Capitol View Category Archive: Campaign 2010

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.

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."

Cravaack plans to spend more time with his family...in New Hampshire

Posted at 7:31 PM on July 16, 2011 by Mike Mulcahy (8 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, U.S. House

From MPR's Rupa Shenoy:

No, it's not a case of yet another Minnesota politician running for president. But GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack's wife and children are moving to New Hampshire, and Cravaack plans to visit them there at least once a week.

Cravaack tells the Duluth News Tribune his wife Traci's job requires her to be in the Boston area three days a week, and the New Hampshire location will make it easier for him to spend time with their children.

"My wife and I said, 'Just because I'm in Congress, I'm still a father.' And being a father comes first," he said. "I have to take care of my children the best way possible, and still be able to serve the country at the same time."

Cravaack says he plans to sell his family's home in Lindstrom and move to North Branch.

Cravaack campaign advisor Ben Golnik said Cravaack will continue to spend about as much time in the state as he does now.

"Sunday has always been his family day, so just using now as an example, I think today he was in two parades up in northern Minnesota, so he'll do his parades, and most likely Saturday evening he'd go to New Hampshire, spend time with his family, and then go to Washington, DC if there were votes," he said. "On district work weeks he would spend his time as he does now, in Minnesota doing constituent meetings, town hall meetings."

Cravaack told the newspaper that he's being pressured by attack ads to begin running for re-election sooner than he had expected.

As someone who ran accusing Democrat Jim Oberstar of being out of touch with the 8th District, it's probably fair to assume the Democrats who want to run against him in 2012 may have a few things to say about the New Hampshire homestead.

Federal court upholds campaign disclosure law

Posted at 3:00 PM on May 16, 2011 by Brett Neely (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

WASHINGTON - In a 2-1 decision, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a Minnesota campaign finance law that requires extensive disclosure of independent expenditures on behalf of candidates and restricts corporate contributions to state candidates and political parties.

The case, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life vs. Swanson, follows the Citizens United Supreme Court decision in 2009, which freed corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money to support and oppose candidates for federal office.

Following that decision, the Legislature passed strict disclosure laws for corporations, which revealed Target's support for the group MN Forward, which in turn supported Tom Emmer's campaign for the governor's office.

MCCL, which opposes abortion, along with the Taxpayer's League of Minnesota and a travel agency, sued to block the law, arguing that the disclosure laws violated the groups' free speech rights and created burdensome new rules to adhere to. (Perhaps not coincidentally, the groups are represented by Jim Bopp, who also advised Citizens United.)

The court disagreed with the groups' arguments, writing, "Minnesota's provisions collectively impose no materially greater burden on corporations than the disclosure laws at issue in Citizen United."

MCCL can appeal the circuit court's decision to the Supreme Court, which recently heard a challenge to Arizona's campaign finance laws.

The group hasn't made a public statement about the decision and referred us to their lawyer for comment. I've left a message with him and will update this post if he responds with a comment.

The pro-campaign finance group, the Campaign Legal Center, supported the 8th Circuit's decision.

"This is good news for Minnesota and for the health of campaign finance law in the post-Citizens United era," said the Center's associate counsel Tara Malloy. "In light of the many pending challenges [to campaign disclosure laws], we are pleased that the Eighth Circuit has joined the Ninth Circuit and many lower courts in the last year to hold that strong disclosure laws for independent expenditures are constitutional."

You can read the full 30 page decision here.

ABM goes large

Posted at 10:15 AM on February 1, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota was the biggest spender in last year's race for governor. The group, which is backed by labor unions, Native American Tribes, wealthy DFL donors and the Democratic Governor's Association, spent $5.7 million in the race.

That spending eclipsed two outside groups that were working to elect Republican Tom Emmer. Minnesota's Future, funded mostly by the Republican Governor's Association, spent $1.4 million on the race. MN Forward, a group backed by businesses like Target and Best Buy, spent almost $1.8 million.

Dayton and Pawlenty meet

Posted at 5:31 PM on December 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Mark Dayton, Tim Pawlenty

Pawlenty and Dayton newser from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

Gov. Pawlenty and Gov.-elect Mark Dayton met behind closed doors today to discuss Pawlenty's transition to power. The Republican governor and the Democrat elected to succeed him met one day after the race for governor ended. The two had a cordial meeting and refrained from the criticism they aimed at each other during the campaign.

"While we do disagree on matters" Dayton said. "We understand that's the greatness and the strength of our democracy. Countries that only have one political party or one leader to choose from, they have far worse governments than we are so privileged to have in this country."

The meeting is a pivot in power to the next governor. Pawlenty said he instructed his staff to make themselves available to Dayton and his staff.

"Whatever Gov.-elect Dayton needs, we're going to get it to him promptly and professionally and fully as we can," Pawlenty said.

Dayton made his first hire of his administration. He announced that MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel will remain in that job.

Pawlenty and Dayton take questions from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

Dayton speaks

Posted at 4:17 PM on December 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Gov.-elect Mark Dayton says he's humbled that he'll be the next governor of the state of Minnesota. Dayton struck a cooperative tone throughout his comments but reemphasized his plea to make taxes fairer in Minnesota. Dayton has said during the campaign that he wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to balance the state's budget.

Here's the full speech and the q and a with reporters: Listen

Emmer's concession

Posted at 12:35 PM on December 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Here's the audio from Republican Tom Emmer's concession speech: Listen

Emmer to concede governor's race tomorrow

Posted at 10:27 PM on December 7, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Tom Emmer will concede the governor's race to Democrat Mark Dayton tomorrow. A person with knowledge of Emmer's plans says Emmer will make the announcement at 10:30 in his hometown of Delano.

Democrat Mark Dayton's spokeswoman Katherine Tinucci said they have no comment at this point.

"We have not heard from the Emmer campaign this evening," Tinucci said.

Developing...

MNGOP on Supreme Court opinion

Posted at 5:27 PM on December 7, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Tony Sutton tonight issued the following statement regarding today's ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court.

"While we are disappointed in today's decision from the Minnesota Supreme Court, we will continue to take this process one day at a time. As the next step in this legally mandated recount, we look forward to tomorrow's State Canvassing Board meeting."

Dayton campaign statement on opinion

Posted at 3:11 PM on December 7, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Dayton Recount Director Ken Martin issued a statement on the Supreme Court opinion:

"We thank the Supreme Court for issuing this opinion in a timely manner as we wrap up the last step in the election and recount process this week. The Court deserves a great deal of credit for considering and resolving this matter so rapidly, thoughtfully, and decisively.

The Court's opinion makes it clear that Minnesotan election officials across the state acted appropriately by utilizing official voter receipts to reconcile precinct returns and to ensure that this election was accurate, transparent and reliable. This also makes it clear that any effort to file a legal contest on this matter would lose in court.

We look forward to the rapid conclusion of the Canvassing Board process and prompt certification of the results of the 2010 gubernatorial election."

####

Emmer drops challenges

Posted at 2:45 PM on December 7, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Attorneys for Republican Tom Emmer have withdrawn the vast majority of challenges to ballots they made last week during the recount of votes in the governor's race.

The State Canvassing board now has just 181 ballots to review, 91 from Democrat Mark Dayton's side, 90 from Emmer's side.

The number dropped dramatically after Emmer withdrew 671 challenges and Dayton pulled back 88.

And there are fewer than 30 other ballots still contested by Emmer even though local officials called the challenges frivolous. The board has not yet decided whether it will look at those.

Even if Emmer won all of his challenges, including the ones ruled frivolous, he would remain more than 8,500 votes behind Dayton in unofficial results.

The canvassing board is set to begin ruling on ballot challenges tomorrow. It had set aside three days for the task, but likely won't need that much time, since so many ballot challenges have been withdrawn.

The board ruled on more than 1,300 challenges in four days during the 2008 Senate recount.

Minnesota Supreme Court deals Emmer another setback

Posted at 2:28 PM on December 7, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

The Minnesota Supreme Court issued the reasoning behind its decision to deny Republican Tom Emmer's petition to force counties to reconcile the number of voters with the numbers of votes cast on Election Day.

The court quickly denied Emmer's petition a few weeks ago but didn't offer the reasoning behind it. The court issued an eighteen page opinion explaining why Emmer's push to require elections officials to count the number of ballots with the number of voter signatures should not be granted.

The opinion said "Minnesota's election laws have not relied exclusively on documents signed by voters to determine the number of ballots to be counted in the election." The opinion added "It is clear the legislature intended to permit..either signatures..or voter's receipts..to count ballots."

The opinion, which was written by multiple judges anonymously, makes it more difficult for Emmer to sue on this issue. He said last week that he was waiting for the opinion before he decided to sue in court.

The ruling also comes one day before the State Canvassing Board will review several hundred ballots that were flagged by the campaigns in the recount. Democrat Mark Dayton is expected to be declared the winner when the recount is over.

More than 2/3rds think Emmer should quit

Posted at 10:21 AM on December 7, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

A new poll by Public Policy Polling say 68% of those polled think Democrat Mark Dayton was the rightful winner in Minnesota's race for governor. The same number also think Republican Tom Emmer should quit the race.

The protracted fight over who won the Governor's race isn't doing Emmer's image any favors. 49% of voters in the state have an unfavorable opinion of him to only 37% with a positive one. It's no surprise that Democrats are pretty universally negative toward Emmer, giving him a 4/86 favorability rating. But independents are overwhelmingly negative as well with only 30% saying they have a positive opinion of him.

"Tom Emmer is likely hurting his future political prospects by drawing out the race for Governor," said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. "Voters in the state, including many who voted for him, think that Mark Dayton was the rightful winner of the election."

The poll comes just one day before the State Canvassing Board meets to review any disputed ballots that were flagged by the campaigns during the recount. Emmer says he wants to let the process take it's course. He is also waiting for an updated Statewide Voter Registration System and a MN Supreme Court opinion on why his petition to match the number of ballots with the number of signatures on the Election Night roster.

You can read the full results here.

There's a bit more political catnip coming tomorrow. PPP says it will release a poll looking at the 2012 Senate race.

Demographer on reapportionment: "It's very close""

Posted at 4:27 PM on December 6, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

Minnesota State Demographer Tom Gillaspy told me today that he's optimistic but not 100 percent certain that Minnesota will keep all eight congressional seats when the 2010 reapportionment study is released.

The U.S. Census Bureau releases information every ten years that prompts states reapportion the number of congressional seats in the U.S. House. The decision is based on population figures. Minnesota currently has eight seats and there has been some concern that Minnesota will lost a seat because the state's population is growing at a slower rate than other states.

"It's going to be very close," Gillaspy said. "We're a cusp state."

Gillaspy said one thing that's working in Minnesota's favor is that state's citizens had a higher response rate when it came to filling out the initial census request. He said that means the state is less likely to miss counting people in the state.

Gillaspy said he expects the Census Bureau to release the figures in the final week of 2010. He said the Census will release two numbers. The state's population and the number of seats the state has through reapportionment.

One side note: There have been some concern from Democrats that a Republican controlled Legislature could try to jam through a redistricting bill if Governor Pawlenty is forced to hold office longer because of the extended contest between Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer. Those fears are a bit exaggerated. Gillaspy says it's unlikely that the Census will give the state the population information needed to help lawmakers draw the districts for Congress, the Legislature, etc. until late February.

Another side note: Republicans in the Minnesota Senate announced today that GOP Sen. Geoff Michel of Edina will be the lead on redistricting issues for their caucus.

Quie: You don't ban people from the Party

Posted at 10:41 AM on December 6, 2010 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Former GOP Gov. Al Quie says he laughed heartily when he heard GOP delegates effectively voted on Saturday to ban him and seventeen other Republicans from the party for two years because they endorsed IP candidate Tom Horner's campaign for governor.

"If you want to be a Republican you continue to be a Republican," Quie said. "Which I will continue to do."

Quie told MPR's Morning Edition that he will remain a Republican but expressed concern over where Republican Emmer stood on certain issues.

"it was a tough struggle for me," he said on backing Horner over Emmer.

Quie says his family has a long history of being a Republican. He said his grandfather supported Abe Lincoln and his father backed Hoover. Quie says the decision won't have an impact on him because he he usually attends precinct caucuses but asks not to be elected as a delegate so other people can serve.

Here's the full interview: Listen

MNGOP punishes Horner supporters

Posted at 4:24 PM on December 4, 2010 by Tom Scheck (14 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Delegates at today's Republican Party State Central Committee approved a 2-year party ban on 18 high profile Republicans who supported Independence Party candidate Tom Horner. The list includes former GOP governors Al Quie and Arne Carlson and former US Senator Dave Durenberger.

On a 59 to 55 vote, the motion would forbid them from being Republican delegates or attending the Republican National Convention in 2012. Supporters of the motion say it would hold people accountable for calling themselves Republicans yet supporting a rival candidate.

Delegate Jim Newberger of Becker says Democrat Mark Dayton may not be leading the recount if the endorsements for Horner didn't occur.

"These people, their money and their influence, possibly cost us 8,000 votes," Newberger said. "These are some big names. But it's time for the Republican Party to grow a spine. Either you're a Republican or you're not."

But other delegates said the motion would make the party look vindictive. Jen De Journett of Maple Grove, says the proposal would make the party look bad.

"Even if we pass this motion, we can't exactly take away a former governor's title," she said. "We can't vote people out who may or may not live in this state and we're going to look like a bunch of goofballs."

Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton says the motion will be difficult to enforce but he said he understands the frustration of Republicans who think Horner could have cost Emmer the election. Sutton, who caught fire during the campaign for calling Republicans backing Horner as "Quislings," said he doesn't think the motion will hurt the party's image.

"I get frustrated because a lot of people on that list only come out and say they're Republicans when the want to stick it to Republicans," Sutton said. "The rest of the time they say they're an independent or a Democrat and support nothing but Democrats.

Dayton led Emmer by nearly 8,800 votes before the recount started. The State Canvassing Board is scheduled to review disputed ballots next week but it appears Dayton will continue to hold a lead regardless of the outcome of the challenged ballots.

Here's the full list:

Arne Carlson
Al Quie
George Pillsbury
Peggy Leppik
Neil Peterson
Dennis Ozment
Roger Scherer
David Jennings
Ed Oliver
Lynne Osterman
Dave Bishop
Bill Schreiber
Art Seaberg
Rod Searle
Dave Durenberger
Doug Kelley
Joanell Drystad
Al Olson

Here's the audio of the debate: Listen

Republican Tom Emmer also addressed the convention. You can listen to his speech here: Listen

Emmer says he'll withdraw some challenged ballots

Posted at 11:59 AM on December 3, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Emmer news conference from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

"We must know what the Supreme Court's reasoning is in denying our petition and we must also know the updated Statewide Voter Registration System looks like so we can make a determination of how many potential extra ballots exist and whether that number would be material to the outcome of the governor's race."

The Minnesota Supreme Court is expected to issue an opinion on the reconciliation issue, but he hasn't seen one yet. Emmer says there were tens of thousands of unmatched ballots and voters during the 2008 Senate race recount. Emmer trailed Democrat Mark Dayton by about 88-hundred votes prior to the recount.

You can read the full story on his newser here.

Ballots. You make the call!

Posted at 11:43 AM on December 3, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

MPR web guru Than Tibbetts captured many of the challenged ballots and put them on MPR's website. You can take a look at them and decide whether the ballot is a vote for Democrat Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer or other. You can also write comments on each ballot.

Check it out here.

Emmer filed 2839 frivolous challenges

Posted at 11:25 AM on December 3, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

The Minnesota Secretary of State's office reports that Republican Tom Emmer's campaign has filed 2,839 frivolous challenges through the first four days of the recount. A large majority of those frivolous challenges challenges were in Hennepin County. Emmer's team filed 2113 frivolous challenges in that county alone. Emmer said earlier today that he plans to withdraw many of those challenges if his campaign is able to review them.

Although the recount is not over, it's nearly impossible for Emmer to win the recount. The total number of Emmer's frivolous and legitimate ballots challenges is 3573. That means he's still 5197 votes short of catching Dayton if you look at Dayton's lead before the recount started.

Dayton's campaign has announced it will withdraw all of their frivolous challenges. Here's the Secretary of State report:

Frivolous Ballots Report

Recount Day 4: Dayton still leads but loses 70 votes

Posted at 9:23 PM on December 2, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

The latest recount results show Democrat Mark Dayton continuing to lead Republican Tom Emmer but the numbers are 70 votes fewer than Election Night results. But those results don't show the high number of ballots challenged by Emmer's campaign.

Emmer has challenged 735 ballots. Dayton challenged 175 ballots.

All but two counties have finished their work. Ramsey County is expected to finish on Friday. Hennepin County is expected to finish on Monday.

Dayton: Deficit shows need for next governor

Posted at 6:21 PM on December 2, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Democrat Mark Dayton held a news conference today to discuss the Revenue Forecast that shows a projected budget deficit of $6.2 billion. Dayton called it a "serious challenge" and said the state's fiscal situation shows the need for the next governor to be seated on January 3rd.

"These enormous challenges make it even more imperative that the next elected governor take office on January 3rd as Minnesota's constitution provides so he and his administration's budget team and agency heads will have enough time to present a balanced, responsible budget."

Dayton says he's sticking with his income tax plan and said every other option, including expanding gambling, needs to be on the table. He said he met with former finance commissioners and other budget experts to discuss ways to fix the deficit, but says his plans are still in the hypothetical stage. He offered few specifics.

Dayton, who led Republican Tom Emmer by 8,770 votes before the recount started, says he's spending every waking moment worrying about the state budget and a possible transition to the governor.

GOP leaders in the Minnesota House and Senate say they won't support a tax increase of any kind.

Emmer statement on budget deficit

Posted at 6:18 PM on December 2, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Tom Emmer declined to talk to reporters today about the recount or the $6.2 billion budget deficit. He later released this statement on the revenue forecast:

"There are positive signs in this forecast: 14,000 new jobs, 5% increase in revenue, no need for additional unallottments or short-term borrowing. What this forecast shows is exactly what we discussed throughout the campaign, we cannot sustain government growth of 27.5%. Government must live within its means and control spending in order to drive Minnesota's economic engine forward.

"Gov. Pawlenty has relentlessly worked to control growth but was thwarted at every turn by the DFL legislature--a legislature that lost their majority because of their reluctance to make structural changes to our budget and instead simply kicked the can down the road," said Representative Tom Emmer

Soros and Clinton to hold a fundraiser for Dayton

Posted at 11:42 AM on December 2, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Democrat Mark Dayton said today that former President Bill Clinton will headline a fundraiser in New York City on December 13th to help Dayton pay for the recount. Dayton said the event will be held at the home of financier George Soros. Dayton also said he's is trying to schedule a fundraiser for December 15th that will be hosted by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and others. Dayton says that fundraiser will go to his campaign. Dayton's recount director says Dayton raised more than $1 million to date for the campaign's recount efforts.

Dayton says he believes he's leading Republican Tom Emmer by about 9,000 votes after three days of counting ballots. He says he's confident he'll be the winner of the race once the recount is over.

Dayton made the comments after he was briefed on the budget situation.

Republican Tom Emmer refused to answer any questions from reporters after he was briefed on the state budget on Thursday morning.

Recount Day 3: Dayton picks up 3 votes

Posted at 8:11 PM on December 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

After the third day of counting ballots, Democrat Mark Dayton picked up three votes on Republican Tom Emmer when you compare the latest Secretary of State recount results to Election Night totals. 84 percent of the ballots cast on Election Night have been recounted.

Emmer's team has also challenged four times as many ballots as Dayton's team. Emmer made 679 legitimate ballot challenges. Dayton made 163 ballot challenges.

All but five counties have finished the recount. The remaining counties are Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Dakota and St. Louis.

The State Canvassing Board is scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss the number of frivolous challenges being made by the campaigns and whether the five member board should review them. Elections officials say Emmer is making most of the frivolous challenges.

GOP chair blasts Hennepin Co. elections chief

Posted at 2:27 PM on December 1, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy (8 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

State Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton sharply criticized Hennepin County Elections Manager Rachel Smith today. Here's what he said:

"After overseeing an unprecedented 400,000 vote error on election night, Hennepin County Elections Manager Rachel Smith today tried to change the rules in the middle of game to advance the interests of Mark Dayton. Instead of serving as a neutral referee like Ramsey County Elections Manager Joe Mansky, Smith has repeatedly inserted herself into the action by siding with the Dayton campaign on a host of issues, including her attempt today to arbitrarily change the recount schedule. Smith also unsuccessfully tried to change the rules by expanding the number of tables and changing the 'sign in' rules for challenged ballots to discourage Emmer observers from lodging challenges. Smith's maneuvering sends a chilling signal to all Minnesotans who believe in fair play for all sides. Instead of expediting the recount, Smith's machinations have only served to slow things down. As the advocates for Tom Emmer's interests in this process, we will not be intimidated by Smith."

Smith has been saying it's the Emmer side that has been slowing down the recount by frivolously objecting to ballots that are clearly votes for Dayton.

The Dayton campaign put out its estimate of what's happening.

In Minneapolis City (about 6% of the state vote) the Emmer campaign has 1,256 frivolous challenges so far, or 59% of their statewide frivolous challenges. Overall, the rate of frivolous challenges continues to be a bit higher, but solely due to challenges in selected Minneapolis precincts. Precinct 6-2 alone had 81 total challenges and several other precincts have had 30 or more challenges.

UPDATE: Rachel Smith said this when asked about Sutton's statement:

"I don't work for either one of the parties. I'm here for the citizens of Hennepin County and we're trying to do a big job as fairly and expeditiously as we can to meet the guidelines that we were given. "

Another dust up in Hennepin County

Posted at 11:44 AM on December 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Hennepin County Elections Manager Rachel Smith says she wants to add more counting tables to the governor's race recount. Smith says she wants to add three or four more counting tables to the 25 tables already in place. She says she wants to make the move because of a dramatic increse in ballot challenges from the Emmer campaign.

Smith says Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's office gave her permission to add more tables.

Republican Tom Emmer's campaign objected to the move. Emmer attorney Tony Trimble says he would go to court to intervene if table are added. He says they can't add tables unless they have inspectors from each campaign available. He says the Emmer campaign planned to have inspectors at 25 tables.

Update: Smith backed down and said they won't add tables or extend the hours of the recount. She says she doesn't want to be taken to court.

Recount Day 2: Dayton loses 37 votes

Posted at 8:17 PM on November 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

With nearly 70 percent of the ballots recount in Minnesota's race for governor, Democrat Mark Dayton has lost 37 votes to Republican Tom Emmer. But Emmer's campaign has challenged more than four time the number of ballots challenged by Dayton's team.

The results, released by the Secretary of State, show that Emmer lost one vote when comparing the results to Election Night. Dayton lost 38 votes.

Emmer's campaign challenged 597 ballots. Dayton's team challenged 143 ballots.

Election Night totals show Dayton with a lead of 8,770 votes over Emmer.

Emmer team ramps up ballot battle in Hennepin County

Posted at 6:16 PM on November 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Hennepin County Elections Manager Rachel Smith says Republican Tom Emmer's campaign has challenged 927 ballots in her county during the first two days of the recount. She says 894 of those ballot challenges were deemed frivolous.

Smith says Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign lodged 25 challenges - 13 of which were deemed frivolous.

Smith says Emmer's campaign made 103 challenges to ballots in a precinct in Dinkytown neighborhood in Minneapolis. She said every challenge in that precinct was considered frivolous and she wonders why Emmer's team is mounting as many challenges as they are.

"These are legitimately marked ballots," Smith said of ballots cast for Dayton. "These are ballots that there is a filled in oval. There is nothing there."

Smith says each ballot challenge is slowing the process of the recount down whether the challenges are deemed frivolous or legitimate. She said she asked an attorney for Emmer's campaign to withdraw or review some of the challenges but she said he refused.

Emmer campaign attorney Tony Trimble defended the campaign tactic.

"Our strategy is to challenge ballots and challenge as many as we can if, in the eye of the challenger, there's a question about the voter intent, pure and simple. So if there's more today than yesterday, that's a coincidence. Tomorrow there may be more tomorrow than today even."

Smith says they will finish the recount by Monday no matter what.

Recount in Ramsey "regular"

Posted at 6:09 PM on November 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

From MPR's Madeleine Baran:

In Ramsey County, the second day of the recount ended with 67 new ballot challenges, including 56 from Emmer's campaign and 11 from Dayton's.

Some had predicted a flurry of new challenges from Emmer's team, driven by Ramsey County Election Manager Joe Mansky's decision not to deem any challenges frivolous. Mansky said Monday that he will send every challenged ballot to the State Canvassing Board.

Instead, the number of ballot challenges was up only slightly over Monday's figures.

"Maybe the only unusual thing about today was how normal it was and how regular the process was," Mansky said, speaking after the recount ended Tuesday.

