit against the Senate because he argues female staffers who had affairs with male lawmakers did not lose their jobs.

Senate officials say Brodkorb was not fired because he had an affair with Koch but because the will was no longer there to employ the at-will employee.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem acknowledged that there appears to be some concern that the Ethics Committee could be opening itself up to additional litigation.

"Part of it (the hearing delay) is how much can be said at this hearing that could affect the other hearing (lawsuit)," Senjem said. "That's a bit of a concern."

Senjem declined comment when asked whether the Senate's outside counsel expressed concerns that the hearing could open the Senate up to additional litigation.

Senate set to vote on Voter ID

Posted at 3:24 PM on March 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Senate is expected to vote sometime today on a constitutional amendment that would require people to present photo identification to vote. The measure, which has already passed the House, has drawn significant protest from labor unions, DFL leaning groups and others.

Before the Senate went into session, about 300 people held a silent protest outsie the Senate gallery. Some held signs saying "All of our voices count." Others had $1 bills taped over their mouths to signify that their voices were being drawn out by corporate interests.

Supporters of the amendment argue that requiring photo identification at the polls will ensure that elections are legitimate.

The measure that passed out the Senate Rules Committee is slightly different than the House ballot question. If the Senate passes legislation that is different, a joint House/Senate conference committee would likely have to reconcile the differences.

Gov. Dayton cannot veto a constitutional amendment, so the question will be put on the November ballot if it passes the House and Senate.

The Senate went into session but recessed so the Senate DFL and GOP caucuses can discuss the proposal in private.

Will be updated....

The Senate passed the amendment 36-30. Republican Jeremy Miller of Winona joined every DFLer in voting against the amendment. Every other Republican voted for it.

Swing stadium vote still listening, not committed

Posted at 8:20 PM on March 22, 2012 by Tim Nelson (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Vikings stadium

Minneapolis city council member Sandy Colvin Roy was huddled in the City Council chambers until just before 7 p.m. tonight, talking Vikings stadium.

She walked out with council president Barbara Johnson, one of the plan's biggest backers. But Colvin Roy said she hasn't signed onto the memorandum that Johnson and Mayor R.T. Rybak want to present to lawmakers, to show the city is ready to ratify a stadium deal.

"I had a knee-jerk reaction to subsidies for sports stadiums," Colvin Roy said, as she was leaving the building. "But I have been listening to the financial projections, I have been listening to the city attorney, I have been listening to my constituents. Nothing got signed today."

That's a crucial point. Colvin Roy is possibly THE pivotal vote on the council, which would have to approve a key detail of the city's Vikings stadium plan, diverting state-authorized sales taxes to a new NFL venue, after they pay off the city's Convention Center.

Stadium supporters sent in the plan's chief financial consultant and development director Chuck Lutz to meet with Colvin Roy. She said it wasn't a brow-beating.

"They didn't try to give me any pressure. Mark Kaplan and Chuck Lutz gave me the financial runs," Colvin Roy said. "Most of the pressure is coming from me internally, frankly. Because this is a very important decision for the city of Minneapolis for a very long time."

But with only weeks, or even days left in the 2012 Legislative session, and lawmakers insisting on a straight answer from the Minneapolis City Council, it isn't clear yet when that might happen.

As for Colvin Roy, she was finished talking for the day.

"I'm going to go home and get a good night's sleep."

Bachmannn appeals for campaign cash to fight health care law

Posted at 11:53 AM on March 21, 2012 by Mark Zdechlik
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Michele Bachmann

Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachman is marking the two-year anniversary of the Democratic-led health care overall with another fundraising appeal.

In the e-mail to supporters Bachmann claims to have "spearheaded" congressional efforts to repeal what opponents call "Obamacare," and she appeals for campaign contributions of $25 or more "to ensure I am re-elected to Congress in order to stand up for every American and fight for our shared conservative values."

Despite running in a congressional district that is even more conservative as a result of reapportionment, Bachmann says her re-election campaign will not be easy. She also makes it clear she plans to continue to play on the national stage.

"Fighting to repeal Obamacare and defending myself against the relentless attacks from the left is very, very expensive," Bachmann writes. " If I'm going to continue to speak out across the country I need your immediate help."

Senate tax bill cuts business property taxes, asks Dayton to make cuts

Posted at 11:15 AM on March 21, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota Senate want to cut the statewide business property tax and pay for it through unspecified cuts.

"The bill overall reduces the state's tax burden by $102.5 million," said Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen.

Ortman, who chairs the Senate Taxes Committee, said she's leaving the decisions on what programs to cut to Gov. Dayton's administration. Ortman said the $100 million in savings will come from the state's budget reserve if Dayton's Administration doesn't find the savings.

"I think it's easily doable by our commissioners," Ortman said.

The bill's biggest tax cut is to the so-called "marriage penalty." The federal government extended a tax break and the Senate bill would make the state's tax laws conform with that change. The change helps married couples at the cost to the state treasury of $62.4 million in fiscal year 2013.

The statewide business property tax levy would be cut by $31 million and nearly $2 million would be go to homeowners to cushion the impact of property tax increases. .

The bill would actually increase taxes on some cigarettes and on motor vehicle paint.

The proposal does not make a significant dent in the state's budget this year but the cost would increase dramatically in coming years. For example, the business property tax levy would be reduced by $145 million in the next two-year budget cycle.

Several Democrats on the Tax Committee were skeptical of the proposal, especially Sen. Rod Skoe, DFL-Clearbrook

"If we're going to ask the governor and his administration to have savings then I think you have to spell them out and write them down on a piece of paper and put them in the bill," he said.

Skoe said he was dismayed that Senate Republicans were targeting the newly replenished budget reserve.

The Senate Tax bill is dramatically different from its House companion. House Republicans are pushing a bill that cuts the business property tax and property taxes for homeowners, but they pay for the cuts by reducing the tax credit for renters and by increasing taxes on corporations that operate overseas. Ortman said she won't back either of those measures.

Ortman isn't the only lawmaker who is looking at the budget reserve to potentially pay for priorities. Sen. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista, is proposing to pay back $430 million of the $2.4 billion in delayed payments to K-12 schools that helped balance the state's budget last session.

Republicans in the House have proposed taking $430 million from the reserve to start paying back the school shift.

Right-to-Work on the ropes

Posted at 9:24 AM on March 20, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government

Supporters of the so-called "right-to-work" constitutional amendment are making a last ditch effort to get the House and Senate to vote on the measure.

Sen. David Thompson, R-Lakeville, was joined by several other House and Senate Republicans at a news conference this morning who want to see the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot this year.

The proposal would let voters decide whether union membership and the payment of union dues should be voluntary for all workers. Thompson said he's working to convince GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem to hold a hearing on the bill in the Rules Committee.

"What I'm hoping for is that we get the bill vetted in the Rules Committee and sent to the floor," Thompson said.

Thompson said he will not attempt to move the bill from the Rules Committee to the Senate floor. He took the rare step last week of forcing the Senate to vote to yank the bill from the Senate Jobs Committee to the Senate Judiciary Committee. That committee approved it last week. Thompson said he will not force another Senate vote to get the bill to the floor.

Thompson said he asked Senjem to hold a hearing on the bill but didn't receive a commitment. Senjem said late last week that the votes weren't there to pass the amendment in the House or the Senate.

No one at the news conference disputed Senjem's statement, but they said they still want a vote in the House and Senate.

"There's only one way to find out and that's to bring it to the floor," said Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, when asked if they have the votes to pass it.

The measure has not received a hearing in the House.

Union members and their allies have been lobbying fiercely to defeat the measure.

(Photo by MPR's Tim Nelson)

House Republicans propose $221 million for Capitol renovation

Posted at 8:53 AM on March 20, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota House are proposing to borrow $221 million to restore and renovate the State Capitol building. The bill containing the funding, which will be heard in the House Capital Investment Committee today, aims to restore the Capitol in phases. The measure aims to ensure the structural soundness of the building and doesn't aim to improve equipment or other "furnishings."

The bill also requires that construction work has to be sequenced so the House and Senate chambers continue to operate during budget years.

The measure borrows over the next four years and is separate from a bonding bill in the House. That bill proposes borrowing $280 million that is mostly focused on asset preservation.