Monday's recount in Ramsey County yielded 48 ballot challenges from Emmer's team and 7 from Dayton's. Mansky attributed some of Tuesday's slight increase to an earlier start time. Ramsey County started at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, a half hour earlier than Monday, and was able to count about 1,000 more ballots as a result, he said.

He expects the county will finish its recount on Friday.

Emmer team wants copies of frivolous challenges

Posted at 6:00 PM on November 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

An attorney for Republican Tom Emmer is asking the five member State Canvassing Board to review every ballot challenged in the recount. Eric Magnuson asked the State Canvassing Board to require local elections officials to make copies of every challenged ballot for the campaigns.

Magnuson is making the request after the Board decided to allow local elections officials to deem certain challenges "frivolous" and set them aside for possible review by the board. Magnuson says failing to make copies of the ballots available so they can decide which ballots should be presented to the board for review. The Canvassing Board makes the final determination when it comes to voter intent on challenged ballots.

The board is scheduled to hold a tentative check-in meeting on Friday to discuss the issue.

Here's the letter:

Dayton headed to DC for DGA Meeting

Posted at 12:15 PM on November 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Democrat Mark Dayton is headed to Washington D.C. today to attend the Democratic Governors Association's Winter Meeting and Holiday Party. Dayton is making the trip even though he hasn't been declared the winner in Minnesota's race for governor. Dayton currently leads Republican Tom Emmer by nearly 8,800 votes.

Dayton's spokeswoman says Dayton will be in Washington D.C. on Tuesday and Wednesday. He will fly back to Minnesota on Wednesday evening.

Update: Here's an updated quote from Dayton (via release):

"Although Minnesota's election has not yet been decided, I am still delighted to be invited to meet with Governors from around the country to learn about their initiatives in their respective states. Although the recount is still underway in Minnesota, I am working with my Transition staff to prepare a new administration. If, at the end of the recount, my election is certified and I am elected Governor, I will be ready to lead on January 3rd. Attending the DGA's Annual Meeting provides a worthwhile opportunity to share ideas and learn from other Governors what we can do in Minnesota to put people back to work and balance the state budget in a fair and responsible way."

Recount Day 1: Dayton picks up 24 votes

Posted at 8:23 PM on November 29, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

The results from the first day of the recount show Democrat Mark Dayton picking up votes in the race for governor.

The Secretary of State's results show Dayton picking up 20 votes from the ballots recounted compared to the ballots counted on Election Night. Emmer lost four votes.

The results also show Emmer's campaign is challenging ballots at a more than three to one rate than Dayton's team. Emmer challenged 281 ballots. Dayton challenged 86 ballots.

44.65 percent of the vote has been recounted. 56 counties have finished their work. Most of them are rural counties.

One side note: Renville County didn't report its results in time but Renville County Auditor Larry Jacobs says Emmer picked up one vote from his Election Night totals. He also says Emmer's campaign legitimately challenged one ballot.

Emmer's team challenges 423 ballots in Renville County

Posted at 7:49 PM on November 29, 2010 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Renville County Auditor Larry Jacobs says Republican Tom Emmer's campaign challenged 423 ballots in his county - all but one of those challenges were deemed frivolous. Jacobs says the Emmer Attorney in that county was almost apologetic for the number of challenges being made in Renville County but said she was instructed to challenge any ballot that had writing on it.

"She was instructed that they would challenge any ballot with writing on it. And I said to her 'Well, we have all of these local races and anybody with a write-in has writing on it.' And she just told me that that's what she was instructed to do and that's what she will do."

Jacobs says Democrat Mark Dayton's team didn't challenge any ballots in his county.

Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton was unapologetic for the number of challenges being made by Emmer throughout the state.

"We ask our people to make valid challenges but we also ask them to be very aggressive because you only get one bite of the apple. You only get to look at these votes once and once they're done completing counting a precinct you don't get another chance. So when in doubt, challenge, is what we tell people so that the lawyers and the canvassing board can make that determination."

Dayton recount director Ken Martin says the Dayton campaign isn't being as aggressive as Emmer when it comes to challenges. One reason is that Dayton is leading by 8,770 votes.

"We're not in the same position as Tom Emmer. We don't need to go out and challenge every ballot. What we need to do is sit back and make sure we're advocates for Mark Dayton, that we respect this process. We don't need to go out there and make up ground and try to challenge every ballot."

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says he'll release the total number of frivolous challenges later this week.

House DFL leader not expecting recount changes

Posted at 11:36 AM on November 29, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Recount 2010

While election officials statewide are recounting ballots in the governor's race, some are also taking another look at the results of three House races.

Automatic recounts are underway in Districts 15B, 25B and 27A. Republicans are holding narrow leads over DFLers in all three contests. In 15B the margin is just 10 votes. But the soon-to-be House Minority Leader, Rep. Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said today that he doesn't think the recount will change those results. Here's Thissen's statement:

In addition to today's gubernatorial election recount, three automatic recounts are also underway in what turned out to be a number of close races for the Minnesota House of Representatives. Tight contests have become routine in legislature. Ultimately if 400 Minnesotans had voted differently on November 2nd, Democrats would still be in the Majority. The House DFL Caucus trusts in the accuracy of the election results, the election officials and the process. Even though these races are extremely close, we do not anticipate changes in results because of the recounts.

Ramsey County won't call ballot challenges frivolous

Posted at 10:12 AM on November 29, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

A hand recount of 2.1 million ballots is underway in Minnesota's disputed race for governor. Local elections officials started the recount at 9 o'clock this morning. Campaign officials for Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer are watching the recount and may challenge any ballots where they think voter intent is unclear.

One change in this year's election versus the 2008 U.S. Senate recount is that local elections officials can determine whether such challenges are frivolous. But Ramsey County Elections Manager Joe Mansky said this morning that he won't deem any challenges frivolous and will send every challenged ballot to the State Canvassing Board.

"My preference then is to let them see every challenged ballot so if you challenge them I'm not going to challenge you. I will send over anything you want them to take a look at. That's ok with me."

Democrat Mark Dayton currently leads Republican Tom Emmer by more than 8,700 votes.

Secretary of State's office to fix State Canvassing report

Posted at 3:39 PM on November 26, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's office incorrectly reported vote totals for Republican Tom Emmer in Fillmore County on the State Canvassing Report. The report, which is submitted to the five member State Canvassing Board, stated that Emmer received 3647 votes in Fillmore Count, not 3648 votes. I noticed the error when I was compiling a document in preparation for the recount.

John Aiken, a spokesman for the Secretary of State's office, said there was a transcription error when they were reporting the figures. He pointed to the Secretary of State's website to show the correct number for Fillmore County.

"The mistake was on the document," Aiken said. "It was a transcription error, not a count error."

Aiken said the office intends to look into why there was a transcription error in Fillmore County on Monday. He emphasized Democrat Mark Dayton continues to lead Emmer by 8770 votes, a small enough margin to trigger an automatic recount.

The figures on the State Canvassing Board report are important because they provide a baseline heading into Monday's recount.

Elections officials across the state will start hand counting every ballot to determine a winner in the race for governor. The recount is required by state law.

MPR's Jess Mador contributed to this report.

Campaign Finance Board says political funds can give to recount

Posted at 2:40 PM on November 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature, Recount 2010

The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board approved a request today that would allow Minnesota political funds to give unlimited amounts of money to the recount teams for Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer. But the board ruled that the committees have to disclose those donations to the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board.

The Board held an emergency meeting today after Dayton's attorney requested an opinion on whether Dayton's recount committee can accept funds from political committees. The board's ruling also allows Dayton and Emmer to donate any funds from their campaign committees to their recount committees.

The ruling means the public will now have an idea if political committees are giving to the recount committees.

An earlier board ruling said Dayton and Emmer can set up recount committees outside of the jurisdiction of the Campaign Finance Board. That means the candidates can raise unlimited funds for the recount and won't have to disclose where the money comes from.

Dayton currently leads Emmer by 8770 votes. The recount starts on Monday.

Dayton has set up a 527 political fund for the recount and said he will disclose his donations. Emmer's team hasn't said how they'll accept funds to pay for the recount but it appears he's working with the Republican Party of Minnesota. Emmer has said he'll follow the law, which means he doesn't have to disclose anything.

Emmer on court ruling, recount and voter registration system

Posted at 7:30 AM on November 23, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Tom Emmer appeared on MPR's Morning Edition this morning. He declined to say that yesterday's Supreme Court ruling was a "setback." He is also continuing to push the concern that there are more ballots cast than voters registered. When asked if the State Canvassing Board would allow Emmer's request to require reconcile ballots with signatures, Emmer replied "I wouldn't expect the canvassing board to do something different."

Recount watchers should also take note that Emmer was asked whether he was looking at filing a possible legal challenge to the recount. He declined to answer it specifically but said he wants to see what happens with the updated State Voter Registration System (SVRS).

You can listen to the full interview with MPR's Cathy Wurzer here: Listen

MN Supreme Court denies Emmer's petition

Posted at 5:07 PM on November 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

It took the Minnesota Supreme Court an hour and a half to issue a ruling. Here's the ruling.

For those wondering, the recount in Minnesota's race for governor will still move forward. The State Canvassing Board is scheduled to meet tomorrow to order the recount. The hand recount will start on November 29th. Emmer's legal team has argued that they will request the State Canvassing Board to match the number of signatures with the number of ballots cast. That was the same argument they made to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Update: Here's a statement from Dayton's team:

"We're very pleased with the prompt decision by the Minnesota Supreme Court. We look forward to tomorrow's state canvassing board meeting and the certification of the election results, which currently show Mark Dayton with an unofficial 8,770-vote victory in the governor's race.

"Minnesota's election went through a thorough process of review, both during the county canvassing and also during the post election reviews - neither of which showed any indication of problems. Again, Minnesota's elections have a clean bill of health.

"Since it looks likely that the race will go to automatic recount, we are preparing for an orderly recount process that will certify the winner of this election on December 14 and seat a new governor on January 3. We fully expect that Governor to be Mark Dayton."

Update: Here's a statement from MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton:

"We appreciate the Minnesota Supreme Court expediting this important matter. While we strongly disagree with the court's ruling, we look forward to getting the legislatively mandated recount underway starting Monday. We will continue to work to ensure that Minnesota election law is followed, that the most basic right of our election system of one person, one vote is upheld. It is critical that our election laws are followed so that Minnesotans have confidence in the ultimate outcome of this election,"

Update: Here's the full audio of the hearing: Listen

Live Blog of MN Supreme Court hearing

Posted at 2:16 PM on November 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

The Minnesota Supreme Court is again weighing into a statewide election. Two years ago, the court was faced with a legal battle over the outcome of a U.S. Senate race. This year, the court is being asked to wade into a governor's race that has Democrat Mark Dayton with a 8,755 vote lead over Republican Tom Emmer. That lead is expected to grow by 8,770 after the Secretary of State's office submits the post election review results done by local elections officials.

Today, five members of the Minnesota Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on an Emmer motion asking the court to require local elections officials to ensure that the number of ballots cast on Election Day squares up with the numbers of signatures on voter rolls. Emmer's attorneys want to know that there aren't more ballots cast than voters. They say state law requires local elections officials to do the so-called "reconciliation" on Election Night. On KTLK-FM this morning, Emmer said local elections officials should not have advised elections judges to forego the counting on Election Night.

"They've decided not to do this reconciliation process which is this at the end of the night, if you had 100 people sign in to your voter roll and you had 125 ballots, you're supposed to have 100 ballots so you're supposed to randomly pull out 25 so you have 100 and 100 so everybody's vote counts."

Local elections officials in Hennepin, Ramsey and Anoka counties say there are instances where there have been more votes than voters. But they say it has more to do with human error than voter fraud. They say casting aside any ballots will wrongly disenfranchise voters.

Dayton's attorneys have said the Emmer motion has more to do with delaying the outcome of the election than ensure every vote is cast.

Five justices are scheduled to hear the motion; Chief Justice Lorie Gildea and Justices Alan Page, Chris Dietzen, Helen Meyer and G. Barry Anderson. Two of the justices have recused themselves because they will sit on the State Canvassing Board and may have to judge if any contested ballots in the recount.

I'll live blog today's hearing. I don't have the fancy software so you'll have to hit the refresh button.

Let the liveblog begin....

For those wondering, Gildea, G. Barry Anderson, Dietzen and Stras (recused) have been appointed to the bench by Governor Pawlenty.

Governor Ventura appointed Helen Meyer.

Governor Arne Carlson appointed Paul Anderson (recused).

Justice Alan Page was elected to his seat.

Diane Bratvold, with Briggs and Morgan, is expected to argue the case on behalf of Republican Tom Emmer. Attorneys Tony Trimble and Matt Haapojaa and former MN Supreme Court Justice Sam Hanson will also appear on the behalf of Emmer and the MNGOP.

Marc Elias (of 2008 recount fame), Charles Nauen and David Lillehaug are present on behalf of Dayton's team.

Solicitor General Alan Gilbert will appear on behalf of Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. Attorneys for Ramsey, Hennepin and Anoka Counties have also submitted briefs but I'm not sure if they'll address the court.

Arguments begin.

Diane Bratvold is addressing the court. Bratvold says the voter signatures, not voter receipts, should detail total number of ballots.

Alan Page question: As I understand the process used today mean "voter receipts" and "voter certificates" don't exist.

Justice Dietzen: Are you contendin that voter certificate and election register are terms that are clear on their face or not?

The Emmer campaign argues that the law requires them the letter of the law should be followed. Dayton campaign argues it's outdated and should rely on receipts..

Dietzen:
Isn't it true that if we go back to 1978 that election register is something that election judges did....

Dietzen is questioning whether voter signatures were required or not. Bratvold says she's not sure. She does say signatures should be counted. Dietzen says polling place roster can be substituted with register and receipts. "That seems plausible to me," Dietzen said.

Gildea questioning as to why the issue shouldn't be ambigious since law calls for a "signed voter certificate" instead of signed polling roster. Bratvold says law requires the count of signatures.

Justice Meyer: What if an elections worker counted voters by hashmarks instead of counting the voter signatures. Bratvold says it would be ad hoc.

Justice Page: What is the practical effect of what you're asking here. Shouldn't it add up.

Bratvold: We know that's not true. We know there are excess ballots that's why it's important that the number of votes cast should be the same as the number of voters.

G Barry Anderson: Aren't we really arguing over form over substance here: Doesn't it allow for the counting voter receipts?

Bratvold: We are not arguing over form over substance. We want to know that ballots and number of voters square up. It's vital for this court to determine that.

Meyer interrupts Bratvold that she's overstating that local elections officials aren't following law and following SOS rule.

Gildea: If we conclude that the rule is consistent with the statute, can you privail?

Bratvold: Are petition is premised on how voter's votes will be counted.

We're really deep in the legal weeds here.

Bratvold's time has expired.

Alan Gilbert is up.

Gilbert says Emmer can't have it both ways. G. Barry Anderson says there are circumstances where there are overages. Election officials say the voters are diminous.

That seems to me in direct violation of the statute," Anderson said. "Shouldn't that be a matter of concern."

Gilbert says throwing the votes aside would disenfranchise that voter. Anderson says by including them it would saturate the pool of votes for those who did vote.

Dietzen is also pursuing this issue. Alan Gilbert says the voter outcome would be diminous (spelling error - sorry)..

Justice Page: the rulemaking authority seems to focus on the devoloping registration system and not on counting votes after the election. Where does the authority come?

Gilbert: The rule was enacted because of a change in a statutory provision with a new election registration system.

Gildea: that doesn't change whether SOS has the authority to interpret the rule. How does this have to do with counting afterwards.

Gilbert: What happened with registration system is that people got a voter receipt so voter certificate never existed. They provided for alternatives.

Gilbert: This rule has been in place for thirty years. He argues the SOS rule should be interpreted as a law. Justice Page interrupts and say until it's challenged and invalidated in court.

Justice G. Barry Anderson: The voter guide provided for counting of the signatures on the roster. Gilbert replies that's true but also says SOS also sent out a rule to count voter receipts.

Gilbert time is up. Marc Elias speaking on behalf of Dayton team.

Press corps shivers when Elias introduces himself. After effect of '08.

Elias says it's much easier to count the votes this way. Says MN learned from its mistakes.

Elias says the time to challenge the voting process is before the election - not after the ballots have been opened.

Gildea: What are we to do with election guide which says "count the signatures on the roster."
Isn't that what petitioner wanted this.

Helen Meyer: Is it your position that counting the voting receipts is the same as counting signatures on the roster?

Elias: Yes.

Gildea: Is it your position law is ambigious or unambigous.

Elias: I believe it's out of date.

Dietzen: Can this court literally enforce it when election register doesn't exist?

Elias: that's why rulemaking and administrative authority exists.

Elias says the question overage. He says there are times when the two numbers won't match and it's bc the election officials know why it is. Disabled person may not be able to sign a register. Two ballots were back to back and voted on one side and the back of the other side.

Dietzen: It seems to me your policy arguments run headway into statute. Excess ballots should be removed. That didn't occur here.

Elias: The question is whether there is an excess. He said "if a discripency cannot be explained."

Elias done. Bratvold is back up with rebuttal. She says state law requires voter signatures.

Justice Page: Could you explain why that doesn't answer this question that the receipt is proof of the voter's right to vote. Bratvold: It is proof of the right to vote but it's not proof of the proper count.

Bratvold: the counting of votes means that votes not be diluted. The proper number of votes should square with roster.

Arguments over. Gildea says they'll issue an opinion.

Emmer: Follow the law

Posted at 1:10 PM on November 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republcan Tom Emmer was on KTLK's Chris Baker show this morning to discuss the recount and his legal push to require local election officials to match up voter rolls with actual ballots. Emmer said local elections officials have not hand counted the number of ballots with the number of signatures on the voter rolls on Election Night.

"They've decided not to do this reconciliation process which is this at the end of the night, if you had 100 people sign in to your voter roll and you had 125 ballots, you're supposed to have 100 ballots so you're supposed to randomly pull out 25 so you have 100 and 100 so everybody's vote counts."

Emmer also said he wants the Statewide Voter Registration System to be updated by December 15th. Local elections officials are required to submit the updated list by that date but can get an extension. For example, the data practices requests and the U.S. Senate recount prompted many to ask for an extension in 2008.

You can listen to the full discussion here.

Emmer is also scheduled to be on MPR's Morning Edition tomorrow morning.

Dayton to meet with Bakk and Thissen

Posted at 12:31 PM on November 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Democrat Mark Dayton is scheduled to meet with DFL Sen. Tom Bakk and DFL Rep. Paul Thissen this afternoon to discuss the upcoming session. Dayton's campaign announced that he'll meet with the minority leaders in the MN House and MN Senate to discuss the legislative priorities for the next session.

Dayton's spokeswoman says Dayton hopes to meet with Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch in the near future.

Post election review: Dayton picks up 15 votes on Emmer

Posted at 10:54 AM on November 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Local elections officials have submitted their post election reviews to the Secretary of State's office and they show Democrat Mark Dayton picking up 15 votes on Republican Tom Emmer. County election officials are required to do hand count reviews of a few random precincts to ensure that the election machines are operating correctly.

The reviews show that Dayton gained 18 votes during the post election review. Emmer gained three votes. The new results mean Dayton will lead Emmer by 8770 votes after the State Canvassing Board meeting on Tuesday - a small enough margin to trigger an automatic recount.

The reviews show Dayton picked up three votes in Hennepin County and eleven votes in St. Louis County. Dayton also picked up three votes in Sherburne County and one vote each in Isanti, Mower and Rice Counties. He lost one vote each in Crow Wing and Fillmore Counties.

Emmer lost two votes in Hennepin County. He also lost one vote each in Dakota and Anoka Counties. He picked up one vote each in Dodge, Isanti, Lake of the Woods, Olmsted, St. Louis, Scott and Stearns Counties.

The results have not been added to the Secretary of State's website yet A spokesman for Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says the results will be combined when the State Canvassing Board meets on Tuesday. The results are unofficial.

And the totals could change once again depending on what the Supreme Court orders after it hears oral arguments on a GOP petition this afternoon.

Here is post election review document (provided by the Secretary of State's office).

Supreme Court to hold oral arguments

Posted at 10:26 AM on November 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

The Minnesota Supreme Court will hold oral arguments today on Republican Tom Emmer's motion to step in before the recount. The arguments start at 2:30.

Dayton's team responds to GOP; adds legal help

Posted at 3:31 PM on November 19, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Mark Dayton today added a familiar name to his recount legal team: Mark Elias, who helped DFLer Al Franken win the 2008 Senate recount.

Dayton's team also filed a response to the GOP petition to the Minnesota Supreme Court. They accuse the Republicans of raising an 11th hour effort to "disrupt and delay the State Canvassing Board certification process through the unwarranted disenfranchisement of voters."

Read their documents here. The arguments start on page 15.

Ramsey County responds to GOP court petition

Posted at 1:37 PM on November 19, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

In the first of several court documents expected to be filed with the Minnesota Supreme Court today, Ramsey County has responded to Tom Emmer and the Minnesota Republican Party's call for the court to order counties to "reconcile" their election night vote totals.

Ramsey County asks the court to dismiss the GOP petition, saying Republicans are trying to "disenfranchise Minnesota voters," that their argument is "flawed in its reliance on outdated terminology," and that the "evidence presented does not support a claim of any 'error' or 'omission.'"

Here is the document filed by the county.

UPDATE:

Anoka County also weighs in, essentially agreeing with Ramsey County. Here's their document.

UPDATE:

Hennepin County has also responded. They say they did reconcile votes and voters and the court should deny the GOP petition.

Dayton: Emmer's court attempts are "desperate"

Posted at 8:16 AM on November 19, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Democrat Mark Dayton characterized Republican Tom Emmer's court attempts as "desperate" during an interview on MPR's Morning Edition. Dayton also told MPR's Cathy Wurzer that he didn't plan on announcing any new commissioners until he has an election certificate in hand.

As for, Emmer's petition to the Minnesota Supreme Court and a request to the State Canvassing Board to change the recount rules, Dayton said Emmer and the Republican Party know they're way behind.

"They know they're way behind," Dayton said. "It's just throwing spit balls at the wall to see which ones will stick."

Dayton currently leads Emmer by nearly 8,800 votes.

Here's the full interview:

Republican Tom Emmer will be on TPT's Almanac tonight.

Emmer campaign wants changes to recount rules

Posted at 5:32 PM on November 18, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor is asking the Minnesota Secretary of State and the State Canvassing Board to revise the rules regarding a statewide recount.

The Emmer campaign wants the State Canvassing Board to be the sole decision maker on any challenged ballots in the statewide recount which is scheduled to start on November 29th.

One of the major changes proposed from 2008 by DFL Secretary of State Mark Ritchie is to give local election officials the ability to determine whether challenged ballots are out of line. The Emmer campaign says the State Canvassing Board, not local election officials, should determine whether ballot challenges are frivolous. They also want local officials to match up the number of ballots with the number of signatures on voter logs. The Emmer campaign asked the Minnesota Supreme Court to weigh in on that matter.

The court has scheduled Monday afternoon for possible oral arguments in that matter. Democrat Mark Dayton unofficially leads Emmer by nearly 8,800 votes.

Here's the request to the State Canvassing Board. It was written by former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson.

Dayton team launches a transition website

Posted at 11:21 AM on November 18, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

The race for governor hasn't been decided yet in Minnesota but that isn't stopping Democrat Mark Dayton from moving forward with his transition. Dayton's campaign announced today that it has created a website that "explains the mission and vision" for his administraiton.

The website takes suggestions and also has a page specifically for people interested in joining his administration.

This is all contingent on Dayton actually winning the race for governor. He currently leads Republican Tom Emmer by nearly 8,800 votes - a small enough margin to trigger an automatic recount.

Supreme Court sets schedule for Emmer motion

Posted at 11:01 AM on November 18, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

The Minnesota Supreme Court has set a schedule for Republican Tom Emmer's motion in Minnesota's yet to be decided governor's race. Emmer wants the court to weigh in on Election Night voting procedures before a statewide hand recount is set to begin.

The court ordered that legal filings should be filed by Friday afternoon. The court also set aside oral arguments for Monday afternoon if the arguments are needed. Here's the order:

Election Petition

Dayton on MNGOP motion: "It seems strange to me"

Posted at 9:05 AM on November 18, 2010 by Tom Scheck (7 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Democrat Mark Dayton is questioning why Republican Tom Emmer and the Minnesota Republican Party are asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to step in before a hand recount in the race for governor. Dayton currently leads Emmer by nearly 8,800 votes but Emmer filed an appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court asking the court to delay the recount until a review is done to ensure that no more votes were cast than voters signed in on Election Day. On Fargo's KFGO-AM this morning, Dayton says the Republicans are trying to change the rules of the game after it's been played.

"I'm not a lawyer and I'm trying to figure out what they?re doing but I?m an old hockey player and it's sort of like you can lose the game 6 to 4 and then you ask the judge to throw all ten goals into the lottery and you pull out six of them and hope that those are yours rather than the other teams. It seems strange to me but I just live here."

The Republican Party has asked for the Minnesota Supreme Court to act on their request quickly. The State Canvassing Board is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to certify the election and order a recount.

Dayton also discussed his transition team and how he'll work with the GOP controlled Legislature.

Here's Dayton's appearance on KFGO-AM with host Joel Heitkamp: Listen

I'm told Dayton will appear on MPR's Morning Edition tomorrow to discuss his transition plans. Republican Tom Emmer is scheduled to appear on TPT's Almanac on Friday night.

MNGOP and Emmer ask MN Supreme Court to step in before recount

Posted at 4:30 PM on November 17, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

MNGOP targets "phantom votes" from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

Tom Emmer's campaign and the Minnesota Republican Party today filed a petition with the Minnesota Supreme Court that could result in some votes being thrown out in the contested race for governor.

The GOP alleges that there is evidence that some election judges failed to reconcile the number of registered voters who signed in on Election Day with the number of votes cast in their precincts. State Republican Party chair Tony Sutton says under state law if there are more votes than voters in a precinct, the excess votes have to be thrown out.

"Phantom votes have no place in the final count," Sutton said. "There is a clear statutory remedy that must be followed, namely that excess phantom votes are removed from the certified vote count."

DFLer Mark Dayton's recount director Ken Martin says the move is a sign of desperation on the part of Emmer and the Republicans.

"There are six days now until the state canvassing board meets. In the 11th hour the Republican Party decides to introduce essentially a Hail Mary pass here, to delay the process that's going to occur."

Dayton currently leads Emmer unofficially by more than 87-hundred votes. If the court agrees with the GOP, it would likely shrink the pool of votes that would be included in a likely recount.

Here's the GOP filing.

I'll post video of the newsers once it's embedded.

Dayton team response from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

Dayton congratulates GOP Chairs

Posted at 12:36 PM on November 17, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature, Recount 2010

Democrat Mark Dayton is trying to get off on the right foot with some of the committee chairs that will be analyzing his budget plan in the Minnesota Legislature. This morning, Republicans in the Minnesota House and Minnesota Senate released their list of committee chairs.

Dayton issued an advisory complimenting them. The release also says he plans on meeting with legislative leaders in both parties in the "coming days." Here's the release:

St. Paul- As House and Senate Republicans announce new committee chairs and the Caucuses elect new leadership, Mark Dayton released the following statement:

"I congratulate the new Committee Chairs in both the Minnesota House and Senate, and the newly elected leadership in the Caucuses. Minnesotans are counting on all of us to work together to address the serious challenges before us, and, should I be declared the winner on December 14, my Administration will stand ready to work with the new leadership in the State Legislature to serve the people of Minnesota."

Dayton is arranging meetings with the legislative leadership of both parties in the upcoming days.

Emmer reaches deal with St. Louis and Pine Counties

Posted at 11:28 AM on November 16, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Tom Emmer's campaign says it has reached an agreement with elections officials in St. Louis and Pine Counties over the Emmer campaign's Data Practices Request. Here's the release from the Emmer campaign:

Emmer for Governor and officials from Pine and St. Louis County have reached tentative agreements on production of the information requested by Emmer for Governor, which was the subject of recently filed litigation. The parties will work cooperatively to complete the production as expeditiously and economically possible. In light of these developments, Emmer for Governor has agreed to hold the litigation in abeyance for now, and not seek any action by the court at this time.

"We are only interested in getting the information we are entitled to under the law, not winning a lawsuit. The parties expect the bulk of the requested information to be produced by the end of this week," Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Tony Sutton said in announcing the tentative agreements with Pine and St. Louis counties regarding recently filed data practices requests.

Dayton picks up five in Hennepin County after review

Posted at 10:35 AM on November 16, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Hennepin County Elections Director Rachel Smith says the county has finished its post election review and Democrat Mark Dayton picked up five votes on Republican Tom Emmer. Smith says county elections officials did a hand recount of 14,000 ballots to ensure that the voting machines on Election Night were accurate. Smith says the review found that Dayton picked up three votes and Emmer lost two votes in the state's most populous county.

"There were a couple of precincts that had a jammed ballot," Smith said. "The other thing we found that there were some voter intent issues to decide so we saw one or two ballots where the voter had marked below the target or had yes next to the candidate rather than filling in the oval completely."

Smith says the post election review also showed that county elections officials are prepared for a possible hand recount of all of the ballots in the race for governor. The State Canvassing Board will meet next week to order the recount, which is scheduled to start at sites throughout the state on November 29th.

Secretary of State schedules recount dates

Posted at 1:49 PM on November 15, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature, Recount 2010

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie has released the recount dates for the governor's race and the three legislative races that are still outstanding.

The recount for the governor's race is scheduled to start at the same time in every county across the state: 9AM on 11/29 (see more specifics here).

The recount for House District 15B (The open seat in St. Cloud), House District 25B (the seat currently held by DFL Rep. David Bly) and 27A (currently held by DFL Rep. Robin Brown) will also start at 9am on 11/29. Full details on those recounts can be found here.

Post election review in Ramsey County shows no change

Posted at 11:39 AM on November 15, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Local elections officials across the state are conducting post-election reviews to ensure that voting equipment counted accurately on Election Day. Minnesota's second largest county by population, Ramsey County, reports no changes from their vote totals.

Ramsey County Elections Director Joe Mansky says the county conducted hand recounts of five precincts and found no change from their election night totals. He predicts that means there should be little changes if a statewide recount of the governor's election continues.

"People were better at completley filling in the target this year," Mansky said. You may remember that two years ago we were seeing more marks that were not exactly what the voting system was looking for. More marks outside of the target. And just from what we saw from today, we may be seeing a lot less of that this year. That may well be the people paying attention to what was going on two years ago."

Democrat Mark Dayton currently leads Republican Tom Emmer by nearly 8,800 votes - a small enough margin to trigger an automatic recount.

Dayton team skeptical about overtime for Pawlenty

Posted at 1:24 PM on November 12, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Attorneys for Democrat Mark Dayton are skeptical that Governor Pawlenty can stay in office after his term ends on January third. They say they're looking at possible legal avenues to get Dayton seated after the state canvassing board certifies an expected recount on December 14th. Dayton attorney Charlie Nauen says the state constitution says a governor's term runs "four years and until a successor is chosen and qualified" which he thinks will occur if Dayton wins the recount.

"The constitution says that the new governor, if you will, goes into office if that person has been "chosen and qualified," Nauen said. "On December 14th, we'll see what the numbers are, but if the numbers show that Mark Dayton has more votes, he's been chosen, certainly by the people, and he's qualified."

Pawlenty has said he will stay on as governor if a governor isn't prepared to take office. Both Emmer and the Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota says they have no intention of filing a legal challenge just to delay the matter. They say they want their concerns over possible voting irregularities cleared up. Democrats worry Emmer may drag the race into court to keep Dayton from taking office.

Meanwhile the MNGOP has filed lawsuits against elections officials in St. Louis and Pine Counties for failing to produce their data practices requests in a timely manner. You can those suits here and here.

Vekich to lead Emmer transition

Posted at 6:41 AM on November 12, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Tom Emmer announced today that Mike Veckich will lead his transition team. Emmer and Democrat Mark Dayton are both working on possible transitions into the office of governor since a recount will likely delay a winner for at least several more weeks. Dayton currently leads Emmer by nearly 8,800 votes.

Vekich is the former director of the Minnesota Lottery and chaired Gov. Pawlenty's 21st Century Tax Reform Commission.

Here's the release from the Emmer campaign:

Tom Emmer today announced that Mike Vekich will serve as Director of the Emmer Transition. Vekich is the CEO of Vekich Associates, past Chair of Governor Pawlenty's 21st Century Tax Reform Commission and Interim Director of Minnesota State Lottery among his many business and public service accomplishments. He is a Certified Public Accountant.

"As the canvassing and likely recount process continues, per State Law, preparing to govern is of great importance. I am proud to announce that Mike Vekich has agreed to serve as the Director of our transition," said Representative Tom Emmer. "Mike is a distinguished businessman of the first rate who has continually stepped forward to serve the State of Minnesota in many capacities. His deep connection to our community and his unmatched understanding of Minnesota government makes him the ideal person to lead these efforts."

As Director of the Emmer Transition, Vekich will lead the efforts to form a transition team and will work closely with Lieutenant Governor Candidate Annette Meeks to expand on the Emmer budget, beginning the process of reforming and redesigning Minnesota State Government.

"I look forward to working with Representative Emmer and Annette Meeks to create the kind of administration that will get Minnesota's economy growing and put more Minnesotans to work," said Vekich. "Beginning the transition process is the responsible thing to do."

Recently, Vekich served as Chair of Minnesota's 21st Century Tax Reform Commission. The group was asked to evaluate Minnesota's tax system and recommend reforms that will promote economic growth and job creation in Minnesota. From 1996 to 2002, Vekich served as Chair for the Board of Trustees of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) and was reappointed to the board in 2010. In 2004, Governor Tim Pawlenty asked Vekich to take over as Interim Director of the troubled Minnesota State Lottery, where he restored the public's trust in the agency. His public service record parallels a successful business career. Vekich is CEO of Vekich Associates, a management advisory firm specializing in strategically refocusing organizations, creating capital for companies, and mergers and acquisitions.

-- 30 --

Emmer "won't be a part of" any delay

Posted at 9:14 PM on November 11, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Tom Emmer says he won't support any efforts to keep Democrat Mark Dayton from taking office - but he is still raising questions about possible voting irregularities on Election Day. Emmer told MPR News that he thinks it's "entirely improper" to drag out the election if the upcoming recount of nearly 2.2 million votes doesn't go his way. Dayton currently leads Emmer by nearly 8,800 votes leaving some to question whether Emmer can make up the difference.

Some Democrats have said they think it's impossible for Emmer to close the gap in a recount and they fear he may file a frivolous lawsuit to delay Dayton from taking office. Emmer says he would not agree to delaying tactics just to keep Republicans in power.

"I will not be a part of that," Emmer said. "This process is going to be handled according the letter of the law. I am ultimately in charge and I will not participate in using the law just to delay things. If there are honest issues that have to be addressed, we'll have to wait and see. But at this point, we're not asking for anything. The law is being applied the way it's written."

Emmer made his comments right before Minnesota Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton and the party's attorney, Michael Toner, were to give a presentation on the party's recount efforts to the Republican Party of Minnesota Elephant Club. Roughly seventy Republican donors were expected to attend the private event.

The fundraiser and comments by Emmer and other Republican Party officials regarding voting irregularities have Democrats concerned that Republicans are more concerned with delaying the election to keep Dayton from taking office. Dayton campaign spokeswoman Denise Cardinal says GOP claims of voting irregularities aren't backed up with proof or are overblown.

"There have been no major problems, as indicated by the county canvassing process and the auditing underway," Cardinal said. "To insinuate, as he did, that there are 'multiple machine malfunctions' is to try and undermine an election system that has proven itself time and again. Minnesota's elections were proven when under the microscope in the past, are doing well so far this year - and it's the very system that elected Republican majorities in both chambers of the Legislature, a decision by voters we're sure he agrees with."

Earlier in the day, Emmer did his first one on one interview with WCCO's Michelle Tafoya, who gave $120 to his campaign earlier this year. During that interview, Emmer emphasize that he's "in charge" a change when it comes to any decision regarding an election conteset. That's a change from comments he made arlier in the week. On Tuesday, Emmer told reporters that he had input in the decision as to whether a lawsuit would be filed to contest the outcome of the election.

You can listen to the full WCCO interview here: Listen

Dayton meets with budget experts

Posted at 3:27 PM on November 11, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount

Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign announced today that he met with top budget experts on Wednesday. Dayton met with several former Finance Commissioners. The group included John Gunyou, who served under GOP Gov. Arne Carlson), Peggy Ingison, who served under Gov. Pawlenty, Jay Kiedrowski, who served under Gov. Rudy Perpich and Pam Wheelock, who served under Gov. Ventura.

Minnesota is facing a nearly $6 billion projected budget deficit which the next governor (dayton or Republican Tom Emmer) will have to make a top priority.

Dayton released this statement about the meeting:

"Governor Perpich had a quote in his office that said 'none of us is as smart as all of us,' and it will take all of us coming together to solve the budget deficit we're currently facing. As we wait for the results of the election to be confirmed I will continue to prepare for the task ahead, and welcome ideas from all corners of the state. The election is now over and it is incumbent upon all of us to put politics aside and do what is in the best interest of the people of Minnesota."

MPR News and Humphrey Institute to review poll methods

Posted at 9:11 AM on November 11, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Here's a press release just issued by MPR News and the Humphrey Institute:

Minnesota Public Radio and the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs announced today that they will undertake a thorough review of the methodology used in polls conducted during the 2010 election season. The process will include an internal review of the poll by the Humphrey Institute and an independent audit that will be made public. The independent audit will be conducted by Frank Newport, the editor and chief of Gallup.

MPR and the Humphrey Institute partnered this year to conduct four polls leading up to Election Day. The final poll, based on interviewing begun nearly two weeks before Election Day, showed results significantly different from the final election tally. This issue will be examined along with the raw data from other polls to determine whether there is a methodological reason for the difference, or whether external events account for the difference.

"We are committed to a transparent review of our polling methodology because we value the importance of continuous improvement in our efforts," said Professor Larry Jacobs, director of the Humphrey Institute's Center for the Study of Politics and Government. "If a shortcoming is identified, we will fix it. If not, we will have third-party verification that our methods are sound."

"The review of polling methodology is a necessary step in continuing to provide Minnesotans with the unbiased information they need to make informed decisions," said Chris Worthington, MPR's managing director of News.

Dean Brian Atwood of the Humphrey Institute added, "I welcome the opportunity to conduct this self analysis and peer review, a regular process for any academic institution. Professor Jacobs is an internationally recognized expert in this field. He is a professional who looks critically at his own work, as well as at polls conducted by others. We are committed to maintaining a very high standard."

Bachmann drops her bid for House leadership post

Posted at 8:18 PM on November 10, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6, U.S. House

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann announced tonight that she's dropping her bid to be Republican House Chair, the number four position in the GOP controlled U.S. House. Bachmann was vying with Texas Congressman Jeb Hensarling for the job. Bachmann's bid was in peril when Hensarling secured the support of GOP leadership and other significant names like Texas Congressman Ron Paul.

Here's the statement from Bachmann:

"Jeb Hensarling has my enthusiastic support for his candidacy to become Republican House Conference Chair. Jeb has demonstrated his commitment to limited government, reduced spending and lower taxes and he will be a strong voice for the Tea Party's call for these values.

"I look forward to continuing my consistent support of the Tea Party. I plan to advance the Tea Party ideals through their listening arm, the Tea Party Caucus. It is my wish to bring new faces to the caucus, including freshmen members.

"The new Congress will have great opportunities to lead our country into the direction our founders intended. I spoke with Mr. Boehner and other members of leadership and I am convinced they will wholeheartedly work towards the issues the American people are calling for such as fiscal responsibility, ending the bailouts and repealing Obamacare."

Dayton meets with Pawlenty, talks recount

Posted at 9:44 PM on November 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Dayton after meeting with Gov. Pawlenty from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

Democrat Mark Dayton met privately this afternoon to talk about a possible transition. Dayton is leading Republican Tom Emmer by an unofficial margin of more than 8,700 votes, which is a small enough margin to likely trigger an automatic recount in the governor's race. Dayton said after his hour long meeting with the governor that Pawlenty was gracious and offered his top revenue and finance staff so Dayton could start crafting a budget if he's elected governor.

"If I am elected and have a certificate, I expect this to be a very smooth transition as it should be for the benefit of the people of Minnesota."

Dayton said again he is confident his lead will hold, but he isn't presuming anything. Emmer and the state Republican Party today hired former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson to handle any litigation involving the recount. Emmer said there is a legal process for counting the votes and he will let it play out before making any decisions about any other steps to take.

For his part, Dayton said it appears Emmer and the MNGOP are preparing for a lengthy court battle. He says he believes the issue should be settled once the statewide, hand recount is complete in December.

"I believe under present circumstances and all known facts that should be the conclusion. And whichever side is on the losing side there has an incumbent responsibility to the people of Minnesota to accept that outcome, to honor that outcome, to not cast undue aspersions on that outcome because this is about Minnesota."

Dayton also said he intends to disclose all of the funds he raises to fund the recount. Republican Tom Emmer said he and the Republican Party will follow the law. The Campaign Finance Board announced that candidates and political parties don't have to disclose donations and can accepted unlimited amounts of money from outside groups.

Emmer wants "process" to take its course

Posted at 4:03 PM on November 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Tom Emmer says he's going to let the legal process involving a statewide recount of last week's gubernatorial election run its course. But Emmer isn't saying how far he'll push the issue and didn't give a definitive answer about who will make that decision. Emmer talked with reporters today for the first time since Election Night. He refused to say whether he thinks he can make up Democrat Mark Dayton's unofficial lead of nearly 8,800 votes but says outstanding issues remain.

"Since 10AM last Wednesday, we have done nothing but close the gap. I don't know what's going to happen. All I know is that at the end of the day, Minnesotans need to to have confidence that this was done in a fair, open and honest manner. That every vote was counted and this was the outcome that they expected. That the legal process that is in place was followed."

Meanwhile, the state Republican Party announced today that former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson will be the chief litigator for the Republican Party and the Emmer campaign.

Side note: Emmer used the term "process" 44 times in his nearly twenty minute news conference.

Emmer surfaces (to ask for money)

Posted at 5:04 PM on November 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Tom Emmer has kept an extremely low profile. He was in Canada over the weekend to watch his son's hockey game. Reporters were not informed of his meeting today with Gov. Pawlenty until Emmer left the State Capitol. Here's the two sentence statement that Emmer campaign spokesman Carl Kuhl released about the meeting several hours after it was finished.

"Governor Pawlenty and Tom Emmer had a productive meeting this morning to discuss transition. They were joined by members of the Pawlenty Administration and a senior advisor to Representative Emmer."

But Emmer's campaign issued an e-mail to supporters asking for a financial contribution to fund the MNGOP's recount efforts.

After over 16 months of campaigning, Election Day has now passed. Jacquie and I can't express enough what an honor and a privilege it has been to run for governor. We have campaigned on a positive message of government living within its means, lower taxes, and job creation. The response we received has been overwhelming, and we appreciate all the support.

As the certification and potential recount process begins, allow us one last opportunity to thank you for the hard work, dedication, time, treasure and effort you have put into this campaign.

My family and I are blessed to have the support of so many throughout this great state.If you wish to volunteer your time or make a donation to assist the recount efforts, please contact the Republican Party of Minnesota.

Should we prevail, I look forward to the privilege of serving all Minnesotans as we move our great state in a positive direction.

Democrat Mark Dayton is scheduled to meet with Governor Pawlenty tomorrow at 4pm.

Dayton announces transition team

Posted at 3:36 PM on November 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature

Democrat Mark Dayton has announced his transition team despite the fact that the race for governor will go to a recount.

Former campaign manager Dana Anderson will be the Transition Chief of Staff. Former campaign spokeswoman Katie Tinucci will serve as spokeswoman for the transition efforts. The transition team leadership will include several high ranking Democrats including Tina Smith and Lee Sheehy. Here's the release from Dayton:

St. Paul-Today, Mark Dayton released the following statement announcing the leadership of his transition team:

"To begin an unofficial transition for the strong possibility of becoming Governor on January 3, 2011, I have asked Tina Smith and Lee Sheehy to serve as Transition Co-Chairs. State Senator Yvonne Prettner Solon will be centrally involved in the Transition. Ruth Orrick and Michele Kelm-Helgen will serve as Senior Advisors, with others to be named shortly.

Dana Anderson will be the Transition Chief of Staff, and Katharine Tinucci will serve as the Transition Communications Director."
About the transition team leadership:

Tina Smith has served as Chief of Staff for Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and as Senior Advisor for Metropolitan Council Chair Ted Mondale during the Ventura Administration. Smith was an executive with Planned Parenthood and has served as a board member for numerous nonprofit organizations including the Guthrie Theater, The Nature Conservancy, and Growth and Justice.

Lee Sheehy's public service includes serving as Chief of Staff to Senator Amy Klobuchar, head of economic development and planning for the City of Minneapolis, and Chief Deputy Attorney General for Attorney General Hubert H. Humphrey III.

Ruth Orrick is a business consultant and former executive at Thomson West. She previously served as DFL Party Chair.

Michele Kelm-Helgen served as Chief of Staff for the Minnesota State Senate from 2006-present. Previous job experience includes management of a government relations firm and working as the Sales and Marketing Director for City Venture, a division of Control Data Corporation (now Ceridian). Michele previously was a member and chair of the Eastern Carver County School Board.

Emmer is in Canada

Posted at 6:45 AM on November 6, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Republican Tom Emmer's spokesman Carl Kuhl says Emmer is in Neepawa, Manitoba this weekend to watch his son's hockey game. Kuhl says Emmer left on Friday to take his son back to Canada, will watch the hockey game today and will return to Minnesota on Sunday.

Emmer is making the trip at a time when election officials are gearing up for a statewide recount. Democrat Mark Dayton leads Emmer by 8,775 votes. Emmer has not made any public comments since Election Night.

Meanwhile, the spokeswoman for Democrat Mark Dayton's recount team says they had 51 staff members observing county canvassing on Friday.

Local elections officials are required to submit their reports to the Secretary of State by Friday, November 12th. The State Canvassing Board is expected to accept the results on Tuesday, November 23rd. An automatic recount will be ordered if the margin is less than one half of one percent of the total votes cast in that election.

Dayton: Seat the governor by January 3rd

Posted at 11:48 AM on November 5, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Recount 2010

Democrat Mark Dayton says he thinks any likely recount in the governor's race should be finished by the middle of December. Dayton currently leads Republican Tom Emmer by just over 87-hundred votes in unofficial results, a small enough margin to trigger an automatic recount. On MPR's Midday program, Dayton says he's working on two tracks at this point. He's preparing to take office as governor and has also assembled a team to monitor the recount.

"It's sort of like having one foot driving the car the way you're not supposed to. One foot on the gas pedal and the other on the brake. On the one hand, the clock is ticking. I believe strongly that the next governor, whether it's Representative Emmer or myself that the next governor should take office on January 3rd and there's no reason that that should not occur."

The Republican Party of Minnesota has been reaching out to activists to see whether they saw voting irregularities or had their absentee ballots rejected. Emmer has not spoken to the media since Election Night.

Here's the full interview: Listen

Meanwhile, the Secretary of State has released a schedule for the recount:

Initial meeting of the State Canvassing Board: November 23, 2010: 10 a.m. Room 10, State Office Building, St. Paul Tasks: certification of election results determination of the need for any automatic recounts designation of state recount official adoption of a recount plan

Recount begins at locations around the state:
November 29, 2010 9 a.m.
(Locations to be decided)

Deadline for deputy recount officials to finish sorting the ballots:
December 7, 2010

State Canvassing Board meetings:
December 8, 2010 9 a.m.
December 9, 2010 9 a.m.
December 10, 2010 1 p.m.
(Location to be decided)
Tasks:
certification of any recounts in state House races
determination of challenged ballots in the gubernatorial recount

State Canvassing Board meeting:
December 14, 2010 (time and location to be decided)
Tasks:
certification of gubernatorial election

Pawlenty talks recount/transition

Posted at 5:38 PM on November 4, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature, Tim Pawlenty

Pawlenty preser on transition from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

Governor Tim Pawlenty is moving ahead with the transition to a new administration, even though he doesn't know who will lead it. Pawlenty said today that he will meet separately and privately next week with Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer, whose race for governor appears headed for a recount.

Pawlenty might have to stay in office longer if the winner isn't declared prior to Jan. 3. But he says he hopes that won't be necessary:

"I earnestly, genuinely sincerely hope this is resolved by Jan. 3. It is not in anyone's best interest to have this spill over and have a holdover situation. I hope that doesn't happen but in the unlikely event that it does I will fulfill the responsibilities as required by the constitution. Not because I want to, but because I am required to."

Pawlenty said he has instructed his cabinet to work with both would-be governors. The new governor has until mid-February to propose a two-year budget that erases a projected 6 billion dollar deficit.

Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson says the next budget forecast will be released on December 2nd.

Dayton assembling recount team

Posted at 12:01 PM on November 4, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton is assembling a recount team that will include Democratic strategist Ken Martin and attorney Charles Nauen.