Here's the bill.

House GOP focuses on asset preservation in $280m bonding bill plan

Posted at 9:55 PM on March 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government

House Republicans are putting forward a $280 million public works bill that focuses mostly on asset preservation at the state's higher education institutions, correctional facilities and local road and bridge improvement. The proposal is less than half the size of what Gov. Dayton outlined in his bonding bill proposal.

Update: The House GOP is also moving a separate bonding bill that focuses on restoring the Capitol. The plan borrows $220 million. That bill is being heard on Tuesday.

The House GOP proposal, put forward by House Capital Investment Chair Larry Howes of Walker, dedicates $35 million in bonding for asset preservation at the University of Minnesota and $20 million for asset preservation for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. The plan also dedicates $33 million for Rural Finance Authority grants, $20 million for local bridge replacement and rehab, $10 million for local road improvement.

Dayton has been pushing for $775 million in borrowing to help boost the state's construction sector. Some Republicans have argued that the state shouldn't borrow too much in light of the recent economic downturn but Dayton compared the bonding bill to a family mortgaging a house.

Some big-ticket items have been left out of the House Republican plan. The plan does not include money for the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, the Mankato Civic Center and upgrades to the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter.

House Republicans also dedicate $1 million in borrowing to the St. Cloud Civic Center (Dayton proposed $10 million), $2 million for the St. Paul Saints ballpark in St. Paul (Dayton proposed $27 million) and $2 million for the State Emergency Operations Center in Arden Hills (Dayton proposed $26 million).

The House Capital Investment Committee will hold its first hearing on the bill on Tuesday Wednesday. It may face stiff DFL opposition considering DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen characterized the proposal on Twitter as the "Tea Party Express strikes again." Democrats have argued for a larger bonding bill. Republicans need to garner 81 votes in the House to get the bonding bill passed since it needs a three-fifths majority to pass each chamber.

Senate Republicans have yet to release their proposal.

Here are some of the highlights of the House GOP plan:

$35 m for HEAPR at the U of M
$20 million for HEAPR at MnSCU
$13.8 million for the Ridgewater College, Willmar- Technical Instruction Lab Renovation
$33 million for Rural Finance Authority Grants
$20 million for local bridge replacement and rehab
$10 million for local road improvement
$10 million in asset preservation at Department of Corrections
$9 million for The Hormel Institute in Austin
$12 million for the St. Paul Children's Museum
$20 million for the Wastewater Infrastructure Funding program
$10 million for foreclosure remediation

Here's the full proposal:

House Bonding Bill March 19

AFL-CIO registers PAC to fight "right-to-work" amendment

Posted at 5:00 PM on March 19, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Minnesota's unions have formed We Are Minnesota, a fund meant to raise money to oppose a proposed constitutional amendment that would make union membership and the payment of union dues voluntary for all workers.

A Senate panel approved the "right-to-work" bill last week.

We are Minnesota is backed by "public and private sector workers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, teachers, construction workers, clergy, small business owners, local elected officials, students and your neighbors," according to the group's web site.

The committee was registered March 9 with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board by the Minnesota arm of the AFL-CIO, an organization that represents labor unions.

Minnesota AFL-CIO spokesman Chris Shields would not detail We Are Minnesota's members, but said that the group will have announcements about support soon.

Shields added that fundraising hasn't started yet; the group is waiting to see if the Legislature agrees to put the amendment on the ballot this fall, he said.

If it is, Shields said cash would be spent on ads such as this one urging Minnesotans to vote against the amendment.

DFLer Hilty hangs it up

Posted at 4:20 PM on March 19, 2012 by Tim Nelson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

Eight term DFLer Bill Hilty is leaving the Minnesota House.

Hilty announced his departure in a statement this afternoon. Hilty lives in Finlayson and represents parts of Pine, Carlton, and St. Louis counties.

"It has been a privilege to be able to serve the people of our region and to work for the good of our state. I am grateful for all the friendships that have been built across Minnesota and I will continue to be a strong advocate for the critical issues facing our state," Hilty said in his statement.

Hilty is a former chair of the House Energy Committee. His district has been renumbered to 11B and will include parts of Kanabec and Pine counties.

That makes for at least nine house members who aren't running for re-election. Here's the list so far:

Rep. Connie Doepke, R-Orono (running for state Senate)
Rep. Kent Eken, DFL-Twin Valley (running for state Senate)
Rep. Lyle Koenen, DFL Clara City (running for state Senate)
Rep. Kate Knuth, DFL-New Brighton
Rep. Bev Scalze, DFL-Little Canada (running for state Senate)
Rep. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis (running for state Senate)
Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville
Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan
Rep. Bill Hilty, DFL-Finlayson
Rep. Pat Mazorol, R-Bloomingon
Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove
Rep. Mark Murdock, R-Perham
Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount (running for U.S. Senate)
Rep. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo Township (running for state Senate)
Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake (running for state Senate)
Rep. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake (running for state Senate)
Rep. Branden Peterson, R-Andover (running for state Senate)

Note: list has been updated...

Senate Democrats file ethics complaint against Geoff Michel

Posted at 12:45 PM on March 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Democrats in the Minnesota Senate have filed an ethics complaint against Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, for how he handled the affair between former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and Senate Republican Caucus spokesman Michael Brodkorb.

Michel was first told about the "inappropriate relationship" between Koch and Brodkorb in September and then reported it to Senate human resources . He failed to confront Koch on the matter until late November.

"Upon being made aware of an alleged inappropriate relationship between the Senate Majority Leader and a subordinate senate employee in September, 2011, Senator Michel had an obligation as Deputy Majority Leader to take appropriate action to fully and swiftly address the matter," Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, wrote in the complaint.

Pappas also said Michel brought "dishonor and disrepute" to the Senate by not taking action to fully and swiftly address the matter. Pappas said he "betrayed the public's trust by making false and clearly misleading public statements regarding when he became aware" of the relationship.

Michel initially told reporters late last year that he became aware of the relationship in early November but later admitted he found out about the affair on September 21. Koch's former chief of staff, Cullen Sheehan, told Michel about the affair at that time.

Pappas is asking the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate the details of the matter and that the hearings be open to the public.

The complaint comes less than a week after attorneys for Brodkorb announced that they intend to sue the Senate for gender discrimination. They say they will provide examples of female staffers who had affairs with male lawmakers but still kept their jobs.

Will be updated...

Here's the complaint:

Update:

Sen. Michel issued this statement:

"This is about politics and payback and has nothing to do with ethics. The DFL wants a few more headlines. The conflict of interest has been resolved. The workplace environment has improved. And, we did this while protecting whistleblowers and staff. I have asked for an immediate hearing to resolve this matter."

Ethics Complaint 03-19-12

Lobbying expenses top $59 million in 2011

Posted at 12:15 PM on March 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board released a report that detailed the spending on lobbying of the Minnesota Legislature and the Dayton Administration in 2011. The Board reports that $59 million was spent to influence the Legislature and the Administration.

Business groups lead the spending. Xcel Energy spent $2.3 million, the most of any organizations. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce spent $2 million, the Minnesota Business Partnership spent $980,000. Minneapolis Radiation Oncology Physicians, a group fighting a moratorium on new radiation treatment centers in Minnesota, spent $900,000. The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, which represents mostly rural cities, and the Minnesota AFL-CIO, a coalition of labor unions, spent $820,000 each.

Update: An official with the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities says they made a reporting error to the Campaign Finance Board. They say they will submit an amended report that says the group spent $460,000 on lobbying in 2011.

You can read the full list here.

AFP says it hasn't endorsed Byberg

Posted at 4:00 PM on March 14, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012

The non-profit group Americans for Prosperity wants to make this clear: it has not endorsed Lee Byberg for Congress.

Byberg, who is seeking the Republican endorsement to run against 7th District DFL Rep. Collin Peterson, includes Americans for Prosperity under the "Endorsements" section of his website. If you clink on the link, however, it takes you to an empty page.

The national organization, which has an arm in Minnesota, hasn't endorsed Byberg and doesn't make a practice of endorsing any candidates.

Here's what AFP said in a press release:

"Americans for Prosperity does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Americans for Prosperity educates citizens about economic policy on the state and national level and empowers citizens to be advocates in that process.