Martin, who worked with Mike Hatch's 2006 election, will head up the recount team. Martin also chaired the independent expenditure groups, Win Minnesota and the 2010 Fund, that funded The Alliance for a Better Minnesota.

Charlie Nauen, with Lockridge Grindal Nauen, will head up the legal efforts.

The Dayton campaign is still working to hire a communications staffer to head up the recount efforts.

I'm told the Dayton campaign will announce the full team later today.

Update: Here's the release from the Dayton campaign:

Dayton Assembles Experienced Team for Recount Possibility

Saint Paul - Mark Dayton, who received the most votes in Tuesday's Minnesota Governor's race, announced today the leadership team assembled to monitor the official certification of the election and prepare for a potential recount.

Director is Ken Martin, who has deep campaign experience in Minnesota including the successful 2008 legacy amendment campaign, which garnered more statewide votes than any other effort in Minnesota history. Martin just went on leave from his position as Executive Director of Win Minnesota.

Chief Counsel to the effort is Charlie Nauen, of Lockridge Grindal Nauen, who has experience with statewide recount efforts and Minnesota Election law. He represented the Franken campaign in St. Louis County and other matters during the 2008 Senate Recount.

Working closely with Nauen on the legal team is former U.S. Attorney David Lillehaug of Fredrikson & Byron who played a key role in the 2008 recount seating U.S. Senator Al Franken.

Press inquiries should be sent to Communications Director of the team, Denise Cardinal, who has taken leave from Alliance for a Better Minnesota to assist in the effort.

Minnesota elections: What you're saying

Posted at 11:20 AM on November 3, 2010 by Paul Tosto (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010

We've been hearing tons about the elections from our audience on our Today's Question page and on Facebook and wanted to feature some of what you've been telling us.

Here's the question we asked: After GOP victories, what changes do you see for the state and the country?

Below is a sampling. Don't see yourself represented? Post your thoughts below and build out the conversation.

As far as the state of Minnesota goes, I don't really expect much of a change. No new taxes pledges, a growing gap between rich and poor, and cuts to programs serving those most in need are all things that we've seen under Gov. Pawlenty. I don't expect the same Republican tactics to suddenly yield different results this time around. -- Jennifer

This victory was not won by the far right...It's the folks in the middle who, in reality, aren't really that concerned about abortion, gay rights, and other social issues. They simply want responsible, honest representation that isn't beholden to labor unions and environmental extremists on the left, or corporations and religious extremists on the right. The only thing I know for sure is that we'll have divided government both state and federal. That is a GOOD thing. -- Brad

You have to be careful what you vote for you might get it! New state legislators will be assigned to committees to bring reality to their "smaller government, lower taxes" mantra. Then they can explain to their constituents why they need to go to a neighboring county (in rural areas) to renew their drivers licenses, and obtain other services. -- Nancy E Gertner on Facebook

What I would like to see is what I have wanted to see for awhile; let go of the extreme ideologies on both ends, put all your chips on the table and hammer something out that may not make everyone happy but will do the most good for the most people. The newly elected congressman from Florida had it right when he said this is not a mandate, it is a call for both parties to pay attention and work together. Sign me...cynical independent. -- Peter Morlock on Facebook

Oberstar goes down

Posted at 5:21 AM on November 3, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

Minnesota's northeastern Congressional district is back in Republican hands for the first time since the Truman administration. Challenger Chip Cravaack upset DFLer Jim Oberstar in the district that runs from Chisago City to the Canadian border.

Cravaak defeated Oberstar by about 4,000 votes.

"The votes have spoken," Cravaack said. "I hope they are paying attention in Washington. Because you have spoken loud and clear, not just from Minnesota, but from across this great nation. Let this serve as a warning to Congress. We don't work for you. You work for us."

All the rest of Minnesota's Congressional delegation won re-election, including a closely watched race in southern Minnesota's 1st district, represented by DFLer Tim Walz.

Listen to Cravaack's victory speech here: Listen

The Minnesota Legislature turns red

Posted at 5:13 AM on November 3, 2010 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature

Republicans have taken control of the Minnesota Legislature in sweeping fashion. Republicans have picked up sixteen seats and now hold a 37-30 majority. Republicans have picked up at least 24 seats but there could be an additional two seats that turn GOP. Three of those races are probably going to an automatic recount. Carol Lewis lost by 28 votes. David Bly lost by 30 votes. Robin Brown lost by 75 votes.

In all, 32 incumbents lost on Tuesday. Every single one of them is a member of the DFL Party.

Here's the list of incumbents who went down:

HOUSE --- 19 total:
- Dave Olin, of Thief River Falls (district 1a)
- Bernard Lieder, of Crookston (district 1b)
- Tim Faust, of Hinckley (district 8b)
- Al Doty, of Royalton (district 12b)
- Al Juhnke, of Willmar (district 13b)
- Gail Kulick Jackson, of Milaca (district 16a)
- David Bly, of Northfield (district 25b)
- Robin Brown, of Moscow Township (district 27a)
- Andy Welti, of Plainview (district 30b)
- Phil Sterner, of Rosemount (district 37b)
- Sandra Masin, of Eagan (district 38a)
- Mike Obermueller, of Eagan (district 38b)
- Will Morgan, of Burnsville (district 40a)
- Paul Rosenthal, of Edina (district 41b)
- Maria Ruud (pronounced 'rude'), of Minnetonka (district 42a)
- Jerry Newton, of Coon Rapids (district 49b)
- Paul Gardner, of Shoreview (district 53a)
- Julie Bunn, of Lake Elmo (district 56a)
- Marsha Swails, of Woodbury (district 56b)

SENATE - 13 total:
- Mary Olson, of Bemidji (district 4)
- Dan Skogen, of Hewitt (district 10)
- Lisa Fobbe, of Zimmerman (district 16)
- Rick Olseen, of Harris (district 17)
- Kevin Dahle, of Northfield (district 25)
- Ann Lynch, of Rochester (district 30)
- Sharon Erickson Ropes, of Winona (district 31)
- Jim Carlson, of Eagan (district 38)
- John Doll, of Burnsville (district 40)
- Leo Foley, of Coon Rapids (district 47)
- Don Betzold, of Fridley (district 51)
- Sandy Rummel, of White Bear Lake (district 53)
- Kathy Saltzman, of Woodbury (district 56)

Recount!

Posted at 5:03 AM on November 3, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The word that makes many Minnesotans shudder is likely to pop back up in Minnesota's poltiical circles. Democrat Mark Dayton has about a nine thousand vote lead over Republican Tom Emmer. If the margin is one half of one percent of the total votes cast in that race, an automatic recount occurs. It looks like that's the case in Minnesota's race for governor.

Republicans are gearing up for a recount. The Republican Party has scheduled a 10am news conference to discuss the recount. Earlier this morning, MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton said he was preparing to meet with attorneys to discuss their efforts.

"We're going to be very vigilant, if there is a recount, as to the process of that recount. We're going to be very aggressive in making sure that the procedures are being followed correctly."

If a recount occurs, it will be the second statewide recount in the past two years. The recount in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race took eight months to resolve. Democrat Al Franken won that race.

Hennepin County election head says fixed data up in 5 minutes

Posted at 10:43 PM on November 2, 2010 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Campaign 2010

Hennepin County elections chief Rachel Smith tells the Humphrey Institute's Larry Jacobs that incorrect vote tallies posted on the county election site for some precincts have been fixed and the corrected data will by up shortly.

Hennepin County say incorrect data posted on their site

Posted at 10:17 PM on November 2, 2010 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Campaign 2010

Hennepin County voting officials tell MPR News that some of the data they posted online regarding Minnesota elections is incorrect and are working on fixing the problem shortly.

MPR Politics Tweets: Hennepin problems occurred in Corcoran, Crystal, Hopkins, Independence, Maple Plain, Medina, Minnetrista, Orono, Rogers and St. Anthony.

Updates on MN races called by AP

Posted at 10:00 PM on November 2, 2010 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Campaign 2010

MPR's Molly Bloom sends us these updates on winners of various Minnesota races, as called by the Associated Press. You can find more winners here and here.

SD36 - Thompson - GOP

SD37 - Gerlach - GOP

23B - Brynaert - DFL

36B - Garofalo - GOP

37A - Mack - GOP

39B - Atkins - DFL

45A - Peterson - DFL

48B - Abeler - GOP

57B - McNamara - GOP

SD34 - Ortman - GOP

SD39 - Metzen - DFL

SD43 - Bonoff - DFL

SD47 - Kruse - GOP

We're making it easy to track Minnesota House and Minnesota Senate results.

Stay tuned. And post below and tell us what you're seeing tonight in your part of Minnesota.

MNGOP Chair: Anoka County is the bellwether

Posted at 9:43 PM on November 2, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton says he'll be watching results from Anoka County very closely tonight. He said Tom Emmer will need to do well there if he hopes to be elected governor.

"We have to win Anoka County and win it decisively." Sutton said. "To win the governor's race, I think that's the bellwether county at least in the last several governor's elections. It's important that we win that county and win it decisively tonight."

Sutton also said he thinks the rest of Minnesota's 6th Congressional District and western Minnesota will be key to an Emmer victory.

Will Minnesota buck the GOP wave?

Posted at 9:34 PM on November 2, 2010 by Paul Tosto (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010

Will Minnesota run against the national wave of GOP gains?

Mark Ritchie's return to the Minnesota Secretary of State's office may be evidence of that, says the Humphrey Institute's Larry Jacobs. He tells us:

Ritchie winning bucks the trend. I don't want to be premature, but if you're looking for an early indicator...Use a little caution here because there are Minnesota bubble races around the state -- races the DFL should have won.

The DFL loss in MN41B is a prime example, he adds.

Updates on Minnesota races called by AP

Posted at 9:30 PM on November 2, 2010 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Campaign 2010

MPR's Molly Bloom sends us these updates on winners of various Minnesota races, as called by the Associated Press. You can find more winners here.

CD2 - Kline - GOP

SD33 - Olson - GOP

SD42 - Hann - GOP

42B - Loon - GOP

43A - Anderson - GOP

43B - Benson - DFL

44A - Simon - DFL

444B - Winkler - DFL

46A - Nelson - DFL

51A - Sanders - GOP

32A - Peppin - GOP

33A - Smith - GOP

33B - Doepke - GOP

46B - Hilstrom - DFL

Supreme Court, District 2- Helen Meyer

Supreme Court, District 6 - Alan Page

We're making it easy, by the way, to track Minnesota House and Minnesota Senate results.

Stay tuned. And post below and tell us what you're seeing tonight in your part of Minnesota.

More scenes from the political night

Posted at 9:16 PM on November 2, 2010 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Campaign 2010

As they report the news MPR correspondents are giving us a taste of what it's like as politicians and their supporters wait, worry and celebrate. Here are the latest.

9:12, Bob Kelleher, following Rep. Jim Oberstar: The Oberstar hall is now filled and noisy. The crowd is monitoring several Tvs including a projector screen TV in the front of the room; and they're cheering when Democrats do well on the national returns; booing if not.

It's a good mood here. There's a table of snacks; the alcohol is flowing freely; and people are engaged. In the very early returns Oberstar is leading Republican Chip Cravaack, but there are many more precincts to report.

Meanwhile, races for local offices are getting settled with many going to the DFL candidates in this traditionally DFL part of the state.

9:10 PM, Tim Pugmire: Sen. Klobuchar told reporters she was preparing to return to a much different Washington than the one she left.

Despite an expected changeover in the House, Klobuchar predicted Democrats will hang onto the Senate, although by a narrower majority.

"There's no doubt that we're going to have to work together better to move the country forward," Klobuchar said.

8:30 p.m., Mark Zdechlik, following Independence Party governor candidate Tom Horner "Arne Carlson took the podium telling Horner supporters to "Pray hard, very hard and good things will happen."

Horner thanked supporters and campaign staffers during a brief trip to the podium and then is was back to the Rockin Hollywoods

Minnesota races called by AP

Posted at 8:58 PM on November 2, 2010 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Campaign 2010

Here's a list of winners called by the Associated Press that were largely expected.
(Thanks to MPR's Molly Bloom.)

MN CD3 - Erik Paulsen - GOP

MN CD5 - Keith Ellison - DFL

MN CD4 - Betty McCollum - DFL

SD58 - Linda Higgins - DFL

SD59 - Larry Pogemiller - DFL

SD60 - Scott Dibble - DFL

SD64 - Dick Cohen - DFL

SD65 - Sandy Pappas - DFL

SD66 - Ellen Anderson - DFL

SD67 - John Harrington - DFL

AG - Lori Swanson - DFL

32B - Kurt Zellers - GOP

58A - Joe Mullery - DFL

58B - Bobby Joe Champion - DFL

59A - Diane Loeffler - DFL

59B - Phyllis Kahn - DFL

60A - Marion Greene - DFL

60B - Frank Hornstein - DFL

61A - Karen Clark - DFL

61B - Jeff Hayden - DFL

62A - Jim Davnie - DFL

62B - Jean Wagenius - DFL

63A - Paul Thiisen - DFL

SOS - Mark Ritchie - DFL

63B - Linda Slocum - DFL

64A - Erin Murphy - DFL

64B - Michael Paymar - DFL

65A - Rena Moran - DFL

65B - Carlos Mariani - DFL

66A - John Lesch - DFL

66B - Alice Hausman - DFL

67A - Tim Mahoney - DFL

67B - Sheldon Johnson - DFL

MN Congressional delegation to play Musical Chairs

Posted at 8:35 PM on November 2, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD2, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD7, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

Several news organizations, including CBS, NPR and NBC, are projecting that Republicans will take control of the U.S. House. If that's the case, Minnesota will see a net loss in Chairs of House Committees.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar and DFL Rep. Collin Peterson currently chair two key committees. Oberstar is the chair of the House Transportation Committee. Peterson is the chair of the House Agriculture Committee. They will both lose their chairmanships (if they win reelection).

Meanwhile, GOP Rep. John Kline will likely become chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. He's the ranking GOP member of that committee.

Another question is whether GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann makes a play for a leadership position. Bachmann has raised more money than any other candidate running for the U.S. House.

DFL has a shot at three MN seats as it works to hold majority

Posted at 7:57 PM on November 2, 2010 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Campaign 2010

Humphrey Institute's Larry Jacobs says DFL-ers will be challenged to hold their majority in the Minnesota House -- but they do have a chance to take three GOP seats.

He writes:

Doug Magnus has left to run for Senate leaving an opening in 22A for former DFL leader Ted Winter.

Laura Brod's retirement in 25A opens seat to Mick McGuire, and former Rep. Ron Erhardt's seat held by GOP's Keith Downey faces a tough battle from DFL Kevin Staunton in Edina.

DFL-ers hold 87 of 134 now, he notes.

We're making it easy, by the way, to track Minnesota House and Minnesota Senate results.

Stay tuned. And post below and tell us what you're seeing tonight in your part of Minnesota.

Someone will be disappointed tonight

Posted at 7:44 PM on November 2, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrats say they're cautiously optimistic that Mark Dayton will win the race for governor.

Republicans say they're thinking Tom Emmer will win by two percentage points. Republican Tom Emmer's campaign manager Cullen Sheehan says it's good for them if voter turnout is below 65 percent.

Officials with both parties say they expect their respective candidates to do well in Minnesota's 1st, 7th and 8th Congressional Districts.

Everyone says, however, that it's going to be close. That means we could be waiting for results from Minnesota's 8th Congressional District again. Just like in the August primary. Just like in the 2008 U.S. Senate race.

Both parties are extremely confident. That means someone will be extremely disappointed in about six hours.

Some political scenes from tonight

Posted at 7:39 PM on November 2, 2010 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Campaign 2010

MPR's correspondents are all out tonight bringing results, news and perspective.

Reporters Tim Pugmire and Mark Zdechlik sent us a couple quick dispatches.

Pugmire puts us at the scene for the Minnesota governor's race.

The Minneapolis Hilton Hotel is election night headquarters for Mark Dayton and the Minnesota DFL.

We're in the Minneapolis ballroom on the hotel's third floor.

There's room for up to 600 people. Organizers are expecting about 400 or more. There are about 30 reporters set up to cover the festivities.

Mark Dayton is not expected to arrive until later. Dayton voted earlier today at Emerson Spanish Immersion School near his home in Minneapolis. We know from a campaign spokesman that he took one of his dogs to the vet, and was eating dinner with his sons and father. Dayton will stay in a room in the hotel keeping track of results and will come downstairs to great supporters once there's some news.

Meanwhile, DFL party officials will kickoff the election night program at about 9:00. We're expecting to hear remarks from Party Chairman Brian Melendez, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, state Sen. Larry Pogemiller and Minnesota's U.S. Senators Franken and Klobuchar.

DFL congressional candidates and constitutional officers are also expected to address the crowd once their races are determined.

Dayton wrapped up his campaign last night with rallies in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. He also made stops Monday in Duluth, Hibbing, Moorhead, Worthington and Rochester.

Dayton won the DFL nomination in the August 10th primary, defeating the party's endorsed candidate Margaret Anderson Kelliher. Many DFL insiders have said that earlier primary helped Dayton with some extra time to unify the party behind him.

Zdechlik checks in from Independence Party candidate Tom Horner's operation:

People streaming into Horner celebration at the Sheraton Minneapolis West. The drinks from the cash bar are flowing and the free appetizers are popular. The Rockin Hollywoods have been playing since about 7:00.

Former Senator Dean Barkely is among those attending the Horner Party so too is Art Rolnick the senior vice president and director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Of course there are a lot of reporters there as well.

We're also keeping tabs on the numbers coming in for Minnesota House and Minnesota Senate.

Stay tuned. And post below and tell us what you're seeing tonight in your part of Minnesota.

UPDATE: 8:30 p.m.: Zdechlik says: "Arne Carlson took the podium telling Horner supporters to "Pray hard, very hard and good things will happen."

Horner thanked supporters and campaign staffers during a brief trip to the podium and then is was back to the Rockin Hollywoods

9:10 PM Update: Pugmire sent us this dispatch:

Sen. Klobuchar told reporters she was preparing to return to a much different Washington than the one she left.

Despite an expected changeover in the House, Klobuchar predicted Democrats will hang onto the Senate, although by a narrower majority.

"There's no doubt that we're going to have to work together better to move the country forward," Klobuchar said.

MN Senate Races to Watch

Posted at 6:34 PM on November 2, 2010 by Than Tibbetts
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

Here's a list of Minnesota Senate races to watch as results come in tonight. We've also put together an Senate Races to Watch page where you can see up-to-the-minute results from these races.

We'll update this list with as results for each of the races comes in.

Turnout turns up

Posted at 5:10 PM on November 2, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says he now expects voter turnout to be 62 percent.

"We had very strong morning turnout," said Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. If turnout continues at that pace, the state likely would exceed his earlier prediction of a 60 percent turnout.

"We could exceed 2.1 to 2.2 million voters," he said.

The polls are scheduled to close at 8pm tonight. MPR's live coverage will start at 7pm with a focus on Minnesota's returns at 8pm.

Peterson switches gears on Election Night.

Posted at 5:07 PM on November 2, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD7

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson was scheduled to watch the returns at his home in Detroit Lakes, MN. But MPR's photographer says Peterson won't be making the trip to his house in Detroit Lakes. Instead, he's staying at his cabin in Thief River Falls.

Tea party apparel could mean fines, but some may risk it

Posted at 8:46 PM on November 1, 2010 by Annie Baxter (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010

A federal judge in Minneapolis has ruled that voters wearing apparel deemed political to the polls could risk prosecution and fines, including members of conservative groups who want to wear special buttons and clothing when they vote.

The North Star Tea Party Patriots is one of the groups affected by the ruling. It was part of a lawsuit seeking permission to wear the forbidden apparel to the polls, after some county officials had said it was off-limits. The apparel includes buttons that say "Please ID Me" and tea party t-shirts.

In the wake of the ruling against the group, the Tea Party Patriots of the Twin Cities sent out an email detailing the following three options for its members, as well as a request for volunteers to indeed wear the forbidden apparel at the risk of a fine:

1. Do not wear either the Button or Tea Party Clothing but Vote!!!

2. Wear the Button and Tea Party Clothing but remove it if asked, but Vote!!!!!

3. When asked to remove your Button or Tea Party Clothing. Refuse and Vote. They will ask for your name and address and you could be charged with a petty misdemeanor which could carry up to a $300 fine.

I need 5 volunteers to take option 3

The group is also seeking donations to the Minnesota Majority website to cover the $5,000 cost of the lawsuit.

What to Watch for on Election Night

Posted at 4:48 PM on November 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Daily Digest, MN Legislature

The race for governor is expected to be close. In fact, operatives from both parties say the race may come down to who has the better Get Out the Vote operation. Here's a look at what to watch for on Election Day.

1) Will the L tell? Gov. Pawlenty won Minnesota's 1st Congressional District by 6 percentage points in 2006. He won the 7th Congressional District by 9 percentage points. Polling is showing that Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer are running about even in that portion of the state (the so-called L). Dayton will have the advantage if he does well here and holds his own among DFL strongholds.

2) What's the word in the 3rd? Independence Party candidate Tom Horner is expected to have his best showing in the 3rd Congressional District which includes the western Twin Cities suburbs. Gov. Pawlenty won the district by 12 percentage points four years ago. This district is made up mostly of moderate Republicans and it will be a bellwether as to whether Horner convinced those Republicans to go with him instead of Emmer. It will be a long night for Dayton and Horner if Emmer performs well here.

3) Does Cravaack have Emmer's back? Minnesota's 8th Congressional District has been a DFL stronghold for decades. It's been a rainmaker for DFL candidates. But this year, DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar is facing the toughest test of his political life. Republican Chip Cravaack is giving Oberstar a solid challenge. Watch to see whether those Cravaack voters pull the trigger for the Republican ticket or split their ballot and go for Dayton. If it's the former, Emmer will have a solid night. He doesn't have to win this district but outperform past Republican candidates.

4) Will the GOP wreck it in the 6th and 2nd? Republicans historically do well in Minnesota's 2nd and 6th Congressional Districts (southern, eastern and northern Twin Cities suburbs, northern Twin Cities exurbs like Ham Lake and Elk River and St. Cloud). Pawlenty has made it rain in these areas. He won the 6th by 19 percentage points in 2006. He won the 2nd by 16 percentage points. Emmer needs to do that well in order to keep pace. If he does better than that it could be a tough night for Horner and Dayton.

5) Do Democrats have the blues from watching the news? One major concern in DFL circles is whether Democrats sit this election out. It's going to be a tough night for Democrats across the country and some are worried that could prompt Democrats in Minnesota to sit out the race. If that happens, Republicans will rack up huge wins in both the governor's race and in the Legislature. The DFL Party has spent a lot of time and money on Get Out the Vote efforts to ensure that their core voters turn out and vote. We'll see if that happens on Election Day.

6) Will they put on their coats and get out to vote? Minnesotans tend to vote in fewer numbers in off year elections. The key question is how big of a drop-off will occur this year and where does it come from? Traditionally college students and lower income voters tend to stay home during the Midterms. If they turn out in big numbers it will bode well for Dayton. If they don't, it bodes well for Emmer. I'm told it's good news for Dayton if total voter turnout is 60 percent or higher. It's good news for Emmer if total turnout is below 60 percent.

7) How many end up in Horner's corner? IP candidate Tom Horner has been doing a whole lot of work trying to convince middle of the road voters to choose him over the "extreme candidates" in the DFL and GOP. We'll get a good sense of whether that pitch is working if he does well in the 3rd Congressional District. Another place to watch is Anoka County which helped Jesse Ventura "shock the world" in 1998.

8) Can you surmise that there will be a GOP surprise? The GOP needs to pick up a couple of surprise victories in order to take the Minnesota House and Senate. Political insiders say a few seats to watch include DFL Rep. Loren Solberg of Grand Rapids and DFL Rep. Ann Lenczewski of Bloomington. Both candidates are the top budget and tax experts in the Minnesota House. Voters unhappy with government spending could choose to throw these candidates out. If that's the case, it will be a long night for the DFL.

On the Senate side, DFL Sen. Katie Sieben is facing a strong challenge from Republican Karin Housley. Housley spent $10,000 of her own money on her campaign and is a well known name in South St. Paul (she's married to hockey great Phil Housley). I'm told she's working tirelessly to win a seat that leans DFL. It makes one wonder why Sieben was spending her Thursday before Election Day staffing Mark Dayton's trip to Ely and the Iron Range. Another race to watch if DFL Sen. Keith Langseth's reelection.

9) Will there be a GOP hiccup by a few DFL pick-ups? The DFL is playing defense on plenty of races this year but they are also hoping to pick up a few seats. In the House, they're bullish on Ted Winter returning to the Legislature. He's running in the open seat that's being vacated by GOP Rep. Doug Magnus (who's running for DFL Sen. Jim Vickerman's open seat). Another race to watch is GOP Rep. Laura's Brod's open seat. Democrats hope Mick McGuire can upset Republican Gleen Gruenhagen there.

On the Senate side, Democrats are hoping that they can pick up former Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson's old seat. Republican Joe Gimse defeated Johnson in 2006 but his business has been plagued with financial problems. It could be sweet revenge for Mike Kennedy, the DFL Senate political director who spent a lot of time and money defending Johnson in 2006.

10) Will reaction from the Church leave the DFL in the lurch? The Republican Party and conservative interest groups have been working to portray the DFL Party as "anti-Catholic" after the party sent out a lit piece targeting Republican Pastor Dan Hall. The DFL Party Chair insists the mailers aren't "anti-Catholic" but anti-candidate.

Over the past week, the GOP has been actively pushing the idea on Twitter, the blogs and other places. The strategy will have worked if St. Cloud, New Ulm and Duluth vote for the GOP in higher margins than in years past. The key question is whether the DFL Party is forced to say their prayers over the lit piece or if the the GOP is trying to throw a Hail Mary in the hopes of getting more Republicans elected.

Pawlenty ready to hand over keys

Posted at 10:58 AM on November 1, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty

Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he's ready to turn over his office to a new governor, whoever it might be.

Pawlenty's strong preference is Republican Tom Emmer, but he told reporters today that his staff is also prepared to make a smooth transition for DFLer Mark Dayton or Independence Party candidate Tom Horner.

"You've got to trust the people of Minnesota to make a good decision," Pawlenty said. "I believe they will, and whatever that decision is my administration will work to make sure the transition is smooth and professional and constructive. We've been planning for that for many months."

Pawlenty said the new governor-elect will have temporary office space in the Centennial Building to begin working on the transition. He's instructed all of his commissioners prepare transition summaries for their successors.

Sixth District candidates square off in third and final debate

Posted at 4:49 PM on October 31, 2010 by Annie Baxter
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

Sixth district congressional candidates faced off for the third and final time today.

The debate at KSTP-TV drew more heated exchanges between GOP Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, DFLer Tarryl Clark, and Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson.

Here's my story about their remarks on Social Security and abortion.

Bachmann was asked about the criticism that she is more concerned with her national reputation than her constituents. She said she hears from 6th District residents who are glad she's a voice of dissent nationally.

I went to go ahead and fight to take their views to D.C. And I've been a very vocal advocate for what people in the 6th District believe. I grew up here; this is where my church and family is. I'm from Anoka Minnesota. And I've taken those voices on national TV and I've taken those voices in Washington, and I fought this Pelosi-Obama agenda.

Clark was asked about her voting record on taxes and whether she preferred tax hikes to spending cuts. She said spending cuts were her first choice.

We've worked hard in the state senate, usually bipartisanally, to find ways to be streamlining government, making it more effective and efficient, to be making sure we're doing the hard decisions, and we brought down that spending. That is the first and most important thing. There is still a lot more wasteful spending in Washington.

Anderson was asked about the Star Tribune editorial board's statement that he had no original ideas about how to balance the budget and that a vote for him would be a wasted vote. He responded thus:

That's a ringing endorsement for me. When the most liberal paper in the country is going up and telling people not to vote for a right-leaning conservative independent in the most conservative district in the state, I consider that a ringing endorsement, and that paper ought to be ashamed of themselves.

You can listen here to my story about their second debate, held at MPR.

And here's my story about their debate in St. Cloud.

Public Policy Polling: Dayton up three points

Posted at 7:16 PM on October 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Public Policy Polling released a poll tonight that showed Democrat Mark Dayton with a lead of just three percentage points heading into Election Day. The poll found Dayton had support of 43 percent of those polled. 40 percent of those polled are supporting Republican Tom Emmer. 15 percent of those polled are supporting the Independence Party's Tom Horner.

Pollster Tom Jensen wrote on his blog that Minnesota's contest is turning into a base election where turnout for the two political parties will make the difference:

Neither Dayton nor Emmer really has any crossover appeal. Only 6% of Democrats are planning to vote for Emmer and just 5% of Republicans are for Dayton. That makes the state of this race pretty easy to spell out. Minnesota's a Democratic state so if the Democratic candidate wins all the Democrats and the Republican candidate wins all the Republicans and the independents split pretty evenly the Democratic candidate's going to win. That's where the contest stands right now so Emmer will have to make up some ground in the final days if he's going to pull this one out.

One other interesting tidbit is that Gov. Pawlenty may be a drag on Emmer. Pawlenty's approval rating in the poll is 43 percent. Fifty percent of those polled disapprove of the job he's doing. Just 23 percent of those polled are supportive of the idea of Pawlenty making a run for the White House in 2012.

The polling firm surveyed 2,058 likely Minnesota voters between October 27th and October 29th. The Margin of error is +/-2.2 percent.

You can read the full poll here.

Emmer and other Republicans rally the GOP faithful

Posted at 6:03 PM on October 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

About 2,000 people attended a Get Out the Vote Rally in Blaine this afternoon for Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor. Governor Pawlenty and the Republican governors of New Jersey and Mississippi joined Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann at the event.

Christie, hailed in conservative circles for his fiscal record in New Jersey, told the audience that they need to work hard on Get Out the Vote Efforts.

"You do not let me down" Christie said. "Because I'm telling you that if you people let me down I'm going to go Jersey on you."

Emmer told the audience not to believe the polls that say Democrat Mark Dayton is winning. He told the audience that their work over the next few days could determine whether he's governor.

"It is time over the next two days to grab a hold of that rope and to make sure that we leave nothing to chance," Emmer said. "Let's make those last phone calls. Let's knock on those last doors. Let's put up those signs that we still might have in the office or the garage."

Here's Emmer's speech: Listen

Here's Christie's speech: Listen

Emmer, Democrat Mark Dayton and the Independence Party's Tom Horner will participate in the final debate of the 2010 election. MPR News will air the live debate on Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock.

Horner on the stump

Posted at 2:38 PM on October 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

IP candidate Tom Horner is campaigning throughout the Twin Cities metro area today with the hopes of picking up steam as Election Day gets closer. Horner took part in a Rally to Restore Sanity at the State Capitol today. Horner told an audience of about 100 people that he's the candidate who will be a moderate voice in the governor's office.

"First of all I would ask you, as the sign says up there says, 'stop being afraid.' Vote for the person you think is going to be the best governor. Vote for the person you believe is going to take Minnesota into a better future. Vote for the person who's going to be open to the new ideas, to new ways of thinking of things. I hope you think that's me, but I really hope you turn out and vote on Tuesday."

Here's Horner's speech: Listen

Dayton hits GOTV events

Posted at 11:49 AM on October 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton is hitting a few DFL Get Out the Vote rallies with the hopes of motivating supporters to put in a little extra effort before Election Day. Roughly fifty people attended an event at DFL Rep. Alice Hausman's home in St. Paul earlier this morning. Dayton told supporters that they should expect the race to be close.

"Your work on our behalf will make all of the difference. You hold this election in your hands with your work on our behalf today. I always assumed it would be a close election. I always assumed that and it all comes down to who votes next Tuesday."

You can listen to Dayton's speech to DFL activists here: Listen

KSTP-TV/Survey USA poll shows close contest in MN-8

Posted at 11:19 AM on October 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

A KSTP-TV/Survey USA poll shows a close contest between DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar and Republcan Chip Cravaack. The poll shows Oberstar with a one percentage point lead over Cravaack.

Minnesota's 8th District, which includes Duluth, the Iron Range and exurbs like North Branch and Cambridge, has been a solid DFL District in past years. But that could change this year. You can take a look at my story on the race here.

Final TV debate generates heat

Posted at 9:55 PM on October 29, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The three major-party candidate for governor turned up the volume on their criticism of each other tonight during a debate on Twin Cities Public Television's Almanac.

After more than two dozen debates, DFLer Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and the Independence Party's Tom Horner appeared for the last time together on TV before Election Day. The final debate is Sunday afternoon on MPR.

Dayton criticized Emmer's cuts-alone approach to erasing a projected $5.8 billion state budget deficit as a recipe for local property tax increases. He said Emmer's reductions in health and human services would have human consequences.

"We're talking about people here," Dayton said. "This is about people who get personal care attendants, people who are able to stay at home, people who need to be in nursing homes who are literally kept alive through that kind of care. This is about people, and we do have a growing aging population."

Emmer accused Dayton of making spending promises that he can't keep and being too cozy with labor unions. Emmer said his own plan to reshape state government would include the possible privatization of some current services, but he didn't offer specifics.

"Our state government should not be taking citizens taxpayer dollars and then getting into business to compete with its private citizens," Emmer said. "That should not happen, and it is happening. If there's something a private citizen can do, government should not be doing that function."

Horner, who's running a distant third in the polls, slammed both frontrunners. The IP candidate accused Dayton of being disingenuous in his plan to tax the rich.

"When you say your tax proposal will only effect 8 percent of small business, true," Horner said. "How many jobs will it affect? Ninety percent of the small business jobs in Minnesota. Your killing jobs, that's what your doing. That's what your tax proposal does."

Horner repeatedly argued that his centrist approach is the only way to move Minnesota forward.

Here's the Almanac audio in three parts:

Part 1 Listen

Part 2 Listen

Part 3 Listen

PoliGraph: DFL hit on Horner hard to judge

Posted at 12:30 PM on October 29, 2010 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

The Minnesota DFL Party is going after Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner's tax plan.

An ad posted on the party's website claims that his proposal to lower the deficit will "raise taxes on every middle-class Minnesotan," by taxing items used by students and babies, essentials such as heating oil and water - even prizes at the state fair.

It's true that Horner would have to tax many new items to lower the deficit. Trouble is, he hasn't said what.

The Evidence

Horner says he wants to lower the sales tax rate by 1 percent. At the same time, he wants to expand the base to some things that are exempt from taxation, such as clothing and services.

All told, Horner aims to bring in $1.3 billion per biennium in new revenue. According to the Minnesota Department of Revenue, Horner has to expand the sales tax base by at least 34 percent to make that much cash. While he's got some wiggle room in how he structures the plan - for instance, groceries, prescription drugs, medical devices, business-to-business services, and other things Horner's said he won't tax, could remain exempt - it's true that he'll have to expand the sales tax base quite a bit to make $1.3 billion.

That said, Horner hasn't detailed his plan, and that's why the DFL ad is misleading.

It lists myriad things, such as school text books ($47.6 million in new revenue after the 1 percent reduction in the overall sales tax), residential heating oil ($240.5 million in new revenue) and baby products ($854,000 in new revenue), that Horner would have to tax to come up with the cash - none of which Horner has said specifically he would tax.

Further, many of the items featured in the ad would generate very little revenue; for instance, taxing automatic fire sprinklers would bring in about $512,400 - less than one percent of the $1.3 billion Horner pledges to raise. Additionally, the revenue department generally considers such items business purchases, which Horner says he won't tax.

The broader point of the ad is that Horner's tax plan would unfairly hurt the middle class. And the conventional wisdom is that sales taxes hit lower income earners harder.

But again, a lot depends on what Horner decides to tax, according to Roberton Williams, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. If the plan includes clothes or food that many people, rich or poor, buy, the sales tax becomes more regressive. If it's items that wealthier people buy, the tax is more progressive, he said.

And while Horner has said he will tax clothes, he's pledged to adopt a tax holiday, give a tax credit or keep purchases under $100 tax-free to ensure middle and lower income Minnesotans aren't burdened by the levy. That fact is left out of the DFL ad.

The Verdict

It's true that Horner wants expand the sales tax, and it's likely many things that are not taxed now will be taxed in the future if he becomes governor. However, the DFL ad is misleading on two points: it assumes that Horner will tax things he hasn't said he would tax. Further, it fails to mention that Horner has a plan to make the sale tax less burdensome for middle-and-lower income Minnesotans.

This PoliGraph test is inconclusive.

Sources

The Minnesota DFL, Tom Horner's "Clear Vision": Raising Taxes on the Middle Class, accessed Oct. 28, 2010

Tom Horner for Governor, Minnesota Works: The Horner-Mulder Budget, accessed Oct. 28, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio News, Horner's tax plan typical in most of U.S., by Mark Zdechlik, Oct. 8, 2010

The Minnesota Department of Revenue, Sales Tax Base Broadening and Rate Reduction, Sept. 27, 2010

The Minnesota Department of Revenue, State of Minnesota Tax Expenditure Budget: Fiscal Years 2010-2013, February 2010.

The Uneasy Case for Extending the Sales Tax to Services, by Kirk J. Stark, University of California, Los Angeles - School of Law, March 24, 2003

Matt Lewis, spokesman, Tom Horner, Oct. 28, 2010

Kristen Sosanie, spokeswoman, Minnesota DFL, Oct. 28, 2010

Roberton Williams, senior fellow, The Urban Institute, Oct. 28, 2010

Morgan Holcomb, law professor, Hamline University, Oct. 28, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

Quie tells candidate to remove his name

Posted at 10:51 AM on October 29, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

A Republican state Senate candidate has apologized to former Gov. Al Quie after incorrectly listing him among her endorsers.

Norann Dillon of Plymouth, who's challenging incumbent Sen. Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka, recently sent out a campaign flier to residents of District 43 highlighting several endorsements, including fellow Republican Quie. But the endorsement was news to the former governor, who remembered a different outcome from a meeting with Dillon.

"I said no, I'm not going to endorse you," Quie said. "I don't remember if I told her any reason why or not."

Quie, who made news last week when he endorsed Independence Party candidate Tom Horner in the governor's race, said he was initially upset about Dillon's flier. But he said he thinks a telephone conversation with Dillon this morning resolved the issue.

"She apologized," Quie said. " She's going to put on her Web today that I did not do that."

Dillon confirmed that she was planning to issue a correction on her campaign Web site. Dillon described the matter as a misunderstanding that came out of her earlier meeting with Quie.

"He said it was alright to use his name," Dillon said. "I've had other candidates tell me the same thing, and in those cases that meant endorsement. Perhaps for Gov. Quie it was not that explicit."

Sen. Bonoff offered a harsher assessment of the misstep.

"I'm not questioning my opponent's motives," Bonoff said. "But none the less, it is a misrepresentation, and that's unacceptable."

UPDATE

Here's what Dillon posted on her campaign Web site:

Earlier this year, Governor Quie, who lives in my district, expressed support for my campaign. I though this statement to be an endorsement. It was a misunderstanding between Governor Quie and myself, and I apologize for using his name on my recent mailings.

Told you I wasn't a politician.

Cravaack to hit 36 cities in 96 hours

Posted at 11:29 PM on October 28, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

Republican Chip Cravaack is scheduled to visit 36 cities in the final 96 hours of the campaign. The Republican running for Congress in Minnesota's 8th District is scheduled to kick off the tour in Duluth on Friday at 10am. Gov. Pawlenty, GOP Rep. John Kline and Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tom Emmer will join Cravaack at several stops on the tour. The Cravaack campaign scheduled 36 stops - one for every year DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar is in office.

Don't know who Cravaack is? Listen to the stump speech he gave to his supporters in Cambridge on Wednesday night: Listen

Democrats rally on the Iron Range

Posted at 11:20 PM on October 28, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

Roughly 800 people attended a DFL rally in Virginia, MN tonight. The group showed up to see Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Mark Dayton, DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar, state legislators representing the Iron Range and DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar. The event was organized as a Get Out the Vote rally for DFL candidates.

Oberstar, who is engaged in a tough reelection fight with Republican Chip Cravaack, didn't back away from any of his votes. In fact, he praised the stimulus and said it was a major factor in why the taconite mines on the Iron Range are hiring again. He also repeated his support for Social Security and defended his vote for the health care bill.

"We just passed the biggest health insurance reform in the history of this country in this Congress and we're not going to let the Republicans take it away from us," Oberstar shouted.

Dayton told the audience that he'll work to ensure that the state's schools are funded and will work to keep college tuition affordable. He said his plan to tax Minnesota's top earners is better than the sales tax expansion proposed by the Independence Party's Tom Horner or the cuts Republican Tom Emmer will need to do if he doesn't raise taxes.

"These are going to be hard times. There's no easy way to balance a $6 billion deficit. But there are right and wrong ways. There are better and worse ways," Dayton said.

Both Dayton and Oberstar are relying on heavy turnout in northern Minnesota and the Iron Range. DFL candidates who have not performed well in this part of the state rarely win statewide.

Here's Oberstar's speech: Listen

Here's Dayton's speech: Listen

KSTP-TV says gov race is a toss-up

Posted at 11:06 PM on October 28, 2010 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

A KSTP-TV/Survey USA poll shows a dead heat between Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer. The poll, taken between October 24th and October 27th, shows Dayton leading Emmer by one percentage point. Dayton received 39 percent support from those polled. Emmer received 38 percent support. IP candidate Tom Horner received support from 13 percent of those polled.

Here's the full methodology.

Emmer camp disputes new MPR poll

Posted at 1:51 PM on October 28, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican candidate Tom Emmer is insisting that the race for governor is a dead heat between him and DFLer Mark Dayton.

Emmer's campaign released some internal poll numbers today to try to back up the claim. The internal poll had both Emmer and Dayton at 40 percent, with Independence Party candidate Tom Horner at 13 percent. Additional data was not provided. The Emmer campaign is also trying to discredit the results of a new Minnesota Public Radio/Humphrey Institute poll that shows Dayton ahead by 12 percentage points.

Here's the campaign news release:

In past election cycles, results from the MPR/Humphrey Institute have been wrong and have given voters across the state bad information. The most recent poll released today by MPR and the Humphrey Institute follows this dramatically wrong yet predictable pattern.

To make sure voters have more accurate and statistically reliable information about the Minnesota Governor's race, the Emmer Campaign today is releasing results from its own internal poll conducted on October 24th and 25th by Public Opinion Strategies. The poll of 500 likely voters shows the race for Governor tied: Dayton 40, Emmer 40, Horner 13. The poll has margin of error +/-4.38% and is more in line with recent results from Survey USA and Rasmussen and in stark contrast to the ridiculous polling done by the Star Tribune and MPR.

"All polls are snapshots in time," said Cullen Sheehan, Emmer Campaign Manager. "The new MPR/Humphrey Institute results are an unfortunately predictable snapshot in absurdity. The HHH poll's track record rivals only television weather forecasters for accuracy. Four years ago this same poll predicted that Mike Hatch would beat Tim Pawlenty by six percentage points. Minnesota should be as confident in this poll's prediction as Governor Hatch was during the last gubernatorial campaign."

Quie backs Demmer

Posted at 2:08 PM on October 27, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD1

Former GOP Gov. Al Quie is backing Republican Randy Demmer in Minnesota's 1st District. The endorsement comes three days after former GOP Gov. Arne Carlson backed DFL Rep. Tim Walz. Here's a letter that Quie, who represented Minnesota's 1st Congressional District in Congress, penned on Demmer's behalf:

The election is near and I know many of you are struggling over many races in next Tuesday's election. The person who represents you in Congress is of utmost importance, and I know Randy Demmer is a person who will serve you well. His experience will enable him to hit the ground running, but more importantly, he is a man of principle, thoughtful and courageous.

There is no question this country is in serious financial straits. Astronomical increases in our national debt are predicted far into the future. The recently enacted federal health care legislation needs immediate repair. Our agricultural communities will be devastated by the proposed cap and trade tax.

Randy Demmer understands these issues, and he has the experience and the track record that show he knows how to get things done. His wisdom and fiscal conservatism were gained through a lifetime in Southern Minnesota. He's farmed and owned small businesses. He married his high school sweetheart, a lifelong nurse. He's lived what's most important to this district.

In these trying times, Southern Minnesota needs a Representative who never wavers on individual responsibility, personal freedom and fiscal restraint - that person is Randy Demmer. He has shown these qualities over the course of a lifetime of service to his community, and that is why he has my endorsement as the public servant who will represent and serve you best.

Sincerely,

Al Quie
Former First District Congressman and Minnesota Governor

6th District debate

Posted at 1:19 PM on October 27, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

Here's the audio from yestday's 6th District debate that featured GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann, Democrat Tarryl Clark and the Independence Party's Bob Anderson: Listen

There are two more debates scheduled in this race. MPR's Midday will air a live debate at 11am tomorrow. KSTP-TV will also air a live debate during their At Issue program on Sunday at 10am.

PoliGraph: Emmer exaggerates impact of health provision

Posted at 12:30 PM on October 27, 2010 by Catharine Richert (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

The new federal health care law has cropped in attack ads, in speeches, and most recently in a three-way debate between the gubernatorial candidates.

Republican Tom Emmer said the law is flawed because it's a federal intrusion on state's rights. He said the law includes a lot of surprises unrelated to health care policy.

"I had somebody approach me yesterday who said, 'Do you realize that in the federal health care bill that every real estate transaction I'm going to have to pay money into the federal health care bill to pay for it,'" Emmer said in a response to a question about his take on a legal effort to overturn the law. "On every real estate transaction. What else are we going to find out over the next few weeks?"

Emmer goes wrong in his claim by saying that "every" real estate transaction will be taxed. In fact, it appears that very few Americans will be saddled with the new duty.

The Evidence

Emmer's staff did not respond to PoliGraph's requests for more information on this claim, but it appears Emmer's talking about an obscure provision in the law that imposes a 3.8 percent tax on money that's made from investment income, which can include rental property and home sales.

Congress's Joint Committee on Taxation estimates the tax will bring in $210 billion between 2013, when the levy kicks in, and 2019; the funds will be used to pay for Medicare.

But the tax comes with some important criteria.

First, it only applies to individuals making more than $200,000 annually and couples making more than $250,000 annually.

Further, profits on primary residences less than $250,000 for individuals and less than $500,000 for couples are already exempt from taxation.

So, for instance, a couple would have to make more than $250,000 a year and sell their home for more than $500,000 before the tax would become an issue.

It's hard to say precisely how many people will be subject to the new tax. But what is clear is that the burden will fall on a narrow sliver of the population.

In Minnesota, less than 10 percent of households make more than $200,000 annually. And the average price of a home in the state is roughly $150,000. Nationally, the conservative Tax Foundation predicts the tax will only hit the wealthiest 2 percent of families.

The Verdict

There's a bit of truth to Emmer's claim because there is a new tax in the health care bill that could apply to real estate transactions. But Emmer has blown the impact of the new tax way out of proportion by saying every real estate transaction will be taxed. In fact, it appears relatively few will.

That exaggeration makes this claim false.

Sources

Minnesota Public Radio News, KSTP debate, Oct. 24, 2010

Thomas, Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, accessed Oct. 26, 2010

The Joint Committee On Taxation, Technical Explanation Of the Revenue Provisions Of The "Reconciliation Act Of 2010," As Amended, In Combination With The "Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act", accessed Oct. 26, 2010

AARP, The New Health Care Law and Taxes on Home Sales, by Susan Jaffe, Oct. 11, 2010

Kaiser Family Foundation, Summary of the new health reform law, accessed Oct. 26, 2010

The Internal Revenue Service, rules for Maximum Exclusion, accessed Oct. 26, 2010

Realtor.org, September Existing Home Sales Show Another Strong Gain, Oct. 25, 2010

The Tax Foundation, Health Care Reform: How Much Does It Redistribute Income?, by
Patrick Fleenor and Gerald Prante, April 15, 2010

The Minnesota Department of Revenue, 2009 Minnesota Tax Incidence Study, accessed Oct. 26, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

Are Democrats taking a leap of faith with lit piece?

Posted at 7:24 AM on October 27, 2010 by Tom Scheck (11 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature

The Republican Party of Minnesota is ramping up its criticism of their counterparts in the DFL for issuing a campaign lit piece that questions whether a Republican candidate for the Minnesota Senate is committed to the poor. The lit piece, which is below, shows a picture of a man of the cloth with a button that says "Ignore the poor." The lit piece then questions whether Pastor Dan Hall is committed to serving the poor or the Republican Party. Hall, who is not Catholic, is challenging DFL Sen. John Doll in Senate District 40 which includes Burnsville.

Dan Hall mailer

Republican Party officials and several Catholic groups were swift to criticize the lit piece. A writer on the blog, The National Catholic Register, described it as "The most Anti-Catholic political ad you'll ever see."

Republican Party Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb also worked to link the lit piece to Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Mark Dayton:

"My phone keeps ringing with calls from outraged people upset at @MinnesotaDFL anti-Catholic mailing funded by @Mark_Dayton's kids"

I'm trying to confirm how Brodkorb can claim that Dayton's children "funded" this particular piece of literature. Update: Brodkorb said Dayton's two sons have given $250,000 each to the DFL. Update to the Update: When I asked how those funds were earmarked for this particular lit piece, Brodkorb referenced a profile I did on Bob Perry that said Perry bankrolled the Swift Boat ads. He has yet to answer how Dayton's kids funded this particular lit piece. In reality, it's a better link to say that the DFL Senate Caucus paid for the lit piece since they transfer funds to the DFL to send out their lit in MN Senate races. The caucuses do that to save money on postage.