Despite multiple attempts by AFP's attorney over several days to contact Byberg's campaign to correct Byberg's claim of endorsement, AFP has received no response."

The press release concludes:

"Americans for Prosperity calls on Mr. Byberg to immediately cease any current or future representations of an AFP endorsement. No candidate should claim an endorsement that has not been given."

Back in 2010, when Byberg was running against Peterson, AFP applauded Byberg for signing the group's "No Climate Tax Pledge," a promise that Byberg would oppose federal climate change legislation if elected to office.

But the group made clear at the end of the press release that it does not endorse candidates.

Byberg's website lists other groups he says have endorsed his candidacy, including the 7th District Republicans and Concerned Women Political Action Committee. But both those endorsements are from his 2010 race.

Calls to Byberg were not returned

Update:

Byberg spokesman David Strom e-mailed to say that the endorsement listing is in error, and that the only endorsement the campaign is currently seeking is that of the 7th District Republicans.

Dayton lobbies Legislature as stadium hearing starts

Posted at 2:12 PM on March 14, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Dayton sent a letter to members of the Senate Local Government and Elections Committee urging them to approve a Vikings stadium bill. The committee is the first stop for the bill and it isn't certain whether the bill will make it through committee. Dayton reminded lawmakers that the financing from the electronic pull-tab is solid despite reports otherwise.

"I believe it is sound, reliable and sufficient to finance the state's share of this project," Dayton wrote. "Anyone who says otherwise is speaking without my authorization and is seriously misrepresenting my position. Futhermore, everyone trying to dismantle this proposal, without offering a better one, is clearly trying to defeat this bill"

Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Chair Ted Mondale and Vikings lobbyist Lester Bagley urged the committee to pass the bill. He said the Metrodome has outlived its usefulness.

"It's the smallest stadium in the league," Bagley said. "It will no longer sustain an NFL team. We're at the bottom of the NFL in stadium revenues and fan experience."

Several business and labor leaders also signaled their support for the bill.

Mondale told the committee that state's $398 million contribution will be returned by taxes from player salaries, Vikings employees, other teams and sales taxes from the games.

"The state payback in gross dollars over a 33 year period of time would be $450 million more that the state would get back than the state would put in on this particular project."

But several members expressed skepticism about those numbers. Sen. Roger Chamberlain cited studies that said sports stadiums don't generate the expected return on investment.

"I want a stadium, I want you guys to stay here but I think the impact and the return to the state has proven to be zero."

Other critics, including a lobbyist for the Minnesota Family Council, said expanding electronic gambling is bad public policy.

"We're going to build a stadium to a significant degrees on the backs of problem gamblers," Prichard said. "In fact, the state will have a vested interst in having more people become addicted to and spend more money gambling over a 30 year period in order to pay off the bonds."

It isn't certain whether the committee will approve the bill. Bipartisan supporters of the stadium were busy working legislators before the committee started.

Here's Dayton's letter:

3 14 12 GMD Local Gov Elections Commee (2)

Rybak talks business in DC

Posted at 4:29 PM on March 13, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012

WASHINGTON - Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak was at the White House on Tuesday with representatives of Minnesota companies as part of an initiative by the Obama Administration to bring together business and regional political leaders to discuss the economy and job creation.

"Mostly it was a listening session for the White House to hear from the voices of Minnesota business and the Minnesotans weren't shy," Rybak said.

According to Rybak, government relations executives from Cargill, General Mills, Thomson Reuters and Surly Brewing attended the meeting, although neither Rybak nor the White House would get more specific about other participants.

Rybak declined to discuss specific topics that were brought up at the event but said the discussion touched on, "what sorts of regulations should be cut, what kind of infrastructure to invest in, how to get more capital out to people trying to make investments."

Tuesday's event was not unusual. The White House says it's hosted more than 500 such meetings in the past year with similar groups from all 50 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico.

The Minneapolis mayor has been increasing his national profile over the past year. He also serves as a vice-chairman of the Democratic National Committee and has become a media surrogate for President Obama's re-election campaign.

Rybak wasn't the only Minnesota mayor in Washington. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman was also in the capital for a meeting of the National League of Cities and had meetings at the White House.

Gerlach not running for reelection

Posted at 5:22 PM on March 12, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Sen. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley, announced today that he won't be running for reelection. In a prepared statement, Gerlach cited family considerations as the reason for stepping down.

"While serving in the Legislature is truly an honor and privilege, the family and financial sacrifices are great," he said. "Now is the time to reassess my personal priorities."

Gerlach was criticized late last week for how he handled mailings regarding the so-called "Right-to-Work" amendment. His firm was hired to print mailings that targeted Republican senators onr the issue.

Gerlach's district leans Republican but will be another open seat that Republicans will be forced to defend.

Republicans not running for re-election to the Minnesota Senate:
Chris Gerlach
Gretchen Hoffman (running for Congress)
Doug Magnus
Al DeKruif
Amy Koch
Gen Olson
Geoff Michel

Note: Republican Mike Parry is running for Congress but has not ruled out a run for re-election if he fails to win his party's endorsement.

DFLers not running for re-election to the MN Senate:
Keith Langseth
Linda Higgins

Endorsement contests:

- Republicans Michelle Benson and Michael Jungbauer were paired in the same district and are battling for the Republican endorsement. Both say they would abide by the party endorsement.

- DFLers John Marty and Mary Jo McGuire were paired and are battling for the DFL endorsement. Marty and McGuire say they'll abide by the party's endorsement.

Michelle Obama to visit Minnesota military families on Friday

Posted at 1:42 PM on March 12, 2012 by Brett Neely
Filed under: Campaign 2012

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michele Obama will visit Minnesota this Friday to meet with military families.

The March 16th event will include families with members serving in the National Guard, as well as representatives of several organizations dedicated to helping armed forces members and their families, including the Armed Forces Service Center, Defending the Blue Line, a group that provided hockey equipment and financial assistance for children of military members and GreenCare for Troops, which provides lawn care and landscaping help for wounded veterans.

As previously reported by MPR News, Mrs. Obama will also attend a fundraiser for her husband's presidential election campaign at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

Dayton puts forward supplemental budget plan

Posted at 11:52 AM on March 12, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton is proposing a revised budget that would give tax breaks to companies that hire veterans and unemployed workers, restore some health care cuts and increase benefits for veterans.

Human Services Commissioner Cindy Jesson says the plan would restore cuts the governor and Legislature made last year to personal care attendants, medical research and emergency medical assistance.

"We chose to propose restoring these things because we see immediate risk of harm very much to people if we don't take these steps."

The governor's spends an extra $60 million, which would be collected by raising taxes on corporations that operate overseas and by requiring online retailers like Amazon to collect and pay state sales taxes on purchases. Republicans in the Legislature have opposed efforts to close what some call a tax loophole for corporations that operate overseas.

Dayton said the current tax break for companies with overseas operations doesn't make sense.

"Why do we want to give incentives to companies, big companies most of them, for putting jobs overseas rather than investing that money in the future of the people of Minnesota?," Dayton said.

Republicans have been reluctant to raise taxes on corporations that operate overseas. They say companies would be less likely to hire workers in Minnesota if the law were changed.

Here are the details put forward by Dayton's office.

Update:

GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem released this statement:

"Governor Dayton's supplemental budget is a surprise and a shock," said Senate Majority Leader Senjem. "We have managed Minnesota's budget well in the past year from a $5 billion budget deficit to over a $1 billion surplus and the first thing the Governor wants to do is raise taxes. Embarrassing!"

The Governor's "jobs" portion of this proposal actually costs $35 million and results in a temporary program. The bottom line is this: the Governor's proposal is a temporary tax credit for a permanent tax increase.

In a letter last year, Joy Lindsay of the Minnesota High Tech Association Board said, "Minnesota's foreign royalty deduction was enacted during the Perpich administration to encourage companies to invest in research and development in Minnesota which creates high-paying, high-tech jobs here." Governor Dayton's proposal would jeopardize thousands of technology workers' jobs, whose average wages are much higher than the state's average.

In addition to the permanent tax increase, the Governor is also recommending fee increases on hunting and fishing licenses.