DFL Party spokesman Donald McFarland says the lit piece isn't mean to be anti-Catholic but show how Hall has distanced himself from the views of others in the faith community.

"The ad is part of a two-piece mailing that highlights and criticizes the policy views of Dan Hall, a preacher who is the Republican candidate for the Minnesota Senate. Some Republican bloggers have taken one image from the first piece, and claimed that the mail is somehow anti-Catholic. But the text explicitly criticizes Preacher Hall for distancing himself from policy views that have been taken by the Catholic Archdiocese, by the Lutheran Synod, and other leaders in Minnesota's faith community. Dan Hall is willing to enlist God and religion in his campaign when it helps him -- but in fact, his views hurt the poorest and sickest among us, and this mailing holds him accountable for those views."

Here's a link to the second lit piece that McFarland referenced.

Question of the Day: What do you think of this issue?

Update: The MNGOP has scheduled a news conference at 11am in which they'll call on Dayton to denounce the lit piece. GOP state Sen. Michelle Fischbach and GOP state Sen. Amy Koch will speak at the newser.

UPDATE: Democrat Mark Dayton issued this statement on the lit piece:

"I believe the brochure's picture showing a Man of the Cloth is inappropriate. I believe that it is inappropriate to bring religion into a campaign as this image and others do.

I believe the brochure's referencing Leaders of the Faith Community criticizing the damage to GAMC is appropriate. The facts are that members of Minnesota's Faith Community have been leaders in the fight to stop Governor Pawlenty from denying health care to the poorest and sickest Minnesotans."

The Legislative districts to watch

Posted at 5:36 PM on October 26, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

A quick look at today's campaign fundraising reports show that Democrats in the Minnesota House and Senate are playing lots of defense in the 2010 election. The DFL Party's independent expenditures show that they're protecting a handful of seats that mostly lie in the suburbs and the exurbs. It appears that House and Senate races in Woodbury and Eagan are the most competitive.

The race that's attracted the most party money through October 18th is House District 56B where DFL Rep. Marsha Swails is facing a tough challenge from Republican Andrea Kieffer. The DFL House Caucus, the House Republican Caucus and the Minnesota Republican Party have spent $114,579 in that district on direct mail and TV advertising.

It's not the only race to watch in the eastern suburbs. DFL Rep. Julie Bunn of Lake Elmo is facing a challenge from Kathleen Lohmer. The race is also close to hitting the $100,000 mark. DFL Rep. DFL Sen. Kathy Saltzman is facing a challenge from newspaper publisher Ted Lillie. Senate Democrats have spent $65,697 to help reelect Saltzman. Republicans in the Senate didn't spent much money on direct mail and TV before the October 18th deadline but I'm told they are active in several districts.

The Eagan races are also a battleground. In House District 38A, DFL Rep. Sandra Masin is locked in a tough battler with Republican Diane Anderson. The House Democrats and the HRCC are spending $50,000 each on that race. The other half of the district is also being bombarded with campaign literature. $95,972 has been spent by the HRCC, the MNGOP and the House DFL Caucus. DFL Rep. Mike Obermueller is facing a challenge from Republican Doug Wardlow, son of former GOP Rep. Lynn Wardlow.

Senate District 38 is also getting plenty of attention. DFL Sen. Jim Carlson is facing a challenge from Republican Ted Daley. Senate Democrats have spent $94,843 to help Carlson get elected.

There are also a few races to watch in rural Minnesota. In Bemidji, DFL Rep. John Persell is facing a challenge from Richard Lehmann. The parties have spent $94,589 on that race.

In the district just south of Lake Mille Lacs, DFL Rep. Gail Kulick Jackson is facing a challenge from former GOP Rep. Sondra Erickson. $93,649 is being spent on that race.

Since the Senate GOP didn't start spending on independent expenditures at the fundraising deadline, it's difficult to see which seats they consider competitive. But it's pretty easy to gauge looking at where the Senate DFL is spending. DFL Sen. Lisa Fobbe is facing a stiff challenge from Republican David Brown. Senate Democrats have spent $86,000 on that race alone.

Two interesting tidbits. It doesn't appear Senate Democrats are spending to defend the seats held by DFL Sen. Steve Murphy of Red Wing or DFL Sen. Jim Vickerman of Tracey. It appears the caucus may decide to spend its money elsewhere. The Senate DFL Caucus is also spending a small portion of money in the open seat being vacated by DFL Sen. Tarryl Clark. The campaign finance reports shows just $16,945 spent on behalf of the Democrat running in that district. That could obviously change between October 18th and Election Day.

On the House side, Democrats are looking to pick up three seats. Two of them are open. The first is being vacated by GOP Rep. Laura Brod. House Democrats have spent $31,222 to win that seat. DFLers are also bullish on the seat being vacated by GOP Rep. Doug Magnus, who looks like he'll win Vickerman's Senate sat. Former DFL House Majority Leader Ted Winter is making another run for the House. House Demodrats are spending $39,000 there. The other seat is held by GOP Rep. Keith Downey. House Republicans have spent $22,800 in TV ads to help Downey win reelection. Democrats have spent $31,000 on direct mail in the district.

One race that wasn't on my radar until today is DFL Rep. Andy Welti's seat and it's mostly because House Democrats are spending a lot of money there. They spent $50,729 working to reelect Welti, of Rochester. The MNGOP spent $21,511 on direct mail attacking Welti.

The other race to watch is a Senate race in Rochester. The DFL Senate Caucus spent $64,516 on TV and direct mail to help get DFL Sen. Lynch reelected.

There are a few other races to watch including House District 1A (the far northwestern corner of the state that features DFL Rep. Dave Olin vs. Republican Dan Fabian) and House District 53A (the Shoreview district that features the showdown between DFL Rep. Paul Gardner and Republican Linda Runbeck).

Side note: The House DFL Caucus and The Senate DFL Caucus gave direct contributions to the State DFL Party which then paid for the independent expenditures. You can read the The Minnesota DFL Party report here.

It appears that the Minnesota Republican Party is using funds raised by the Freedom Club's State PAC for their efforts to win the Minnesota House. The Freedom Club State PAC's report shows a $408,000 transfer to the MNGOP. Officials with the Freedom Club have said they are working to elect Republicans in the House.

Police, nurses rip anti-Dayton ad

Posted at 4:05 PM on October 26, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Some nurses and police officers aren't pleased that a business-backed group is portraying their professions in a TV ad against DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton.

The commercial from the group MN Forward features a police officer from an unidentified department named Dave, who says he and his nurse wife would be hit by Dayton's proposed income tax increase on top earners.

The Minnesota Nurses Association and Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis issued a this joint statement today calling the ad misleading and defending Dayton:

"Nurses and police officers are the heart of the middle class in Minnesota, and we endorsed Mark Dayton for governor because he is the only candidate who will protect them and all middle-class Minnesotans. No matter their spin, Mark's two opponents cannot hide the fact that they will raise taxes on our members and the middle class by imposing higher regressive sales and property taxes. Mark Dayton is the only candidate who understands that nurses and police officers are at a breaking point and simply cannot pay any more. Mark is the only candidate who won't make middle-class Minnesotans pick up more of the state's revenue burden."

MN Forward raised $1.9 million

Posted at 9:06 AM on October 26, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

MN Forward, a group mostly funded by corporate money, reports raising $1.9 million in 2010. The group, which was heavily criticized along with Target Corporation for supporting Republican Tom Emmer, spent $1.3 million of those funds working to elect Emmer. Hubbard Broadcasting, Federated Insurance and Davisco Foods, a subsidiary of Cambria, gave $150,000 each to the group. Rosen's Diversified, which is the company owned by State Sen. Julie Rosen and her husband, gave $160,000 to the group.

Two corporations gave to DFL leaning Win Minnesota

Posted at 8:59 AM on October 26, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

A lot of attention has been given to the corporations that have been giving to groups supporting Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor. But two companies gave money to Win Minnesota, a group working to elect Democrat Mark Dayton. Kwik-Trip gave $25,000 to Win Minnesota. Anheuser Busch gave $10,000 to the group.

ABM raised $5.4 million

Posted at 8:56 AM on October 26, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota, which is funded by wealthy Democratic donors, the Democratic Governors Association, labor unions and Native American Tribes reported raising close to $5.4 million. The group spent $4.4 million of that on ads criticizing Republican Tom Emmer.

Dayton raised $4.4 million in 2010

Posted at 8:29 AM on October 26, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign for governor reported raising $4.4 million. His campaign finance report shows that he spent $4.2 million and has $256,124 left in the bank. Dayton, who spent $3.3 million of his own money on the campaign through the DFL Primary, loaned his campaign $590,000 since then.

Emmer raised $2.8 million for campaign

Posted at 5:37 PM on October 25, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010

Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor reports raising $2.8 million. Emmer's campaign said in a news release that Emmer $2.58 million in 2010. He reports having $461,152 left in the bank when the books were closed on October 19th. The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board are scheduled to release the reports tomorrow at 8AM. Here's the full release from Emmer's campaign:

The Tom Emmer for Governor Campaign today released the summary of the Pre-General Election Finance Report. The campaign has brought in a total of $2.8 million this campaign, more than $1.7 million since the July report.

"Over the last sixteen months Tom Emmer has worked tirelessly to connect with Minnesotans from throughout this great state as he's campaigned for governor," said Cullen Sheehan. "He has spread a vision of government living within its means and spurring economic growth to put Minnesotans back to work. These fundraising totals affirm that his vision for Minnesota is one that resonates."

The fundraising total includes over $2 million from individual contributors in 2010. The campaign has collected $2.69 million in 2010 and $114,802 in 2009. The report will show $461,152 cash on hand.

Update: The Emmer campaign misreported the campaign finance figures by $108,000 to their advantage. Emmer campaign spokesman Carl Kuhl says there was a software glitch that prompted the computer to consider $108,000 as a receipt instead of a transfer.

The up to date numbers are:

total raised $2.589 million
Cash on Hand is $352,723.

Pawlenty to campaign in eight states in final week

Posted at 1:04 PM on October 25, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Pawlenty travel, Tim Pawlenty

Gov. Pawlenty is scheduled to make campaign stops in Texas, New Mexico, Georgia, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Minnesota and Iowa in the final week of the campaign.

Pawlenty will be campaigning mostly on behalf of the Republican candidates for governor. Some of the events are closed fundraisers (Texas and Louisiana ). Other events are rallies for candidates (NM, OH, PA, IA).

Pawlenty, who campaigned for Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tom Emmer over the past two days, will attend a rally for Emmer on Saturday in Blaine. He will also spend the Monday before Election Day campaigning for Emmer.

SCSU survey puts Dayton ahead by 10 points

Posted at 10:56 AM on October 25, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Results of a new St. Cloud State University survey show DFL Mark Dayton with a 10 percentage point lead in the race for governor.

Dayton had the support of 40 percent of likely voters, followed by Republican Tom Emmer at 30 percent and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner at 19 percent. Five percent were undecided.

The statewide survey interviewed 628 Minnesotans between October 10 to October 21. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 5 percentage points.

Dayton postpones events

Posted at 10:25 AM on October 25, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton has postponed several campaign appearances today due to illness.

A campaign spokeswoman says Dayton has laryngitis. He was scheduled to tour a solar energy company in Bloomington and an organic dairy farm near Altura. Dayton also had a fundraiser tonight in Rochester.

Dayton is expected to be back in action Tuesday for some media interviews and the next gubernatorial debate in Mankato.

Horner goes on offense

Posted at 8:19 PM on October 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

KSTP-TV and the League of Women Voters held a live televised debate tonight on the Campus of Metro State University in St. Paul. Democrat Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and the IP's Mark Dayton offered their different visions on the state budget, education spending and health care.

The most aggressive candidate was Horner. Part of the reason may be that he appears to be losing steam as Election Day gets closer.

Today's Minnesota poll showed Horner with 13% support. That's down from a high of 18%.

Horner took time to criticize Emmer and Dayton with the hopes that he stands out among undecided voters and those who are soft in their support of Emmer and Dayton.

Horner took a shot at Dayton's record:

"I think if they know anything about you Senator, it's that in 35 years you've never met a promise that you won't make if it satisfies a special interest group."

And Emmer for mischaracterizing his positions:

"It's this listening problem that you have where you pretend that you know more than anybody else and then you talk to the rest of the public as if what you're saying is the gospel. That's where you get stuck by putting your stake in the ground and you won't move. that's not what we need right now."

After the debate, Horner said he wasn't ramping up his criticism too dramatically but indicated that he has serious work to do in the final days of the campaign:

"There are so many Dayton supporters who aren't enamored with Senator Dayton but are so fearful of a Governor Emmer and there are so many Emmer supporters who are fearful of a Governor Dayton. Those are Horner supporters if I can get them over the fear and get them to vote the future."

You can listen to the full debate here: Listen

Pawlenty says his legacy in threat if Dayton wins

Posted at 7:21 PM on October 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck (8 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty

Gov. Tim Pawlenty hit the campaign trail today for Republican Tom Emmer's gubernatorial campaign. Pawlenty and Emmer appeared at a GOP Rally today in St. Louis Park.

Pawlenty told the audience that his work to keep taxes low, to improve the state's education system and his efforts to improve the state's business climate.

Pawlenty said he thought about a Governor Dayton and told the audience of 200 people "Are you kidding me."

Both Pawlenty and Emmer used the event as a way to encourage Republicans to turn out the vote by making phone calls on behalf of Republican candidates.

Here's the audio: Listen

Arne Carlson backs Walz

Posted at 5:04 PM on October 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD1

Former GOP Gov. Arne Carlson announced today that he's backing DFL Rep. Tim Walz's campaign for Congress. Carlson announced that he believes Walz is better suited to serve Minnesota's 1st District than Republican challenger Randy Demmer:

"In this election, Tim Walz is the clear choice," said Carlson in a news release. "I'm continually impressed with Tim's leadership and his ability to bring people together in southern Minnesota communities. It is clear that people identify with Tim's experience as a teacher, veteran and football coach and I think that helps them lay aside partisan predispositions and join with Tim to solve problems."

Duluth News Tribune backs Cravaack

Posted at 4:58 PM on October 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

The Duluth News Tribune announced today that it was endorsing Republican Chip Cravaack over DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar. The reason, the paper says, is because of the stance the candidates have made on fiscal matters:

The brake pedal of fiscal responsibility is needed in Washington now as much as ever. Although Oberstar voted in 1993 for the biggest debt reduction in post-World War II history, the 17-term incumbent is hardly the embodiment of financial restraint and new direction.

His opponent, on the other hand, Republican Chip Cravaack, represents what Congress, including Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, needs at this critical crossroads in American history. A pro-business, fiscally conservative, former Navy captain, with a master's degree in education, Cravaack has smarts. He is articulate, reasoned and composed. More critically, he has specific and promising strategies to pull the nation out of its financial funk.

Oberstar told the AP that he's "disappointed but not surprised," given what he says is the News Tribune's conservative editorial trend since its purchase by Fargo. N.D.-based Forum Communications.

Obama rallies his party

Posted at 9:09 PM on October 23, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

President Obama offered a defense of his party's policies, including healthcare overhaul and Wall Street reform during a campaign stop at the University of Minnesota. He told the audience that voting for Republicans would be voting to slide backwards and undo the economic progress Democrats had made.

Obama was in the Twin Cities to raise money for Minnesota Democrats running for Congress and to hold a campaign event for Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign for governor. Obama said Dayton was the only candidate capable of delivering change.

"So I need you to keep fighting, I need to you to keep working, I need you to keep believing. And if you knock on some doors again, if you make some phone calls again, if you talk to your neighbors again, then I promise you we won't just win this election, we won't just have Mark as governor, but you and I together, we are going to restore the american dream."

You can listen to President Obama's speech here: Listen

All of the candidates will attend different campaign events today. They will then take part in a live televised debate at 6pm on KSTP-TV.

8th District debate

Posted at 8:36 PM on October 23, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

I finally tracked down the audio from last night's 8th Distict debate between DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar and Republican Chip Cravaack. The two took part in the second and final debate of a campaign that has become pretty interesting.

You can listen to the audio here: Listen

Meanwhile, Oberstar released an ad criticizing Cravaack.

Emmer sharpens criticism of Dayton at GOP rally

Posted at 2:24 PM on October 23, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

Republican Tom Emmer is sharpening his criticism of Democrat Mark Dayton on the campaign trail. During a campaign rally today in Woodbury, Emmer relied on his platform of redesigning and limiting the size of government. But he also criticized Dayton for using his family fortunes to seek political office.

"What has Senator Dayton done with the great wealth that has been bestowed upon him?" Emmer asked. "He's offered to run for office for the last thirty years."

Emmer also said Dayton doesn't have the right "life experience" that the state needs right now. Emmer was joined by GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann and Minnesota Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton.

Here's the audio of Bachmann and Emmer: Listen

I'll post the audio from President Obama's rally once it becomes available.

Rochester debate

Posted at 7:04 PM on October 22, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Health care issues took center stage today in Rochester, where the three-major party candidates for governor met for their latest debate.

The hour-long event was sponsored by the Rochester chamber of commerce.

DFL candidate Mark Dayton said if he's elected, he would reverse Gov. Tim Pawlenty's policy and quickly authorize Minnesota's participation in an expanded federal Medicaid program. Pawlenty has blocked efforts to bring in the available federal Medicaid money. Independence Party candidate.

Tom Horner said he too would seek the federal money. But Republican Tom Emmer said he agreed with Pawlenty's decision. Emmer also said he wants to eliminate the health care provider tax that currently pays for the state-subsidized MinnesotaCare coverage.

Here's the debate audio in two parts: Part 1 Listen, Part 2 Listen

On the stump...

Posted at 4:32 PM on October 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The candidates for governor will be active on the campaign trail this weekend.

Democrat Mark Dayton will go hunting with DFL Rep. Collin Peterson in Montevideo on Saturday morning. He will then return to the Twin Cities to attend President Obama's rally at the University of Minnesota and will attend a private fundraiser after the event.

On Sunday, Dayton will attend two church services in North Minneapolis with DFL Rep. Bobby Jo Champion.

Republican Tom Emmer will hold several campaign rallies on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, he'll hold a rally with GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann in Woodbury at 11:30, a rally with GOP Rep. John Kline in Burnsville at 1pm, a rally in Chanhassen at 2:30 and a rally with GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen in Minnetonka at 4:30.

On Sunday, Emmer will attend a rally with Gov. Pawlenty in St. Louis Park at 2:30.

IP candidate Tom Horner will go to a tailgate before the University of Minnesota football game.

On Sunday, Horner will attend a Latino candidate forum in Minneapolis at 2:30pm.

All three candidate will attend KSTP's live gubernatorial debate at 6pm on Sunday night.

Mondale to campaign with Walz

Posted at 4:18 PM on October 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD1

Former Vice-President Walter Mondale will campaign with DFL Rep. Tim Walz on Sunday in Rochester. Mondale and Walz are scheduled to attend a rally together at the IBEW Local union hall in Rochester at 3pm. The campaign also says there will be a surprise endorsement at the event.

These candidates are on the hunt!

Posted at 4:00 PM on October 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Two of the statewide candidates for political office will be on the hunt for votes this weekend. They'll also be on the hunt for critters.

Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign is headed to Montevideo on Saturday morning to go pheasant hunting with DFL Rep. Collin Peterson. A campaign staffer says Dayton and Peterson have scheduled their hunt a little earlier than usual so Dayton can make it back for President Obama's rally at the University of Minnesota.

Meanwhile..

Republican Secretary of State candidate Dan Severson is going squirrel hunting with Hmong Community leaders at the Wattercot Farm in St. Cloud at 8AM. Update: Severson will hunt with clan leaders Toua Zeng Lo, Leng Pha, Chu Chang and Sia Lo.

Severson will host a lunch after the hunt.

Ventura backs Horner

Posted at 12:34 PM on October 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Former Gov. Jesse Ventura told the St. Paul Pioneer Press today that he's backing IP candidate Tom Horner's campaign for governor. Ventura, who is a member of the IP, served as governor from 1999-2003. His victory in the 1998 election completely surprised the world.

"I urge people -- if they truly want change, it's in their power -- shock the world again." Vote Tom Horner in as governor," Ventura told the newspaper.

MPR's Tim Pugmire reports that Horner says Ventura will campaign with him between now and Election Daty.

Rasmussen: Dayton has 3 pt edge on Emmer

Posted at 11:21 AM on October 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The latest Rasmussen poll shows Democrat Mark Dayton with a three point lead over Republican Tom Emmer. Support for IP candidate Tom Horner also appears to be dropping.

Dayton received support from 44 percent of those polled. Emmer received support from 41 percent of those poll. IP candidate Tom Horner received 10 percent support.

The poll surveyed 750 likely voters on October 20th. The margin of error is +/-4%.

The poll also found that Gov. Pawlenty's approval/disapproval is locked at 49%.

Fifty percent of those polled approve of the job President Obama is doing. 49% disapprove.

Here's the full poll.

PoliGraph: Dayton property tax claims add up

Posted at 12:00 PM on October 22, 2010 by Catharine Richert (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

Not a gubernatorial debate goes by without some discussion of government aid to cities and schools.

DFL hopeful Mark Dayton raised the issue during a debate at the University of Minnesota on Oct. 15, 2010, saying state aid cuts are forcing property taxes up.

"For every dollar you cut in local government aids or in school aid from the state, property taxes go up by 67 cents," he said. "That's why property taxes in Minnesota under Gov. Pawlenty have gone from $4 billion to $7 billion."

Dayton's correct that the correlation between cuts in government aid and increasing property taxes is strong. However, it's worth pointing out that there are other reasons school and local property taxes are on the rise.

The Evidence

First, Dayton says that property taxes increase by 67 cents for every dollar the state cuts in aid.

Generally speaking, this is true, though it's important to note that this is a rule of thumb employed by the Minnesota Department of Revenue when estimating how cuts in state aid will interfere with tax revenue, not the law of the land. Eric Willette, who directs property tax research at the revenue department, says recent estimates have been on the high end because many cities are choosing not to raise property taxes in light of the ongoing recession.

The same trend is evident when it comes to per pupil school aid. Based on Department of Education data, when accounting for inflation, per pupil funding has declined by about $1,300 since 2003, and property taxes have increased by about $870 - a two-thirds increase in taxes.

Further, Dayton points out property taxes have increased from $4 billion to $7 billion in recent years. This is also true. Since Pawlenty took office in 2003, local and school property taxes have increased by about that much. (State property taxes have increased over the years, but not dramatically.)

Dayton's underlying point, that a rise in property taxes is the direct result of cuts to state aid, is fuzzier.

By all accounts, the cuts are a major contributor. However, there are other factors at play.

In counties, for instance, property taxes have been on the rise because the state has shifted some of the costs associated with taking care of the Medicaid patients and the mentally disabled to counties, says Keith Carlson, executive director of the Minnesota Inter-County Association.

Meanwhile, cities and towns are grappling with higher health care costs, home foreclosures that erode the tax base, and relatively high energy costs meaning it costs more for police and fire departments to fuel their patrol cars and fire trucks.

The Verdict

Generally, Dayton's claims are correct. It's true that for every dollar that's cut in state aid, property taxes tend to increase by about 67 cents. And these cuts have driven increases in property taxes.

That said, it's important to put this trend in context: The recession, foreclosures, and higher gas prices have all contributed to this increase as well.

All in all, Dayton's claim passes the PoliGraph test.

Sources:

The UpTake, Gubernatorial Debate at the University of Minnesota, Oct. 15, 2010

Minnesota Department of Revenue, Price of Government: State and Local Government Revenues are Forecast Through 2013, accessed Oct. 19, 2010

State of Minnesota: Office of the State Auditor, Minnesota City Finances, 2008 Revenues, Expenditures, and Debt, Dec. 31, 2008

Minnesota2020, When It Comes to School Finances, No News is Not Good News, by Jeff Van Wychen, Aug. 23, 2010

Interview, Eric Willette, Property Tax Research Director, Minnesota Department of Revenue, Oct. 19, 2010

Interview, Keith Carlson, Executive Director, Minnesota Inter-County Association, Oct. 19, 2010

Interview, Gary Carlson, Director of Intergovernmental Relations, League of Minnesota Cities Oct. 19, 2010

Interview, Jeff Van Wychen, Minnesota2020, Oct. 20, 2010

President Bill Clinton coming to Blaine Sunday to stump for Tarryl Clark

Posted at 8:50 PM on October 21, 2010 by Annie Baxter
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

DFLer Tarryl Clark is getting support from a political heavyweight-- former President Bill Clinton will join her at a Vikings tailgate party in Blaine on Sunday.