"What we are doing is working for Minnesota," Senate Majority Leader Senjem concluded. "I can't believe the Governor wants to retreat to raising taxes with the surplus just announced."

Dayton revises electronic pull-tab plan

Posted at 1:46 PM on March 9, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Governor Dayton says he's revising his stadium plan to try to encourage charities to sign on to the use of electronic pull-tabs.

The stadium plan uses revenue from electronic pull-tabs to finance the state's $398 million dollar share of the stadium. Dayton said today that he wants give the state's charities an annual tax break of $10 million because earlier officials with the charitable gambling industry said their costs were so high they were unlikely to use electronic pull-tabs. Dayton said he wanted to respond to their concerns.

"The kind of increase that they're going to have in bottom line profits is very significant," Dayton said. "But one of my axioms in politics is that more is never enough. So you think more satisfies people and you find it just whets their appetite for more."

King Wilson, executive director of Allied Charities of Minnesota, said he was working with the Dayton Administration on the proposal but he had concerns that the tax break wasn't large enough.

"If the number is $10 million, I don't think that gives us the reform and relief we need that will make it work," he said.

Dayton's announcement comes on the same day he's meeting privately with the four legislative leaders to discuss the stadium.

The bill is scheduled to be formally introduced on Monday. Update: You can read the bill here.

Here are some of the documents put forward by Gov. Dayton's office:

3.9.12 Charitable Gambling Proposal

3 9 12 Gaming 2

Senate GOP makes a power play on Right-to-Work Amendment

Posted at 2:22 PM on March 8, 2012 by Tom Scheck (10 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota Senate took an unusual step today by moving a bill from one committee to another before the first committee voted on the measure. The bill in question is a proposed constitutional amendment would allow voters to decide whether workers could voluntarily avoid paying union dues.

Sen. Dave Thompson, R- Lakeville, requested that the so-called "right-to-work" bill be moved from the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee to the Senate Judiciary Committee. It's a simple procedural move, but it upends the typical Senate process that allows policy committees to debate and vote on bills that fall within their jurisdiction.

Several union lobbyists said Thompson made the move because there weren't enough votes in the Jobs Committee to approve the bill.

Thompson said he believes the Judiciary Committee was a better place to consider the bill, and that there would be plenty of debate.

"I don't have the least bit of concern that the public won't have an opportunity to learn about this and provide all of the input that they'd like to provide in the judiciary committee," Thompson said. "I feel that the public will in no way be short-changed by going to this committee."

The Senate voted 34-30 in favor of Thompson's request to move the bill. Sen. Joe Gimse, R-Willmar, switched his vote from no to yes to reach 34 votes. Gimse said that he switched his vote to help move the amendment along.

"They needed my vote to see the bill progress on to the Judiciary Committee," Gimse said. "My protest was heard but I want it to go to the Jobs Committee also and follow the legislative procedure."

Gimse said he hopes the bill goes back to the Jobs Committee at some point. Gimse said he wasn't sure how he would vote on the amendment.

Every Democrat and Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, voted against it.

Sen. Jim Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul, said he was disappointed that Jobs and Economic Growth Chair Geoff Michel was willing to give up control of the bill and worried about the precedent that the vote set.

"Let's find the time and do it the right way," Metzen said. "I think we're going down the wrong path here and if we continue to do this it's a terrible slippery slope."

The state's labor unions have been actively working to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment.

If the House and Senate both pass it, the question would be put to the voters this fall.

UPDATE: The Senate Judiciary Committee will hear the bill on Monday, March 12 at 8am in Room 15 of the State Capitol.

House GOP plans to tap budget reserve to reduce K12 shift

Posted at 7:48 PM on March 7, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota House are proposing to tap two thirds of the state's budget reserve to pay back a portion of a K12 school shift they used to balance the budget in 2011.

Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, says the measure is part of a K12 bill that will be heard in committee tomorrow. He said paying back schools with $430 million from the state's budget reserve is a better use of the money.

"If you look at accounting principles, it's better to reduce your debt and reduce your liabilities than to have that cash sitting around," Garofalo said.

A nonpartisan budget analyst in the House said the proposal could force the state to enact short-term borrowing to meet cash flow needs. DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen says they're open to the option but would prefer Republicans find a way to pay the entire $2.4 billion shift back.

"This is one way to do it and I think it deserves consideration," Thissen said. "But I also think we ought to be putting a plan in place that is paying back the school shift over time and getting that into law."

Thissen said they're proposing to eliminate a tax break for corporations that operate overseas to pay back the schools over time. Governor Dayton and GOP legislative leaders relied on the accounting trick to erase part of a $5 billion budget deficit.

The K12 school shift is expected to be a major talking point during the 2012 campaign.

Dayton vetoes gun bill

Posted at 7:37 PM on March 5, 2012 by Tom Scheck (20 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Dayton has vetoed legislation that would have expanded the use of deadly force in Minnesota.

In his veto letter to the Legislature, Governor Dayton said he vetoed the bill because most major law enforcement agencies raised issues about the bill. Dayton said he appreciated the efforts to craft the bill to ease worries by law enforcement but said their concerns "must be honored."

The bill would have given gun owners significantly more latitude to use deadly force for self defense. It would have allowed the use of deadly force with a weapon if people believe they are in imminent danger in a home, hotel room, car, boat or tent. The National Rifle Association issued a statement saying it was disappointed with Dayton's veto.

The GOP-controlled Legislature didn't pass it with enough votes to override Dayton's veto.

Here's Dayton's veto letter:

3.5.12 HF 1467

State Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas, issued this statement. Hoffman, who is also running for Congress, is the chief author of the bill in the Senate:

"I am very disappointed with Governor Dayton's decision today to deny law-abiding citizens their right to defend themselves and their families. While current law enables the aggressor, my bill focused on protecting the victim. Unfortunately, with the Governor's veto, violent criminals will continue to have the advantage over law-abiding citizens," said Senator Hoffman. "I was hopeful, because Governor Dayton made such a strong statement on the campaign trail about Minnesotan's right to bear arms and use them for lawful purposes such as self-defense, that he would follow through with his actions and sign this bill to enhance public safety."

Here's the statement from Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association:

The National Rifle Association (NRA) is deeply disappointed in Governor Dayton's veto of House File 1467 - an omnibus bill that included a number of key firearms law reforms in Minnesota. This bill passed both chambers of the Minnesota legislature with broad bi-partisan support.

House File 1467 contained vital common-sense reforms that would have enhanced self-defense laws for the law-abiding residents of that state. It would have removed the duty to retreat for crime victims currently mandated under Minnesota state law and precluded victims from facing prosecution for lawfully defending their lives. This bill would have also enhanced self-defense rights by recognizing the Right-to-Carry permits of those visiting and those traveling through Minnesota with valid Right-to-Carry permits from the other 48 states that issue them (Illinois does not issue Right-to-Carry permits of any kind).

Furthermore, House File 1467 would have prohibited gun confiscation in times of declared emergencies. The NRA led the way at the this key change in federal law following Hurricane Katrina, when New Orleans authorities went door-to-door confiscating legally owned firearms and depriving residents of their solitary means of self-defense. It is exceptionally disappointing that Governor Dayton vetoed this provision after having voted in favor of similar legislation while a member of the U.S. Senate.

Moving forward, the NRA remains resolute in bringing rational and reasonable reforms to Minnesota's firearms and self-defense laws.

Here's a statement from Joan Peterson, Protect Minnesota board member and member of the Brady Campaign Board said:

"This bill could give the claim of self-defense to any domestic abuser engaged in a dispute with a partner or spouse. When only two people are involved in a dispute and one of them winds up dead, who is left to disprove the claim of the shooter that s/he was the one threatened? As someone whose sister was shot to death in a domestic case in Minneapolis, I am grateful that Governor Dayton vetoed this bill that could have allowed domestic abusers to get away with murder. "

Magnus joins a growing list of retirements from the Legislature

Posted at 2:12 PM on March 5, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Redistricting

Sen. Doug Magnus, R-Slayton, announced today that he's not running for re-election.

"Eight to 10 years is really what I feel is a limit as to what a person should serve as public servant," Magnus said. "I've reached that 10 year time period and it's time to move on."

Magnus chairs the Senate Agriculture Budget and Policy Committee. He said he's proud of his work on ag and veterans issues. He said he's most focused taking care of his farm in southwestern Minnesota.

Magnus is the eighth incumbent senator to announce that he isn't running for re-election. Thirteen members of the Minnesota House have announced they're leaving after this year.

Here's the list:

Republicans not running for re-election to the Minnesota Senate:

Gretchen Hoffman (running for Congress)
Doug Magnus
Al DeKruif
Amy Koch
Gen Olson
Geoff Michel

Note: Republican Mike Parry is running for Congress but has not ruled out a run for re-election if he fails to win his party's endorsement.

DFLers not running for re-election to the MN Senate:

Keith Langseth
Linda Higgins

Endorsement contests:

- Republicans Michelle Benson and Michael Jungbauer were paired in the same district and are battling for the Republican endorsement. Both say they would abide by the party endorsement.

- DFLers John Marty and Mary Jo McGuire were paired and are battling for the DFL endorsement. Marty said he will abide by the party's endorsement. McGuire wouldn't make the same commitment when she spoke with MPR News a few weeks ago. told me on Tuesday that she would abide by the DFL endorsement.

Republicans not running for re-election to the Minnesota House:

Mark Murdock
Torrey Westrom (running for state Senate)
Bruce Anderson (running for state Senate)
Mary Kiffmeyer (running for state Senate)
Connie Doepke (running for state Senate)
Branden Peterson (running for state Senate)
Mark Buesgens

DFLers not running for re-election to the Minnesota House:

Kent Eken (running for state Senate)
Lyle Koenen (running for state Senate)
Kate Knuth
Bev Scalze (running for state Senate)
Bobby Joe Champion (running for state Senate)
Mindy Greiling

Endorsement contests in the Minnesota House:

- Republicans Glenn Gruenhagen and Ron Shimanski will battle for their party's endorsement. Both candidates say they will abide by the endorsement.

- Republicans Matt Dean and Carol McFarlane will battle for their party's endorsement. Both candidates will abide.

- Democrats Frank Hornstein and Marion Greene will seek the DFL party's endorsement. Both candidates will abide by the endorsement.

Geoff Michel not running for reelection

Posted at 9:30 AM on March 5, 2012 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, says he's not seeking reelection. Michel, who has served ten years in the Minnesota Senate, said he couldn't commit to serving another four years. He said his family obligations are taking greater importance.

"I have four daughters under the age of 16," Michel said. "I haven't been around much over the last ten years. I want to be better to my family."

Michel said he started thinking about his decision last summer when the state government shut down. His announcement comes just months after he revealed that he approached Senate personnel about an "inappropriate relationship" between then Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and an unnamed staffer. Koch resigned her leadership position and isn't seeking reelection. Michel said the incident has nothing to do with his decision.

Michel said his greatest accomplishments were working with the University of Minnesota and helping the school build a new football stadium. He was also the author of the Abigail Taylor Pool Safety Act that required safer drains to prevent suction and drowning injuries in pools. He was also instrumental in helping Republicans take control of the Minnesota Senate for the first time in 38 years.

Michel is current chair of the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee.

He says he's confident Republicans will hold on to his seat. Democrats, however, see the seat as a possible pick-up.

Here's the letter Michel sent out to delegates:

Ten years feels just about right.

Thank you for the honor of representing you in the Minnesota State Senate. This is the best senate district in the state and it is now even better with the new redistricting maps.

After ten years and three terms in the state senate, I will not be seeking reelection this November.

Annie, our four daughters and I have been discussing our options since the state shutdown last summer. I have also been speaking with my colleagues at Securian Financial Group. Both my family and my employer have been very patient, flexible, and supportive of me for the past ten years. It's time for me to return their support and focus on a family future that is getting busier every year and may include four college tuitions.

We cannot commit to another four-year term. I also want to allow time for candidates to emerge before the endorsing convention at the end of the month.

I plan to finish strong and focus on the fundamental fiscal and economic concerns facing our state during the remaining months of this legislative session.

Thank you for all your support and kindness over the past decade.

Warmest regards,

Geoff

All but one paired incumbent settles on political future

Posted at 4:54 PM on March 4, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Redistricting

Sen. Al DeKruif, R-Madison Lake, announced today that he will not seek reelection. DeKruif, who was paired with Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, announced last week that he would not challenge Rosen but left open the possibility of moving to a new district. He decided against taking that step today.

"I need to do what is best for my family and businesses," DeKruif said in a statement. "After all, it is Minnesota families and job creators that led me to serve in the first place."

DeKruif is one of the final incumbents to announce a decision about their political future.

The new political boundaries were released late last month. 48 members of the House and Senate were paired together. The only paired incumbent who hasn't said what he'll do is GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean (you can read more about that here).

Here are the latest details in the Senate:

The new maps mean there will be two endorsement battles in the Minnesota Senate. Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, will challenge Sen. Michael Jungbauer, R-East Bethel.

Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, will challenge Sen. Mary Jo McGuire, DFL-Falcon Heights. Marty says he'll abide by the endorsement. McGuire hasn't made the same commitment.

There will be one general election battle between incumbents in the Senate as well. Sen. John Carlson, R-Bemidji, will face Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids.

One member of the Senate will seek higher office. Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas, said she's running for Congress in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District.

Sen. Ted Lillie, R-Lake Elmo, announced on Friday that he's moving into an open seat. Sen. Ken Kelash, DFL-Minneapolis, also announced he'd move instead of challenging another incumbent.

Here are the latest details in the House:

There will be at least two endorsement battles in the Minnesota House. Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen, R-Glencoe, and Rep. Ron Shimanski, R-Silver Lake, say they'll let GOP delegates decide which one of them will continue on.

Rep. Marion Green, DFL-Minneapolis, and Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis, will also have a convention battle and will abide by the DFL endorsement.

Note: There could be another convention fight between Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake, and Rep. Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, if Dean decides to run for reelection.

There will be three general election match-ups among incumbents. Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker, and Rep. John Persell, DFL-Bemidji, will face each other in November. Rep. Carolyn McElfatrick, R-Deer River, will face Rep. Tom Anzelc, DFL-Balsam Township. Rep. Roger Crawford, R-Mora, will challenge Rep. Bill Hilty, DFL-Finlayson.

Nine incumbent House members will run for the Minnesota Senate. They are DFL Rep. Kent Eken, GOP Rep. Torrey Westrom, DFL Rep. Lyle Koenen, GOP Rep. Bruce Anderson, GOP Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, GOP Rep. Connie Doepke, GOP Rep. Branden Peterson, DFL Rep. Bev Scalze and DFL Rep. Bobby Joe Champion.

Two members announced on Friday that they'll move into different districts. Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Nelson Township, was paired with GOP Rep. Tony Cornish. Torkelson said he'll move into an open seat. Rep. Bob Barrett, R-Shafer, also announced that he'll move into an open seat rather than challenge Rep. Bob Dettmer, R-Forest Lake. Rep. Linda Slocum, DFL-Richfield, also announced she's moving rather than challenging Rep. Jean Wagenius, DFL-Minneapolis.

Every member of the Legislature is up for reelection this November.

Sen. Gary Kubly dies

Posted at 2:54 PM on March 3, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, died on Friday. Kubly, who was battling amyotropic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), was 68 years old. He was rushed to Regions Hospital this week after suffering an undisclosed medical incident.

Kubly's a former Lutheran pastor who was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1996. He was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2002.

"Senator Kubly was a man who embodied every ideal as a person and in public service," DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk said in a statement. "He worked hard. He was honest. He shared credit even when he was the one who did the heavy lifting. To Gary Kubly, it simply did not matter where you came from, only where you ended up. He got a lot of things done that way, and everyone in Minnesota is better for it."

Funeral services are pending but Christine Almeida, former chief of staff to DFL Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, wrote on Twitter that services will be held in Granite Falls on Wednesday.

Gov. Dayton released this statement:

"I am deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Senator Gary Kubly. Gary was a dedicated public servant and an outstanding leader. He lived his life with quiet strength and principled dignity, as evidenced by the remarkable courage with which he faced his final illness. He is an inspiration to all of us, who knew and worked with him.

I extend my deepest condolences to his devoted family."