Clark's camp says:

A tailgate party will begin at 7:00 PM and the game begins at 7:30 PM. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken will join Tarryl Clark and supporters to watch the Vikings-Packers football game live on the big screen as well.

Event details:
Vikings-Packers watch party and rally
Featuring President Bill Clinton
Teamsters Local 120 Hall
9422 Ulysses Street NE
Blaine, MN 55434

The press release doesn't say what time Clinton will arrive.

Clinton was in Minneapolis last month for a Clark fundraiser. At the time, he took aim at Clark's Republican opponent, U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann. According to Salon.com, he said the following.

"Your opponent," he told Clark, "is the ultimate example of putting ideology over evidence."

"I respect people with a conservative philosophy," he continued. "This country has been well-served by having two broad traditions within which people can operate. If you have a philosophy, it means you're generally inclined one way or the other but you're open to evidence. If you have an ideology, it means everything is determined by dogma and you're impervious to evidence. Evidence is irrelevant.

"That's how I see Rep. Bachmann. She's very attractive in saying all these things she says, but it's pretty stupid."

The Minnesota Independent says Bachmann lashed out against that characterization:

"Bill Clinton was in campaigning against me this week," she told conservative radio host Mark Levin. "This is a major effort. I've always been about the number one target for Nancy Pelosi to defeat."

"Emily's List has made me their number one target, the League of Conservation Voters has made me their number one target," she said. "But this is almost bizarre what the former President of the United States has said."

Small donors make big difference in Bachmann and Clark campaigns

Posted at 6:35 PM on October 21, 2010 by Annie Baxter
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

The Center for Responsive Politics says small donors played a major role in a number of candidates' third-quarter fundraising, including that of GOP U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann and her DFL challenger, Tarryl Clark.

By the Center's estimation, 2/3 of Bachmann's third quarter fundraising came from small donors. About 56 percent of Clark's third quarter contributions came from donors giving less than $200.

The center took the non-itemizable donations for the campaigns, subtracted funds from transfers and Political Action Committees, and found the number of donations under $200. Then they calculated the share of those small donations in the overall fundraising haul.

Here's what they say about Bachmann's haul:

Sophomore Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), chair of the House Tea Party Caucus, was the most prolific fund-raiser in the third quarter among House candidates, according to the Washington Post. She reported $5.04 million in receipts between July and September. Fully two-thirds of that amount -- $3.3 million -- came from individuals who gave $200 or less, according to the Center's review of campaign finance documents filed on Friday. Since January 2009, Bachmann has now raised $9.6 million, and 52 percent of that sum, or $5 million, has come from small donors.

And here's their take on small donations in Clark's campaign:

Bachmann's Democratic opponent in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District this year, state Sen. Tarryl Clark, has also successfully tapped small donors for big financial gains. During the third quarter, Clark boasted the second largest fund-raising haul among House candidates, according to the Washington Post. Of the $1.48 million in total receipts she reported for the quarter, the Center found that more than $825,900 came from small donors -- or 56 percent of her total contributions. That's the same percentage she's raised from such donors since she began campaigning for Congress. Through September, Clark reported raising a total of nearly $3.9 million since her congressional bid began. Of that amount, about $2.2 million has come from small donors.

RGA drops $1 million on Minnesota's race for governor

Posted at 5:18 PM on October 21, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Republican Governor's Association is putting a big marker on Tom Emmer's campaign in the final weeks of the campaign. The group is giving $1 million to Minnesota's Future, an independent expenditure group, according to the fund's spokesman Chris Tiedeman. Minnesota's Future is running ads criticizing Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign.

"We believe Tom Emmer is going to win but we're going to close the election right and get that message to the voters," Tiedeman said.

Tiedeman said the money will be used for ads on TV, radio, the internet and other social media.

The donation comes on top of the $830,000 the RGA has already given to Minnesota's Future.

The RGA isn't the only group to give to Minnesota's Future in the final weeks of the campaign. Hubbard Broadcasting, which owns KSTP-TV, wrote a $25,000 check to the group as well.

Meanwhile, The Democratic Governor's Association has given $1.5 million to Win Minnesota through 10/5(reports here and here). That group is then giving a bulk of the funds to The Alliance for a Better Minnesota, which is running ads criticizing Emmer.

Liebling makes a play for Speaker

Posted at 4:28 PM on October 21, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

DFL Rep. Tina Liebling of Rochester is making a run for Speaker of the Minnesota House. Liebling wrote letters (see below) to the DFL members of the Minnesota House and asks for their support.

It's been rumored the Liebling may make a move for the position but the letter, which was given to House members during Monday's Special Session, is the first indication she's serious about it. The front runner for the job is DFL House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, who has been leading the fundraising and political efforts for the caucus. In her letter, Liebling is reminding members to not assume Sertich has a lock on the job.

"So far the press seems to assume that Tony Sertich will be our next Speaker. I hope that you will not make the same assumption but will consider carefully where we have been, where we can go and what kind of leadership we need to get us there.

Tony has served us well as Majority Leader since 2007. We all know as bright, personable, well spoken and smooth under fire. He and Margaret Anderson Kelliher worked well together and he gave her loyal support at every step. But while Tony has been a fine Majority Leader, he may not be the right person for the very different job of Speaker.

At the end of last session Tom Rukavina - a fellow Ranger - urged our caucus to support Tony for Speaker in appreciation for Tom's role in sealing Margaret's endorsement for governor. While Margaret led us well in may respects we should not make this important decision on the basis of gratitude or because we fear change. We have the opportunity to have a healthy and open conversation about our vision for ourselves as a caucus and what kind of leadership we need. We should make this decision as we make all our best legislative decisions: as representatives of our districts and the people of Minnesota."

The letter comes at a time when Democrats in the House and Senate are fighting to keep their majorities. Democrats currently hold a twenty vote majority in the Minnesota House and it's possible that a Republican Tsunami could give the majority to the GOP. That would mean it won't be a problem for Liebling or Sertich. Instead, it's likely Kurt Zellers would be Speaker of the House.

Here's Liebling's letter:

Dayton wants alliance with teachers

Posted at 4:19 PM on October 21, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton is promising teachers that if elected, he will work with them, not against them.

Dayton spoke today at the annual Education Minnesota professional conference in St. Paul. The statewide teachers union, has had an especially rocky relationship with Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has often accused the union of blocking important education reforms, including new approaches to licensing and tenure. The union is backing Dayton for governor.

Dayton told teachers that he understands education is about the magic they bring to the classroom.

"It's so absurd to be talking about education with teachers somehow the obstacle or the adversary," Dayton said. "Education happens with you, through you, because of you. And I want the state of Minnesota to be an ally."

In his introduction of Dayton. Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher offered a vigorous defense of his union and a sometimes stinging indictment of its critics. Using the parlance of the No Child Left Behind Law, Dooher took immediate aim at Pawlenty.

"After eight years of patient effort, we have come to the conclusion that Tim Pawlenty has failed to make adequate yearly progress as our governor for Minnesota, Dooher said. "We recommend he be reassigned for immediate remediation."

Here's audio of Dooher: Listen

Here's audio of Dayton: Listen

Quie backs Horner

Posted at 2:09 PM on October 21, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Former GOP Gov. Al Quie announced today that he's supporting the Independence Party's Tom Horner in the race for governor. Quie is the second former Republican governor to support Horner's campaign. Arne Carlson is also backing Horner. Quie says he likes Horner's budget plan, his plan to improve the achievement gap in schools and his plan to invest in infrastructure. He said Horner will do a better job for the state than Republican Tom Emmer or Democrat Mark Dayton.

"Now as I look at the candidates for governor," Quie said. "I look at their solutions and I come down on the side of Tom Horner."

Horner has been peeling away support from Emmer's Republican base. Several former legislators and at least one Republican mayor say they're backing Horner because they consider Emmer's budget plan "too extreme." Quie said he was prepared for criticism from his Republican colleagues.

"If a person who votes for a Republican who is now running as an Independent and if that makes him a RINO (Republican In Name Only), I plead guilty. What I tell all of the candidates in the Republican Party is that you're not electing the Republican Party, you're electing a person."

Quie was backing Marty Seifert before he lost the GOP endorsement to Emmer.

Quie's endorsement now means two of the three living Republican governors in Minnesota are backing Horner's campaign. The announcement comes just days before Republcan Governor Tim Pawlenty will hit the campaign trail for Emmer.

MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton says he's disappointed by Quie's endorsement of Horner. Minnesota Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton said Quie's endorsement doesn't represent the vast majority of Republicans.

Pawlenty to campaign for Emmer

Posted at 9:13 AM on October 21, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty

Gov. Pawlenty stayed on the sidelines of the race for governor for several months after Tom Emmer won the GOP endorsement. But he's ramping up his efforts in the remaining days of the campaign. It's already been announced that Pawlenty will appear at a campaign rally on the Saturday before Election Day.

Today, the Emmer campaign announced Pawlenty will campaign with Emmer on Sunday and Monday in St. Louis Park, Rochester and Eagan.

Here's the schedule:

Sunday, October 24th, 2010
Saint Louis Park
3:00 pm (2:30 pm Doors)
Saint Louis Park Recreation Center
3700 Monterey Drive

Monday, October 25th, 2010

Rochester
8:30 am
(8:00 am Doors)
Ramada Hotel and Conference Center
Royal Room C
1517 16th Street SW

Eagan
11:00 am
(10:30 am Doors) Aerospace Manufacturing, Inc.
1045 Gemini Road

Update:

DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez says Pawlenty's sinking popularity will likely do more to hurt Emmer than help. The outgoing Republican governor is scheduled to campaign with Emmer Sunday and Monday. Melendez says Emmer's connection to Pawlenty will likely cost him independent votes.

"Obviously DFLers have always disliked Tim Pawlenty, and Tim Pawlenty's unfavorable ratings have been going up lately, so that's got to be coming from independents, which leaves me to think that tying Tim Pawlenty around your neck is not the best strategy two weeks out."

But state Republican party chairman Tony Sutton says voters like the idea of Emmer continuing Pawlenty's policies. He says the governor's campaign assistance should help Emmer peak on Election Day.

Pro Life groups to flood the 8th with lit

Posted at 10:02 PM on October 20, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

Two prominent groups opposed to legalized abortion are getting heavily involved in the congressional contest in Minnesota's 8th District.

The conservative Susan B. Anthony List, a Washington D.C. based Pro-life group, reported spending $32,432 on mailers in opposition to DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar.

Meanwhile, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life is spending $9417 on mailings on behalf of Oberstar's GOP opponent, Chip Cravaack. The MCCL endorsed Cravaack last week after backing Oberstar for decades.

The Susan B. Anthony List and the MCCL both say they're backing Cravaack because of Oberstar's support for the health care reform law. They say the law would allow federal taxpayers funds to be spent on abortion. At issue is the health exchanges and whether HMOs would be allowed to offer abortion coverage even to people who receive federal subsidies. Oberstar and his campaign staffers argue that there are protections in place to ensure federal funds aren't spent on abortion (Read more about it on Politfact).

Susan B. Anthony List, which was also a strong supporter of Oberstar in the past, hinted in a March news release that it would make Oberstar's vote an issue in the upcoming election:

"Congressman Oberstar can no longer call himself 'pro-life.' He has set himself with the likes of NARAL, NOW, and Planned Parenthood, and has betrayed his pro-life principles and his constituents. Seventy-four percent of voters in the eighth district oppose taxpayer funding of abortion as part of health care reform, according to a survey commissioned by the Susan B. Anthony List this week. Fifty-six percent of Rep. Oberstar's constituents surveyed also said that they would be less likely to vote for him next Election Day if he supported healthcare with abortion funding.

The key question is whether voters will continue their practice of routinely sending Oberstar back to Washington or choose to side with the Pro Life groups who now oppose him.

Christie and Barbour coming to MN

Posted at 2:17 PM on October 20, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Gov. Pawlenty will hold a GOTV rally on October 30th for Republican Tom Emmer.

MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton said on Twitter that the three Republican governors will be in Minnesota on Emmer's behalf.

A spokesman for the Emmer campaign and a spokesman for the MNGOP says more details will follow.

DCCC enters the race in MN-1

Posted at 1:57 PM on October 20, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD1

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced today that it will start running ads in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. The DCCC says this ad will start running tomorrow. It criticizes Republican Randy Demmer for his "support of partially privatizing Social Security."

The DCCC's Gabby Adler wouldn't disclose the size of the buy but said "it's a significant buy that will saturate the market..."

The DCCC ad comes on the heels of two ads targeting DFL Rep. Tim Walz. The NRCC is spending $100,000 worth of ads criticizing Walz for voting for the stimulus bill.

The American Action Network, run by former GOP Sen. Norm Coleman, is also running an ad criticizing Walz for federal spending.

The Walz campaign called on Coleman to disclose the source of his donors once it became know that the ad would run. Coleman declined saying he's following the law. He also said Walz and other Democrats didn't complain when outside groups ran ads supporting them in 2006 and 2008.

A recent poll by Survey USA and KAAL-TV shows Walz leading Demmer by five percentage points. Internal polling must show the race is tight.

Lessard backs Dayton

Posted at 12:22 PM on October 20, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Bob Lessard, a former state Senator who is best known for pushing hunting and fishing issues, has backed Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign for governor. Lessard, who served in the Minnesota Senate as a member of the DFL and the Independence Parties, said Dayton is the candidate who will best represent sportsmen's issues. The endorsement matters since Lessard backed Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty and Republican Senator Norm Coleman in past elections.

Here's part of the news release:

"Mark Dayton has made the strongest commitment to hunters and anglers that I have seen from any gubernatorial candidate in my political career. Endorsing Mark is a matter of integrity. In the past, I've endorsed some Republicans because they were on the right side of the issues that matter to me and the issues that matter to sportsmen and sportswomen. In this race, Mark Dayton is on the right side of those issues-he supported the Legacy Amendment from Day One. I support Mark because he supports sportsmen and sportswomen. With him, hunters, anglers, and conservationists will have a friend in the Governor's office."

Dayton, a hunter and angler himself, said: "I am honored to receive Bob's endorsement. Bob has done so much for sportsmen and sportswomen in our state, and I look forward to working with him to ensure a better Minnesota for sportsmen, sportswomen, and future generations."

Senator Lessard has previously endorsed Governor Pawlenty and Senator Coleman, and chaired the Sportsmen for Bush campaign. Senators Lessard and Coleman campaigned together for the Legacy Amendment. This time, however, Senator Lessard does not support the Republican candidate.

"Representative Emmer opposed the Legacy Amendment, which I can understand. However, after the amendment was overwhelmingly passed, Emmer authored legislation to repeal what the voters had just voted for. Emmer claimed to change his position on the amendment when it was politically expedient after he was endorsed. It is crucial that the sportsmen and the sportswomen of this state understand that. It would be hypocritical of me to endorse a man that has worked to undo the most important legislative victory that sportsmen and sportswomen have achieved in a generation," Senator Lessard added.

Publisher of several papers in 6th District endorses Clark

Posted at 11:49 AM on October 20, 2010 by Annie Baxter
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

ECM Publishers has endorsed DFLer Tarryl Clark for Minnesota's 6th District Congressional race over GOP incumbent U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann and Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson.

ECM serves 6 of the largest population centers outside of St. Cloud in the 6th District.

"That makes the 2 largest 6th District newspaper circulation endorsements this week," Lucking says. The other major endorsement came from the St. Cloud Times.

Here's what ECM says:

As one of the leading figures in the Tea Party movement and founder of the House Tea Party Caucus, Rep. Bachmann has expanded her national platform even more, much to the Sixth District's loss.

Rep. Bachmann's repeated absence from the district is one reason that ECM Publishers chooses to endorse Sen. Clark for election on Tuesday, Nov. 2. The St. Cloud state senator was convincing in that she will be an advocate for people and needs of the district, not a national campaigner.

She is one of the Republican Party's top rock stars, trailing only former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in national recognition. And Rep. Bachmann is a heavy hitter, too. She has raised more than $10 million in campaign contributions this year, raking in more than $5 million in the most recent quarter. And through MICHELE PAC, she has provided endorsements and campaign contributions to 46 conservative candidates from around the country, including U.S. Senate candidates Christine O'Donnell from Delaware, Rand Paul from Kentucky and Marco Rubio in Florida.

As editors from ECM newspapers that serve the Sixth District converged as an editorial endorsement panel to screen candidates in this election, we had hoped that the incumbent would grant an interview to assist the panel in its deliberation. Repeated attempts in late August and throughout September to schedule an interview were not successful. That was disappointing and the panel had no choice but to move on.

We understand that Rep. Bachmann has been part of the House minority, Still, in the four years that she has served in Congress she has authored only one piece of legislation that became law. Still worse, she has not supported important construction projects in St. Cloud and Stillwater -- projects of great value in this district.

To her credit, Clark is no rookie to the legislative process and has been willing to work in a bipartisan arena for the betterment of the state. Sen. Clark's life experiences in teen counseling, parenting, senior citizen advocacy and work with groups like Habitat for Humanity and the Minnesota Community Action Program give her a solid foundation that will help her succeed in Washington.

She demonstrated deep understanding and knowledge of national and international issues. Raised in a conservative Republican family, she has matured to form a philosophical view that draws on her upbringing and world views today.
The editorial panel also found Bob Anderson to be an interesting candidate. After collecting 10 percent of the vote in the Sixth District race in 2008, Anderson is certainly a factor again this year. As a third-party candidate, he believes he offers a choice between Sen. Clark (too far left for the district) and Rep. Bachmann (too much of a rock star).

It is clear that many voters in the district have a deep affection for Rep. Bachmann. She's likable, independent, savvy and a candidate who has gone far from her start as a school board member in Stillwater. Where Anderson draws votes from could decide the 2010 contest.

If voters in the Sixth District truly want a representative who will put them and the district first in how the duties are performed in Washington, their vote on Nov. 2 should be for Sen. Tarryl Clark. -- An editorial from the ECM Editorial Board, ECM Publishers

PoliGraph: Horner's health care claim checks out

Posted at 12:00 PM on October 20, 2010 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

Minnesota's next governor will grapple with health care reform, including a new federal law that requires states to set up health insurance marketplaces.

In response to a comment made by Republican candidate Tom Emmer about increasing the competitiveness of health insurance in the state, Independence candidate Tom Horner said Minnesota needs to consider federal dollars meant to help states set up health insurance exchanges.

"Every state accepted the planning money except two: Minnesota and Alaska," Horner said. "And I think that speaks to the politics of the issue."

Horner's right: Minnesota and Alaska have so far said "no" to federal money.

The Evidence

The new health care law requires most people to have health insurance by 2014. But because some people don't have insurance through their jobs - and some people don't have jobs at all - the bill also requires that states set up so-called health insurance exchanges, virtual marketplaces where consumers and small businesses can shop for policies.

The idea is to make health insurance pricing more competitive. If the state fails to set up the exchange, the federal Department of Health and Human Services will run the operation.

Indeed, the health care bill has become a political flashpoint in Minnesota. In August, Gov. Tim Pawlenty issued an executive order barring state departments and agencies from applying for funding associated with the new law because he says it's an intrusion on state's rights. The executive order includes federal grants meant to help states get the exchanges off the ground.

On Sept. 30, 2010, the federal health department announced $49 million in such grants to 48 states and the District of Columbia.

Not included on the list? Minnesota and Alaska.

The Verdict

Horner's correct that Minnesota and Alaska are the only two states that have not applied for grants to help establish health insurance exchanges.

Sources

The UpTake, Debating at the U: MN Candidates for Governor, Oct. 15, 2010

The Christian Science Monitor, Health care reform bill 101: What's a health 'exchange'?, by Peter Grier, March 20, 2010

The Kaiser Family Foundation, Explaining Health Care Reform: Questions About Health Insurance Exchanges, April 2010

Minnesota Public Radio News, Pawlenty does about-face on insurance exchange idea, by Elizabeth Stawicki, October 8, 2010

Office of the Governor, Governor Pawlenty Signs Executive Order Directing State Agencies to Decline All Discretionary Participation in Obamacare, Aug. 31, 2010

HealthCare.gov, Health Insurance Exchanges: State Planning and Establishment Grants, accessed Oct. 18, 2010

HealthCare.gov, Grant Awards List, accessed Oct. 18, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

Gingrich to campaign with Meeks and Demmer

Posted at 4:00 PM on October 19, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD1

One of the candidates who may challenge President Obama in 2012 will be in Minnesota on Saturday. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will campaign with his former staffer, Lt. Gov. Candidate Annette Meeks and 1st District Republican candidate Randy Demmer on Saturday. The three will campaign at Winona State University on Saturday morning at 8am.

DNC Chair in MN on Wednesday

Posted at 3:55 PM on October 19, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD5

DNC Chair Tim Kaine will be in Minnesota to kick off the party's Get Out the Vote efforts. Kaine will appear at the U of M with DFL Rep. Keith Ellison and DFL Associate Chair Donna Cassutt to kick off the party's canvassing efforts at the U of M. The event will be held at Tony's Diner at 3pm.

8th District debate

Posted at 3:21 PM on October 19, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar and Republican Chip Cravaack took part in a feisty debate at the DECC in Duluth this morning. More than 1,000 people showed up to watch the debate. MPR's Bob Kelleher wrote a story about the debate. You can read that here.

We also uploaded the entire debate audio: Listen

Horner picks up support...from a Democrat

Posted at 1:00 PM on October 19, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Longtime Democrat Mike Ciresi is endorsing Independence Party candidate Tom Horner for governor.

Ciresi ran twice as a Democrat for U.S. Senate. The first time was in 2000 when he lost in the primary to Mark Dayton. The second time was in 2008 when he dropped out of the race before the DFL state convention where Al Franken was endorsed.

Horner, a former Republican strategist and public relations executive, has attracted the support of a number of former Republican elected officials, including Gov. Arne Carlson. Ciresi is the first well known Democrat to publicly back Horner.

Some polls have suggested Horner is drawing more support from Republicans than Democrats.

Horner has been campaigning on a message that DFLer Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer represent political extremes and that he offers a middle ground approach to government.

UPDATE:

Although Ciresi endorsed Horner for governor, Ciresi says he remains a Democrat and that he is supporting many Democrats this year. Ciresi said choosing to endorse Horner was an easy decision for him.

"The issues that I feel most passionately about education, health care and job growth are the issues that I think Tom speaks with greater clarity than Mark Dayton," Ciresi said. "This is not a slight against Mark Dayton he's a decent and great Minnesotan in my judgement, but Tom is the most qualified to lead this state."

Ciresi said he thinks Horner will win the election and that Horner will be able to bring together people from all over the political spectrum.

SOS candidates clash on photo ID

Posted at 12:46 PM on October 19, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010

A proposed photo identification requirement for voters has become a key issue in this year's contest for Minnesota Secretary of State.

Republican challenger Dan Severson is advocating for a photo ID law, but incumbent DFL Secretary of State Mark Ritchie opposes such a requirement. During a debate between the two candidates today on MPR's Midday program, Ritchie said a photo ID law would hurt thousands of military and overseas voters. He said libertarian-minded senior citizens would also object.

"What I hear senior citizens say to me is look, I've voted since Roosevelt. I've never taken a bit of charity or anything from the government," Ritchie said. "I am not going to start becoming a ward of the state just becauseyou want to deny me the right to vote because I'm so old now I don;t have to drive and I don't carry government-issued identification."

Ritchie also said a photo ID law would negatively impact thousands of military and overseas voters. But Severson called that a bogus argument.

"It's just absolutely wrong, because they have military ID, which are government-sponsored IDS, or they have a passport, which again are government sponsored," Severson said. "There's no reason, and if Secretary Ritchie lacks the creativity and ingenuity to make that happen, the he shouldn't be secretary of state. We need someone who's going to go after this issue and validate the valid votes."

Severson also wants to end Minnesota's tradition of allowing registered voters to vouch for non-registered voters at polling places.

Ritchie said his top priority for a second term as Secretary of State would be to continue modernizing systems and equipment in the office.

Here's the complete Midday audio: Listen

Final two weeks

Posted at 10:57 AM on October 19, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD2, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD3, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD4, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD5, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD7, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8, MN Legislature

There are two weeks left until Election Day and most of the candidates will be making their final push to win their respective races.

I put together a handy dandy cheat sheet so you know the schedule for debates, candidate appearances and other notable events.

This schedule is subject to change but it should give you a good idea of what's happening in the final two weeks. Please let me know if I missed anything.