Here's Bakk's full statement:

We were all deeply saddened to learn of Gary Kubly's passing yesterday. Senator Kubly was a man who embodied every ideal as a person and in public service. He worked hard. He was honest. He shared credit even when he was the one who did the heavy lifting. To Gary Kubly, it simply did not matter where you came from, only where you ended up. He got a lot of things done that way, and everyone in Minnesota is better for it.

I had the honor of serving with Senator Kubly in both the Minnesota House and Senate. As a Lutheran minister, he often led the Senate in our opening prayer, and I will always remember his inspiring messages. But Senator Kubly didn't just talk about cooperation and respect for all people. He lived it.

He met his final challenge--a grueling and agonizing diagnosis that sapped his strength--with grit and the determination to serve his constituents to the very end.

He was a man who managed a career in faith and politics in a way that few could ever match. He leaves us now with thousands of friends, and not an enemy in the world.
Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. Details of the arrangements will be forthcoming.

GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem released this statement:

"On behalf of Senate Republicans, I want to express deep sadness for the loss of our friend and colleague, Senator Gary Kubly. He was a man of intellect and compassion, whose presence alone often reminded us of the special honor of public service.

"Senator Kubly met his challenges bravely and with the power of faith, making us
stronger by his example. It was an honor knowing and working with him, and
we will keep him and his family in our hearts and prayers."

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar released this statement:

"We will all miss State Senator Gary Kubly who died after a brave battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. A pastor, he was kind, witty, humble and served with grace to the end. I was with Gary and his friends and family last month. He served his rural district like he served his church, always listening and quietly getting things done. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Pat and his family."

DFL Party Chair Ken Martin released this statement:

"Senator Kubly's dedication to our state and public service is a true testament to the life he lived. I am honored to have had the opportunity to work with Sen. Kubly over the years, his impact on this state and his constituents is immeasurable. He was a tireless leader through the toughest months of his life.

"We honor and remember a true Minnesota leader in Senator Gary Kubly. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."

House passes St. Croix bridge bill

Posted at 10:17 AM on March 1, 2012 by Mark Zdechlik (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Michele Bachmann

The House of Representatives Thursday passed an exemption from the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act allowing for construction of a new $690 million bridge over the St. Croix River to replace the aging Stillwater Lift Bridge. The vote was 339-80.

The bill was sponsored by GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann and DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar. It had bipartisan support in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Two House Democrats from Minnesota, 4th District Rep. Betty McCollum and 5th District Rep. Keith Ellison, opposed the bridge project calling it too big and too expensive.

The Senate passed the bill in January. Bachmann said she was looking forward to President Obama signing the bill so construction can begin.

"The St. Croix River Crossing Project is an incredible project that has incredible, bipartisan support. It is not very often that we get all four senators from Minnesota and Wisconsin, the governors from Minnesota and Wisconsin, and a diverse group of representatives on board with the same issue," Bachmann said.

Klobuchar said Obama would sign the bill.

"After 30 years of debate and delay, we finally got it done," said Klobuchar. "Today is a victory for the residents and businesses along the St. Croix River Valley who have waited long enough for a safe, new bridge. This effort is an example of what can get done when people put politics aside and do what is best for our state. I appreciate the work of my colleagues in the House and Senate as well as Gov. Dayton who helped get this project over the finish line."

Ellison also reacted:

"I have consistently supported replacing the Stillwater Lift Bridge. However, the design the House of Representatives authorized today is both oversized and overpriced. Many bridges in our state need repair. Limited transportation funds should be used responsibly for projects throughout the state. For example, the Interstate 35W Bridge, which tragically fell into the Mississippi River four years ago, cost $234 million to rebuild in its entirety and carries 140,000 vehicles daily. By contrast, the St. Croix Bridge is expected to cost $700 million and carry 18,000 vehicles a day.

"Minnesota has 1,400 neglected bridges statewide that need repair, including in the Fifth Congressional District. A right-sized St. Croix bridge would allow other communities to repair the bridges they need, creating good Minnesota jobs and preserving our state's scenic river areas. By exempting the bridge from the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, Congress is also setting a precedent that would justify building bridges over any of the country's Wild and Scenic Rivers. I join Former Vice President Walter Mondale, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and local and national environmental organizations in opposing this bill.

"I will continue to work for smart investments in Minnesota's roads and bridges that create good jobs for our state."

Gov. Mark Dayton also issued a statement.

"I am delighted to see this important project move forward; this new bridge is urgently needed. The project will put thousands of people in the construction industry to work. "I am very grateful to the House Leadership for expediting the bill. Thank you to Congresswoman Bachmann, Senator Klobuchar, Governor Walker of Wisconsin Stillwater Mayor Harycki, and all of our partners on this project."

Rep. Betty McCollum's reaction:

"Every policy debate has two sides and I worked hard to reflect the voices of Minnesotans in the 4th District, as well as those Stillwater and Oak Park Heights residents who are deeply concerned about this mega-bridge project.

"Congress' passage of this $700 million bridge bill doesn't diminish its excessive cost, size, negative effect on Highway 36 traffic congestion, or its adverse impact on the St. Croix River.

"Supporters of this legislation, including Senators Klobuchar and Franken, and Gov. Dayton, assume responsibility for protecting communities along Highway 36 from crippling traffic congestion and the families and businesses of Oak Park Heights from property tax increases - the direct consequences of the project they so strongly championed.

"I want to thank my friend and Minnesota colleague, Rep. Keith Ellison (MN-05) for his eloquence on the floor of the House in opposition to S. 1134. I share Congressman Ellison's concern that replacing one bridge at a cost of $700 million to the exclusion of more than 1,100 other structurally deficient bridges in Minnesota places too many communities and motorists at risk. I am committed to working with Rep. Ellison, Gov. Dayton and all Minnesota members of Congress and state legislators to repair or replace these substandard bridges."

Michelle Obama coming to Minnesota

Posted at 7:24 AM on March 1, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Political parties

First Lady Michelle Obama is scheduled to be in Minnesota on March 16 to raise money for President Obama's presidential campaign. Mrs. Obama is scheduled to hold the fundraiser at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

Donors are being asked to give between $250 and $10,000 to attend the reception. Donors who give $1,000 will get "preferred viewing." Couples who give $5,000 will get a photo with the First Lady. $10,000 donations will include a "host greet."

Mrs. Obama has been more active on the campaign trail in recent months as it gets closer to the 2012 election. For example, she attended a fundraiser for the Obama campaign in Louisville last week.

The fundraising letter, sent by Lou and Carol Frillman, suggested this may be the only opportunity for donors to see Michelle Obama this election cycle.

"We believe that this is a (sic) excellent opportunity to meet the most loved, admired, and respected First Lady of our time. Will she be back in Minneapolis before November?

Who knows? So why take the chance?"

President Obama last visited Minnesota in August. He held a town hall rally in Cannon Falls to tout his proposal to boost the economy.

Kubly in the hospital

Posted at 9:30 PM on February 29, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Rupa Shenoy and Nancy Lebens

A spokeswoman at Regions Hospital says state Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, remains in critical condition after being taken to the St. Paul hospital earlier today.

DFL Senate Caucus spokesman Amos Briggs says Kubly had a medical crisis this morning and is at Regions Hospital. Briggs says Kubly's family is asking for the public's prayers.

Kubly, a retired Lutheran pastor, announced in late January last year he'd been diagnosed with ALS, the degenerative neuromuscular condition also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Kubly's legislative career started with his election to the House in 1996 and was elected to the Senate in 2002. He has said he doesn't plan to run for re-election in 2012.

Knuth not seeking re-election to MN House

Posted at 3:38 PM on February 29, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Redistricting, State Government

Put in a tough race due to redistricting, Rep. Kate Knuth, DFL - New Brighton, says she will not seek re-election to Minnesota House.

The state's new political boundaries would have pitted Knuth against fellow DFLer Rep. Tom Tillberry of Fridley.

"I am proud of the work we do together to make Minnesota an exceptional place to live," Knuth wrote in a press release announcing her decision, pointing to her work on environmental and energy issues.

"While I will not be seeking re-election, I look forward to serving my neighbors through this term. I will continue to seek out ways in which to contribute to making Minnesota, and the world, a healthier and more sustainable place. I consider myself lucky to love Minnesota, my home state, more than I can fully describe. My service, leadership, and life's work will always be firmly rooted in this place and its people."

Meanwhile, DFL Rep. Lyle Koenen announced he will run for the Minnesota Senate for GOP Sen. Joe Gimse's seat. Koenen was paired with DFL Rep. Andrew Falk who plans to run again this year.

Tom Scheck contributed to this report.

Two GOP Senate hopefuls end campaigns against Klobuchar

Posted at 12:09 PM on February 27, 2012 by Mark Zdechlik (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012

Two of the Republicans who had announced earlier they would seek the party's nomination to run against DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar said Monday they are ending their campaigns.

Anthony Hernandez said he's decided to abandon his campaign and instead will try to run against DFL Rep. Betty McCollum in Minnesota's 4th Congressional District.

St. Bonifacius City Council member Joe Arwood also ended his campaign for Senate today.

The announcements come two days before Minnesota Army National Guard Capt. Pete Hegseth is set to formally launch his Senate campaign against Klobuchar. There's been a lot of buzz about Hegseth's candidacy. He is a graduate of Princeton University who served in Iraq and recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Hernandez indicated he will focus on economic issues in his campaign for Congress.

"In a lot of ways Congresswoman McCollum has served this district well, however I think the issues that she champions such as environmentalism and protecting the global environment is not what's resonating with your common voters here in St. Paul and the surrounding areas," Hernandez said. "So I think what people are yearning for are decisive and bold economic solutions."

In a posting on Facebook, Arwood indicated he was ending his campaign for financial reasons.

"I can no longer devote adequate time and financial resources to this endeavor and do what is best for my family," his post said.

The first Republican to launch a campaign against Klobuchar, former four-term state Rep. Dan Severson, has no intention to end his campaign, according to a campaign official. Severson is also a veteran, having served 22 years in the Navy.

Redistricting Roundup: McFarlane forces Dean to make a choice

Posted at 10:50 PM on February 26, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Redistricting

Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake, announced on Sunday night that she's running for reelection. Her decision puts House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, in a difficult position. Dean, the second highest member of the Minnesota House, now has to decide whether he wants to challenge a member of his party to come back to the Minnesota House.

The new political boundaries paired McFarlane and Dean in the same district. McFarlane hedged on whether she would run for reelection until today. She emphasized that she represents the bulk of the new district.

"The new district (HD38B) retains approx. 80% of what was HD53B which I have had the honor of serving for 3 terms," McFarlane wrote in a statement. "The new House district will add Precinct 1 in North Oaks, Dellwood and some of Hugo. When I served on the White Bear Lake Area School Board (2000-2006), I represented many of the Hugo residents from the new district."

Dean has not said whether he would run for reelection in the current district, move into a new district, run for a different office or retire.

McFarlane wasn't the only incumbent who made a decision over the weekend.

Sen. Al DeKruif, R-Madison Lake, announced tonight that he wasn't going to challenge Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont. Rosen announced last week that she would run for reelection when the maps were released last week. DeKruif, who was paired with Rosen under the new map, said he won't challenge Rosen. He said in a statement that he may move into a new district.

"I have always felt that a senator or representative belongs to a district and it's citizens, rather than the opposite," DeKruif said in a statement. "Because I will have to make a significant change for my family, I want to make sure its right. Regardless of the outcome, I'm proud of the work I've done for and with my constituents."

DeKruif told MPR News last week that it was unlikely that he would move into a new district.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party Chair for Minnesota's 6th Congressional District announced on Saturday that he's running for the Minnesota House. David Fitzsimmons said he's running in House District 30B.

"As a proud conservative I will work tirelessly to represent this district with strong convictions based on the beliefs of life, liberty and smaller government. My vision is to make Minnesota government limited and less intrusive to create a stronger environment for Minnesota job growth."

Fitzsimmons was also the campaign manager for Tom Emmer's campaign for governor.

Incumbents in the Legislature continue musical chairs as a result of the new map

Posted at 5:52 PM on February 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Redistricting

Incumbent lawmakers in the Minnesota House and Senate are starting to make concrete decisions about their political futures, and many of those decisions could impact party control of the Minnesota Senate.

Two incumbents paired in the same Minnesota Senate District have decided to run against each other.

Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, and Sen. Mary Jo McGuire, DFL-Falcon Heights, both announced today that they are running for re-election. The two were hoping to avoid an endorsement battle, but that's not going to happen. The new district, which includes St. Paul, Roseville, Lauderdale and Falcon Heights, is split nearly halfway between Marty's current district and McGuire's current district.

"It's a tough one," McGuire said. "Because sometimes with redistricting you say 'Who got moved into who's district?' but it's both of our districts."

McGuire wouldn't commit to abiding by the DFL endorsement. Marty said he would. Marty said he'll emphasize his record of standing up to interest groups when he speaks with voters.

"It's a question of not just being there but standing up to the most powerful interests," Marty said. "It doesn't matter what the group is, I've been willing to stick my neck out."

State Sen. Ken Kelash, DFL-Minneapolis, announced today that he will move into Senate District 50 rather than have an endorsement fight with Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis. The two were paired this week after a court appointed panel released the state's new political boundaries. Kelash said today that he's in the process of hiring a real estate agent to help him move into the district that includes Richfield and Bloomington. He said SD50 includes more than half of the district he currently represents.

"I know the district well, and I think I can continue serving there," Kelash said. "I think I'll give voters a chance to see if they want to keep me there for awhile."

Kelash said he has spoken with Rep. Ann Lenczewski, DFL-Bloomington, about her intentions but decided not to wait for her to make up her mind about running there. Lenczewski has reportedly been interested in running for the seat. She hasn't returned calls to discuss her decision. Update: Bloomington School Board Chair Melissa Halvorson Wiklund announced that she's running for the seat. She's seeking the DFL endorsement.

Meanwhile, Rep. Connie Doepke, R-Orono, announced that she's going to run for an open Senate seat that's being vacated by Sen. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista. Doepke says the district includes many of the areas that she represented during her time in the Minnesota House and as a member of the Wayzata School Board. She said she has the experience needed to represent the district. She said she sits on the House Taxes Committee, was a member of the school board, was endorsed by Conservation Minnesota and is a member of the Twin West Chamber of Commerce.

"Business, taxes and the environment are the three key things in that district that are important to may folks," Doepke said. "And I've got it all."

Rep. Steve Smith, R-Mound, has also reportedly expressed interest in running for the seat. I wasn't able to speak with him about his decision.

Rep. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo, also announced today that he's running in an open Senate seat in the northwest suburbs and exurbs. The new district includes Buffalo, Rockford, Delano, Monticello and Annandale.

"It has been an honor to serve Wright County in the Minnesota House," Anderson said in a statement. "I will bring that same principled voice to the Minnesota Senate."

Rep. Kent Eken decided that he's going to run a Senate seat that's being vacated by Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon, instead of running for re-election in the Minnesota House. Eken was paired with Rep. Paul Marquart, DFL-Dilworth. Eken said that he'll continue to stress issues like agriculture, jobs and property taxes as he campaigns. He said he'll just have to campaign in twice the area.

"In no way do I see this as a slam dunk," Eken said. This is a district that you're going to have to work hard in to win in."

Eken and Marquart announced earlier this week that they would not run against each other. Marquart said he's running for the House seat.

Rep. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, said he's also running for an open Senate seat in western Minnesota. Westrom said he considers the senate run as a new opportunity.

"This district is a big part of western Minnesota which I'm in the center of," Westrom said. "There are eight counties in this district. There are 87 in the state so this district is about 10 percent of the state."

Scott Dutcher, a member of the Republican Party of Minnesota's executive committee, announced that he's running for the seat being vacated by Westrom.

Hoffman announces run for Congress in 7th District

Posted at 11:06 AM on February 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Redistricting, U.S. House

State Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas, announced this morning that she's running for Congress against DFL Rep. Collin Peterson.

"Like many of my neighbors, I've grown increasingly frustrated with Washington politicians who continually fail to clean up the mess they've created with their mountains of wasteful spending," Hoffman said in a news release. "Collin Peterson has simply been in Washington too long and has lost touch with his Minnesota values. I look forward to the coming campaign and building a winning coalition of Minnesotans who want to see fiscal responsibility return to our nation's capitol."

Hoffman made the announcement in the same week that redistricting forced into a pairing with Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria.

Hoffman is in her first-term in the Minnesota Senate. Her campaign said she's received a 100% rating from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and a "Best Friend of the Taxpayer" award from the Taxpayer's League of Minnesota for her work in the state Senate.

The Senate Ethics Committee has also forced Hoffman to apologize for comments she wrote on Twitter about Sen. Barb Goodwin, DFL-Columbia Heights.

Hoffman will challenge Lee Byberg for the GOP endorsement. The winner will face Peterson in the general election. Republicans have been focusing on the 7th District because the voters tend to vote for Republicans. Peterson, however, has been the exception to that rule. He's the leading Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee and has been active in delivering federal aid to flood stricken communities in northwestern Minnesota.

Redistricting fallout continues

Posted at 4:46 PM on February 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Redistricting

There has been more fallout among incumbents who were recently paired in the same districts as a result of redistricting.

The biggest question is what GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean intends to do. Dean has been paired with Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake. McFarlane told MPR News that she's not sure whether she's going to run again.

Dean said he too was undecided about his political future.

"I certainly hope to be," when asked if he want to come back to the Minnesota House.

Dean later declined to answer whether he'll challenge McFarlane or move into a new legislative district.

"I haven't talked to Carol," Dean said. "It would be inappropriate for me to say anything publicly."

When pressed about whether he intends to challenge McFarlane, Dean said "I haven't made any decisions."

Dean wasn't the only one trying to make up his mind. Rep. Andrew Falk, DFL-Murdock, said he hasn't decided whether he intends to run for re-election. He said he needs to talk with Rep. Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City, who is now in the same district.

Koenen said he hopes to run for re-election but doesn't want to be in an endorsement battle with Falk.

"It's my intention that Rep. Falk and I work this out to a mutual agreement," Koenen said. He said one option is for one of them to challenge Sen. Joe Gimse, R-Willmar, but they both prefer to stay in the House. Koenen says he'd like to make a decision quickly.

Meanwhile, two Republicans paired in southern Minnesota say they'll leave the decision up to the delegates. Rep. Ron Shimanski, R-Silver Lake, and Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen R-Glencoe, were paired in House District 18B.

"This is one that neither Ron or I would seek out, but it's what we have to accept," Gruenhagen said.

Rep. Bob Dettmer, R-Forest Lake, said he's decided to seek the GOP endorsement even though he was paired with Rep. Bob Barrett, R-Shafer.

"I'll be running," Dettmer said. "My wife and I have already decided that we're going to run for office and we're going to ask for the endorsement."

Barrett said he hasn't made a decision. There is an open seat roughly a mile from his home.

In the Minnesota Senate, Sen. Ted Lillie, R-Lake Elmo, says he's still trying to decide what to do. Lillie is paired with Sen. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake. Lillie said it's possible that he'll move into an open seat in Woodbury.

"There is a possibility of running in that district," Lillie said. "It is a home base for us. My wife is the medical director at the hospital there."

Lillie also said he could run for Congress against DFL Rep. Betty McCollum. Vandeveer was unavailable to comment.

Two Republicans paired in a west Central Minnesota Senate District say they hope to decide about their political future within the next day. Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, and Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas, have been paired. Both said they hope to announce some sort of plan by Friday.

Rep. Bev Scalze, DFL-Little Canada, hasn't been paired with an incumbent, but she says she's going to give up her House seat and run for an open seat in the Minnesota Senate. Scalze said redistricting left her in a district that has an open Senate seat and an open House seat. She said she felt that running for the Senate will help her deliver on her agenda.

"There is going to need some experience in that district," Scalze said. "I can give that to them"

One lawmaker who was paired in redistricting announced today that he's retiring. Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan, said he'll leave the House after seven terms. Buesgens moved from his home in Jordan and now lives in Savage. That means he was paired with Rep. Pam Myhra, R-Burnsville.

Buesgens said he was proud of his work on K-12 issues and his ability to slow down or defeat legislation he disliked. He was often the only no vote on bills

"If people are looking for a laundry list of new laws that they put in the statute books as their measure of success then I'm pretty unsuccessful," Buesgens said. "But if you're looking for someone who would stand up and champion liberty and freedom then I think I've been very successful for that."

Buesgens said he has no intention of running for office again.

UPDATE:

There will also be an endorsement battle in Senate District 31. Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, and Sen. Michael Jungbauer, R-Ham Lake, were paired together. Both say they want to stay in the Senate.

Benson said she's committed to abiding by the decision of the Republican delegates. The first-term Republican said she'll stress her work on the estate tax, energy policies and health care

"You hope through steel on steel that the delegates pick the best candidate."

Jungbauer said he's looking forward to running in the district. He said he already represents a large portion of it and said he has the opportunity to represent family members that he didn't represent before.

"It was like a no brainer for me, Jungbauer said. "It's like I have to try to run."

Jungbauer initially said on The Late Debate radio that he would run in a primary if he didn't win the endorsement. But he backed off of those comments on Thursday.

"There is no way on this earth that I will walk out of a normal, fair endorsement convention where somebody says to me 'Jungbauer, you're not our guy' and I would go ahead."

Jungbauer predicted that the upcoming convention will be a "tough endorsement fight."

Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, announced that she's also leaving her House District to run for an open seat in the Minnesota Senate. Kiffmeyer, who also served as Minnesota Secretary of State, said she'll continue to focus on the same issue in the Legislature but will be representing a larger district.

"I'll work on the same issues but I'll represent a larger distrit than I would as a House member," Kiffmeyer said. "Especially with a brand new district, I'll be able to give some experienced leadership to both sides of the district."

Kiffmeyer also said making a quick decision will allow Republicans to run for the two other open seats in the district.

Here's a list of the lawmakers who have announced their retirements so far:

Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan
Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville
Rep. Mark Murdock, R-Ottertail
Sen. Linda Higgins, DFL-Minneapolis
Sen. Amy Koch, R-Buffalo
Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls
Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon
Sen. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista

Paired incumbents start pondering political future

Posted at 7:00 PM on February 22, 2012 by Tom Scheck (7 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Redistricting

48 of the 201 incumbents in the Minnesota Legislature have been paired together under the new redistricting plan. Some have quickly made decisions about their political futures. Others are taking time to ponder their options. Here's a look at where things stand among the members who were paired:

Senate District 5

Sen. John Carlson, R-Bemidji, says he's running for reelection. He's paired with Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids. Saxhaug told the Duluth News Tribune that he'll run in November.

Senate District 8

Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, told MPR News earlier this week that he intends to run again. He's paired with Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas. Hoffman said she's not sure whether she's running for reelection.

Update: Ingebrigtsen and Hoffman both say they'll make a decision by Friday night.

Senate District 17

Sen. Joe Gimse, R-Willmar, is expected to run unopposed not face an incumbent since Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, is not expected to run for reelection.

Senate District 23

Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, says she intends to run for reelection.

"That's my district and I worked very hard," Rosen said. "I ran unopposed last time and I think I have good standing there. I did some good things for that district."

Rosen has been paired with Sen. Al DeKruif, R-Madison Lake. He said he'll speak with his family and supporters before making a decision. DeKruif, however, said he won't move into another district. If he runs he'll run against Rosen.

"If I get the nod from everybody that I should do this and then in my guy I feel right then I'll go," he said.

Senate District 31

Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, said she's talking with supporters about her political future. She was paired with Sen. Michael Jungbauer, R-East Bethel, who said he's running. Jungbauer told Late Debate Radio on Tuesday night that he will run in a primary.

Senate District 39

Sen. Ted Lillie, R-Lake Elmo and Sen. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake have been paired. I haven't caught up with either of them yet. Lillie told the Woodbury Patch that he's keeping his options open. They include moving to Woodbury or a possible run for Congress against Rep. Betty McCollum, DFL-MN.

Senate District 61

Sen. Ken Kelash, DFL-Minneapolis, sent out an e-mail saying he's thinking about running for an open Senate seat instead of challenging Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis. Dibble is running in the district.

Senate District 66

Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, and Sen. Mary Jo McGuire, DFL-Falcon Heights, both say they