Tuesday, 10/19
MPR's Midday hosts a Secretary of State debate between DFL incumbent Mark Ritchie and Republican Dan Severson on Midday at 11
IP candidate Tom Horner has presser at 2pm to announce an endorsement.
Democrat Mark Dayton campaigns in Northwest Minnesota with DFL Rep. Collin Peterson

Wednesday, 10/20

Thursday, 10/21
Dayton speech at 11AM at MEA
Republican Tom Emmer campaigns in Monticello and St. Cloud
League of Women Voters host a 4th Congressional District candidate debate at Wilder Foundation Auditorium.

Friday, 10/22
Rochester Chamber of Commerce hosts a gubernatorial debate at 11:30 am
Horner campaigns in Red Wing and Rochester
Emmer campaigns in southern MN
Debate Minnesota hosts an 8th District Congressional candidate debate between DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar and Republican Chip Cravaack in Grand Rapids.

Saturday, 10/23
Dayton goes pheasant hunting with DFL Rep. Collin Peterson in Montevideo
President Obama holds a rally at U of M for Dayton

Sunday, 10/24
KSTP-TV/League of Women Voters host a Gubernatorial debates at Metro State University in St. Paul at 6pm.

Monday, 10/25
MPR's Midday hosts a 4th Congressional debate between DFL Rep. Betty McCollum and Republican Teresa Collett
MPR's Midday hosts a 5th Congressional debate between DFL Rep. Keith Ellison, Republican Joel Demos, and the IP's Tom Schrunk

Tuesday, 10/26
MN Campaign Finance Board releases finance reports for state candidates and state PACs
Debate Minnesota hosts a Gubernatorial debate in Mankato at 7pm.
St. Cloud Chamber hosts a 6th District candidate debate.
Midday hosts a 2nd District Congressional debate between GOP Rep. John Kline and Democrat Shelley Madore. candidates debate on Midday.
Midday hosts a 3rd District Congressional debate that features GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen, Democrat Jim Meffert and the IP's Jon Oleson.

Wednesday, 10/27
KARE and MPR conducts a "job interview" with gubernatorial candidates at Macalaster College at 6:30pm.
Edina Chamber hosts a 3rd District candidate debate at Interlachen Country Club at 11:30.
Midday hosts a 7th Congressional District debate between DFL Rep. Collin Peterson and Republican Lee Byberg.

Thursday, 10/28
Midday hosts a 6th Congressional District debate featuring GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann, Democrat Tarryl Clark and the IP's Bob Anderson.
Midday hosts a State Auditor debate featuring DFL incumbent Rebecca Otto and Republican Pat Anderson.
MN Chamber's Manufacturing Summit will feature a Lt. Gov. candidate debate featuring Republican Annette Meeks, the IP's Jim Mulder and Democrat Yvonne Prettner-Solon.

Friday, 10/29
TPT's Almanac features the candidates for governor.
Midday will feature the four Legislative leaders, DFL Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, Republican Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem, DFL House Majority Leader Tony Sertich and Republican House Minority Leader Kurt Zellers to discuss the race for Legislature.

Saturday, 10/30

Sunday, 10/31
MPR hosts the final gubernatorial debate at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul.

Monday, 11/1

Tuesday, 11/2
Election Day

Special session was extra special for Dill

Posted at 9:58 AM on October 19, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

State Rep. Dave Dill, DFL-Crane Lake, received two standing ovations from his Minnesota House colleagues Monday when he showed up for a special session six days after kidney-transplant surgery.

Dill said he was surprised by his quick recovery. He explained that he had normal kidney function just four days after the transplant at Hennepin County Medical Center.

"I'm here today and ready to go back to work," Dill said.

Dill said that one of his constituents donated a kidney. He joked that a lobbyist offered to do the same earlier this year.

"We found out from the Campaign Finance Board that it might be a thing of value, so I couldn't take that approach."

Dill is running for a fifth term in District 6A. He said he was not able to do any campaigning this summer due to his illness.

Romney rally

Posted at 9:47 PM on October 18, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

A few hundred people gather at the Ramada in Bloomington to listen to Mitt Romney talk about the shift in the nation's political climate. Romney is the latest Republican heavyweight to visit Minnesota on behalf of Emmer. The others included RNC Chair Michael Steele, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Romney also headlined a $500 per person fundraiser for Emmer. The rally was meant to energize GOP faithful to work harder to get their supporters to the polls.

Romney, a likely 2012 candidate, is visiting the home state of Gov. Pawlenty, who may also run for president. Pawlenty said earlier in the day that he hoped to attend the rally.

Romney won't be the only big name to visit Minnesota in the final weeks of the campaign. President Obama will headline a rally for Democrat Mark Dayton at the University of Minnesota campus on Saturday.

Here's the audio from Romney and Emmer: Listen

Thanks to MPR's Mark Zdechlik for supplying me with the audio..

Secretary of State candidates to square off on Midday

Posted at 4:38 PM on October 18, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010

MPR's Midday will feature the candidates for Minnesota Secretary of State on Tuesday. DFL incumbent Mark Ritchie and Republican Dan Severson will debate the issues between 11:15 and 11:50 tomorrow morning.

Clark raises $1.8 million in third quarter

Posted at 2:50 PM on October 15, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

DFL 6th District congressional candidate Tarryl Clark says she raised $1.8 million for her campaign between July and September for a total of nearly $4 millon.

The campaign said it had $868,000 on hand for at the end of the reporting period. It also said it believes Clark has raised more than any other Democrat running for the House this year--incumbent or challenger.

Incumbent Republican Michele Bachmann's campaign said earlier this week that it raised a whopping $5.4 million in the third quarter, for a campaign total of $10, a new record in Congressional fundraising.

Romney rallies at Ramada (in Bloomington)

Posted at 12:45 PM on October 15, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will hold a rally for Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor. Romney is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser for Emmer before the rally. Here are the details of the rally:

Who: Governor Mitt Romney, gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer and lt. governor candidate Annette Meeks

What: Governor Mitt Romney will rally with gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer and lt. governor candidate Annette Meeks. Other Republican candidates and Party leaders will also speak.

Where: Ramada Mall of America, 2300 East American Boulevard, Bloomington

When: 7:30 PM (Doors open to the public at 7:00 PM), Monday, October 18, 2010

PoliGraph: 3rd District ads get mixed verdicts

Posted at 12:40 PM on October 15, 2010 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD3, PoliGraph

Wall Street, ethics violations and climate change are all popping up in the fight for the 3rd district's congressional seat.

PoliGraph analyzed two ads from the race between Republican incumbent Erik Paulsen and his opponent, Jim Meffert, and found the results to be mixed.

Meffert's ad against Paulsen:

Meffert is promoting an online ad that addresses Paulsen's vote on a bill meant to overhaul the financial regulation system.

"I'll never forget the way you stood up for me and voted against reform," a pen spells out in loopy cursive. "I can't thank you enough. But I'll try. XOXO, Wall Street."

This investigation will focus on whether Paulsen voted for the bill - and whether he accepted "thousands in campaign contributions from Goldman Sachs, US Bank, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and more," as a footnote in the ad claims.

The Evidence

Like many of his fellow Republicans, Paulsen voted against the financial regulation legislation because he felt it did not solve the problems that caused the financial crisis and that it would ultimately cost taxpayers, according to his spokesman Tim Commers.

The fine print on the Meffert ad also states that Paulsen accepted campaign contributions from some of the financial institutions the new law is aimed at taming.

This is true. For instance, during this election cycle, the Goldman Sachs political action committee has contributed $2,000 to Paulsen's campaign, and the Citigroup action committee has handed over $3,000. The Morgan Stanley PAC has given Paulsen $4,000 and US Bank has donated $4,500.

Other donors include the Mortgage Bankers Association ($7,500) and the American Bankers Association ($10,000). That said, it's important to note that none of these organizations are Paulsen's top contributors.

The Verdict

Meffert claims that Paulsen voted against the financial system overhaul and that he's received thousands from financial institutions are both accurate.

Paulsen's ad against Meffert:

Paulsen's latest television spot covers a lot of ground, charging that Meffert supports higher taxes and supports cuts to Medicare. This investigation will focus on the following claims:

"[Jim Meffert] is a lobbyist who was fined for violating ethics laws," the ad states. "The energy tax Meffert favors would raise utility bills $829 a year for families."

The Evidence

Meffert was registered as a lobbyist for the Minnesota Optometric Association starting in March 1998. He terminated his registration in July 2010. So he no longer is a lobbyist as Paulsen's ad states.

It's true that Meffert caught the attention of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board several times during his lobbying career. In 2002, he was fined $100 for filing paperwork late, according to campaign finance board executive Gary Goldsmith.

In 2003, when Meffert was treasurer of the optometric political action committee, his group was fined $2,100 for failing to file fundraising reports. (Meffert says notices from the board were lost in the mail as his organization moved offices.)

Paulsen points to a third instance to support this claim. In 2005, the optometric political action committee was referred to the Attorney General because its activity had lapsed. In short, state officials wanted to know if the committee still existed. Meffert alerted the board that the fundraising operation was still active, and the matter was resolved in early 2006.

But were these ethics violations? Goldsmith emphasized that Meffert's violations were entirely administrative, and had absolutely nothing to do with his conduct because Goldsmith's board does not deal with such issues. Further, he pointed out he and his staff issue hundreds of similar fines every year, so Meffert's failure to report on time is not unusual.

Paulsen's second claim refers to a cap-and-trade bill that the House of Representatives passed in 2009, legislation that's now stalled in the Senate. Meffert does the support the legislation, and has pledged on his website "to put a price on carbon and reduce its presence in our atmosphere, whether it is a cap-and-trade system, a carbon tax, or some other method."

The trouble with Paulsen's claim is that it relies on one cost estimate drafted by the conservative Heritage Foundation. According to the group, policies in the bill would cost families an average of $829 annually.

Contrast that with the Environmental Protection Agency's estimate for the same bill which pegs the cost at less than $200 annually, and one thing becomes clear: experts agree that the cost of energy will necessarily increase if the United States adopts a cap-and-trade bill - they just don't agree on how much.

The Verdict

Meffert was fined during his lobbying career by the state's campaign finance board. But his violations were administrative, and have nothing to do with ethics or conduct as the ad implies. Further, his failure to report fundraising activities on time is nothing out of the ordinary. So, this part of Paulsen's claim is false.

On his second point, Paulsen misses the mark. He bases his claim that Meffert supports an "energy tax" on one estimate from a conservative foundation that's based on a stalled bill. The bottom line is that cap-and-trade legislation is still a moving target, so it's impossible to say how much it will cost consumers until Congress puts something into law.

SOURCES

YouTube, Wall Street: How Did Paulsen Vote?, accessed Oct. 14, 2010

Project Vote Smart, Erik Paulsen's voting record HR4173, accessed Oct. 14, 2010

How Did Paulsen Vote, accessed Oct. 14, 2010

HR 4173: Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act

OpenSecrets.org, Rep. Erik Paulsen: Campaign Contributions - 2010 cycle, accessed Oct. 14, 2010

Congress.org, Rep. Erik Paulsen: Political Action Committee Contributions, 2009-2010, accessed Oct. 14, 2010

The Star Tribune, Paulsen hits Meffert with a second ad, by Jeremy Herb, Oct. 8, 2010

The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, Jim Meffert-Nelson lobbyist registration, accessed Oct. 14, 2010

The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, Jan. 15, 2003 meeting minutes, accessed Oct. 14, 2010

The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, April 23, 2003 meeting minutes, accessed Oct. 14, 2010

The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, Dec. 15, 2005 meeting minutes, accessed Oct. 14, 2010

The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, Feb. 24, 2006 meeting minutes, accessed Oct. 15, 2010

Jim Meffert for Congress, Issues: Environment, accessed Oct. 14, 2010

The Heritage Foundation, The Economic Consequences of Waxman-Markey: An Analysis of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, Aug. 6, 2009

The Environmental Protection Agency, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 H.R. 2454 in the 111th Congress , June 23, 2009

PolitiFact.com, Your guide to cap-and-trade estimates, by Catharine Richert, June 25, 2009

Interview, Kate Monson, spokeswoman, Jim Meffert, Oct. 13, 2010

Interview, Tim Commers, spokesman, Erik Paulsen, Oct. 14, 2010

Interview, Gary Goldsmith, Executive Director, Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, Oct. 15, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

7th District dollars!

Posted at 11:20 AM on October 15, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD7

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson's campaign for Congress reports raising $1,076,459 this election cycle. He raised $217,850 in the 3rd Quarter. Peterson has $814,929 left in the bank. Read the summary here.

Meanwhile, Republican Lee Byberg reports raising $259,579 this election cycle. He raised $151,273 in the last quarter. Byberg reports having $37,059 but reports having campaign debts of $64,042. Read the summary here.

4th District dollars!

Posted at 11:18 AM on October 15, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD4

The two candidates in Minnesota's 4th Congressional District have filed their campaign finance reports. DFL Rep. Betty McCollum reports raising $756,671 this cycle. She raised $135,552 in the 3rd Quarter. She has $188,101 left in the bank. Read summary here.

Meanwhile Republican Teresa Collett reports raising $135,994 this cycle and $78,099 in the 3rd Quarter. She has $32,655 left in the bank. Read summary here.

Obama to campaign for Dayton at the U of M

Posted at 10:19 AM on October 15, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign released more information about next Saturday's Obama rally. Here it is:

St. Paul-President Obama will travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to headline a rally for Democratic-Farmer-Labor party gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton on Saturday, October 23, 2010. The rally will be the kick-off of the DFL's Get Out the Vote campaign on behalf of Mark Dayton and his Lieutenant Governor running mate Yvonne Prettner Solon, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, Attorney General Lori Swanson, and State Auditor Rebecca Otto. The event will be held at Northrop Mall at the University of Minnesota and will begin at 1PM. For updates please sign-up at dfl.org.

Pawlenty ad: Minnesota needs Tom Emmer

Posted at 10:15 AM on October 15, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty

The Minnesota Republican Party released an ad that features Gov. Tim Pawlenty praising Tom Emmer's plan for Minnesota. In the ad, Pawlenty ripped Democrat Mark Dayton's income tax hike and IP candidate Tom Horner's sales tax to clothing. Pawlenty said in the ad that Emmer is the only candidate to hold the line on tax hikes.

Here's a link to the ad.

KSTP/Survey USA poll: Dayton widens lead

Posted at 10:16 PM on October 14, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The latest KSTP-TV/Survey USA poll shows Democrat Mark Dayton leading Republican Tom Emmer by five percentage points. Dayton received 42 percent support from those polled. Emmer received 37 percent support. IP candidate Tom Horner received 14 percent support. Seven percent of those polled say they're undecided. The margin of error is +/-3.7%.

Dayton slightly increased his lead from the Survey USA poll taken in September showed Dayton leading Emmer by two percentage points.

Here's the link to the latest poll.

Minnesota Hospital Association PAC backs Horner

Posted at 5:25 PM on October 14, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Minnesota Hospitals Political Action Committee announced today that it's backing the Independence Party's Tom Horner in the race for governor. The PAC rarely backs a candidate in the governor's race but MN Hospital Association President Lawrence Massa said the state's deep budget problems and the health care changes that lie ahead prompted them to take a side in the race.

It's not a huge surprise that Horner received the backing of the hospital PAC. Horner did public relations work for several hospitals when he owned the PR firm Himle Horner. He also kept the hospitals as his client when he sold his ownership in the firm because the hospitals were dealing with a nurse's strike over the summer.

For his part, Horner praised the endorsement.

"For more than two decades I helped local hospitals have meaningful conversations about strengthening the state's health care system and the important role that hospitals play in delivering that care," said Horner. "We need a governor who understands the challenges facing health care. My professional work and my volunteer work have provided me with a unique understanding of those challenges."

This is the second health care related endorsement for Horner. He also received the backing of the Minnesota Medical Association.

Group offers rewards for voter fraud convictions

Posted at 12:08 PM on October 14, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010

The coalition of conservative groups planning to dispatch "voter surveillance teams" to polling places on Election Day is now also offering $500 rewards for information leading to voter fraud convictions.

Election Integrity Watch -- a joint effort of Minnesota Majority, Minnesota Voters Alliance and the North Star Tea Party Patriots -- issued a news release today announcing the bounties.

"

We are putting a price on the heads of anyone who would attempt to organize people with the intent of cheating in our election," said Jeff Davis, president of Minnesota Majority. "We've received reports of organizers enticing people to vote fraudulently with small financial incentives such as gift cards. We've also seen evidence of this illegal practice in the official incident logs from the 2008 election. We will now offer individuals a more lucrative incentive for turning-in these organizers of voter fraud."

Davis and other members of the group launched their surveillance effort last week.

PoliGraph: Dueling 1st District ads fail truth test

Posted at 12:30 PM on October 13, 2010 by Catharine Richert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD1, PoliGraph

In Minnesota's 1st Congressional District attack ads are flying fast and furious.

PoliGraph looked at two of these ads, one paid for by incumbent Tim Walz that questions his Republican opponent Randy Demmer's stance on Social Security and another paid for by the National Republican Congressional Committee, which has been funding ads aimed at electing Demmer.

Both ads focus on nuggets of truth and blow them out of proportion.

Walz's ad against Demmer:

"[Randy Demmer's] got a plan to partially privatize Social Security," a voice over in Walz's ad says as pictures of Wall Street's trading floor and senior citizens flash on the screen. "And who will profit? Wall Street, making billions in fees."

The Evidence

Demmer's website says he "does not support the privatization of Social Security." On his Facebook page and in recent interviews he has said only that the current system should be reformed for his and younger generations. Demmer spokesman Jason Flohrs says Demmer doesn't have a specific reform plan in mind.

But it appears he's backpedaled on the subject. At a Winona event in 2008, Demmer said that he'd "favor the option" of allowing people his age to dictate how their Social Security contributions are invested if that's what they wanted to do.

That's the clip that's featured in the Walz ad, and to some degree, it's been taken out of context. The entire video clip reveals that Demmer did not - and still doesn't - support taking Social Security away from seniors already benefiting from the program; Walz's ad is misleading in this regard because it features shots of older folks pouring over their benefit statements. And while Demmer pointed out that Social Security funding is strained, he was vague on how he'd reform it.

The second part of Walz's claim that Wall Street would profit from privatization relies on analysis of former President George W. Bush's 2004 plan to create personal Social Security savings accounts. Back then, some experts said that Wall Street could make money from fees associated with these accounts. But it was conjecture. And because Demmer doesn't have a plan to change Social Security, it's impossible to say whether Wall Street would profit or not.

The Verdict

While Demmer previously said he'd support allowing people control their Social Security contributions investments, he's backed off that position; PoliGraph could find no evidence that he's recently campaigned on the idea. More importantly, the Walz ad claims that Demmer has a plan to privatize Social Security. In fact, Demmer doesn't have a plan one way or another on the issue, saying only that it needs reform.

This ad is false.

NRCC ad against Walz:

"Why did Tim Walz vote for a bill that allowed more than $1.5 billion go to companies overseas," asks the voice over in the NRCC ad. "Walz helped create jobs in China. And we paid for it."

The Evidence

At issue is the $787 billion stimulus bill passed by Congress in 2009, a measure Walz voted for. Included in the legislation are tax credits and grants to develop alternative energy, including wind power, which is the subject of this ad.

As evidence to support its claim, the NRCC points to a reporting series by Russ Choma at American University's Investigative Reporting Workshop, which found that about 80 percent - or roughly $1.6 billion - of the more than $2 billion spent on renewable energy went to U.S. based wind projects owned by foreign companies.

But that's where the truth in this ad ends.

First, none of the firms featured in Choma's article are located in China. And while it's true that many wind turbine parts used in U.S. wind farms are made overseas, including China, it's false to imply that the entire $1.6 billion in the stimulus bill went there.

Further, the ad neglects that new wind projects in the U.S. - financed by foreign companies or by American companies - create jobs locally, a point that the Department of Energy has gone to great length to point out. It's hard to pin down precisely how many jobs local wind projects have created, but the American Wind Energy Association estimates that stimulus money helped create or save upwards of 40,000 jobs in 2009.

The Verdict

The NRCC ad correctly states that roughly $1.6 billion in stimulus dollars have gone to foreign companies operating wind farms in the U.S. However, the rest of this ad is highly misleading because it implies that all that money has gone to China, which is not true.
Further, those stimulus dollars do create or save jobs in the U.S.

This ad is misleading enough to also rate a false on the PoliGraph test.

Sources

YouTube, "Lost," accessed Oct. 12, 2010

YouTube, Randy Demmer on Social Security, accessed Oct. 12, 2010

Randy Demmer for Congress, Minnesota Values, accessed Oct. 12, 2010

Tim Walz for Congress, "Lost" fact sheet, accessed Oct. 12, 2010

The Austin Post Bulletin, Clearing up Demmer's stance on Social Security, by Heather J. Carlson Sept. 8, 2010

Randy Demmer's Facebook page, accessed Oct. 12, 2010

MSNBC, Wall Street steers clear of Social Security debate, by Martin Wolk, Dec. 28, 2004

SIA Research Reports, Dec. 8, 2004

YouTube, "Tim Walz - Part of the Problem," accessed Oct. 12, 2010

Clerk of the House of Representatives, Roll Call Vote 70 on HR 1, Feb. 13, 2009

The American Wind Energy Association, Job Creation and Recovery Act Funding, Nov. 18, 2009

PolitiFact.com, Palin claims that most of the renewable energy stimulus dollars have gone to Chinese turbinemakers, by Catharine Richert, Feb. 23, 2010

Recovery.Gov, Agency Summary: The Department of Energy, accessed Oct. 12, 2010

The Investigative Reporting Workshop, Blown Away: Wind Energy Grants Under the Stimulus Program, by Russ Choma, Feb. 8, 2010

The Investigative Reporting Workshop, Blown Away: Overseas firms collecting most green energy money, by Russ Choma, Oct. 29, 2009

The Investigative Reporting Workshop, Blown Away: Foreign Countries Control Wind Manufacturing, by Russ Choma, Feb. 8, 2010

Politico, Stimulus Money Goes Overseas, by Meredith Shiner, March 3, 2010

Department of Energy Facebook page, Nov. 20, 2009

The New York Times, Wind Farm Deal Assures Bigger U.S. Role, By Matthew L. Wald, August 6, 2010

The American Wind Energy Association, U.S. Wind Energy Industry Installs 539 MW In First Quarter, April 29, 2010

Interview, Sara Severs, spokeswoman, Tim Walz, Oct. 12, 2010

Interview, Jason Flohrs, spokesman, Randy Demmer, Oct. 12, 2010

Interview, Tom Erikson, spokesman, National Republican Congressional Committee, Oct. 11, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

TV ads highlight 3rd district race

Posted at 10:30 AM on October 13, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD3

Two years ago, one of Minnesota's hottest races was for the open 3rd District congressional seat.

This year, the race between first-term Republican incumbent Erik Paulsen, his DFL challenger Jim Meffert and Independence candidate Jon Oleson was hardly getting noticed until Paulsen launched a TV ad assault against Meffert.

Meffert, a former Minnesota PTA president, described the campaign commercials as distorted and dishonest. Paulsen accused Meffert of starting the war of words with online videos and news releases.

Meanwhile, Oleson is trying to get his alternative centrist message out to voters with no money.

All three candidates recently talked about the campaign. Here are the interviews:

Erik Paulsen Listen

Jim Meffert Listen

Jon Oleson Listen

Cook Political Report expert sees little chance for Clark

Posted at 9:41 AM on October 13, 2010 by Annie Baxter (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

David Wasserman, who tracks Congressional races for the highly respected Cook Political Report told Minnesota Public Radio News this morning he doesn't see much chance of DFLer Tarryl Clark unseating U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann this year. Here's what he told Cathy Wurzer on our Morning Edition program today:

The tragedy for Democrats in this election is that they could run the best campaign they've ever run against Michele Bachmann and still come up a few points short. I don't dismiss the possibility that this [Bachmann's victory] could be within 10 points. I think Tarryl Clark is one of the best, most talented Democratic challengers in the country. I don't have a doubt that she would win if she were running in 2008 in that kind of political environment. Now that we're in 2010, we have to look at the district and say [that] the most Republican district in Minnesota isn't going to be the one that switches parties. I think no matter how many voters have reservations about the personal style of Michele Bachmann, her trips out of town to support like minded candidates around the country, they still want to send President Obama a message more as long as they're a Republican or Republican-leaning voter in the 6th Congressional District.

When asked for reaction, Clark's spokeswoman Carrie Lucking says people in the 6th District are "looking for change and a new voice" and that it's not just an anti-Democratic wind blowing among the electorate. "What folks don't understand is the wind is actually an anti-incumbent wind," she said.

Lucking says they "feel extremely confident and comfortable with their chances."

Here's Wasserman's analysis of that and other races around Minnesota:

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MCCL backs Cravaack over Oberstar

Posted at 11:10 AM on October 12, 2010 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life. a group opposed to legalized abortion, is backing Republican Chip Cravaack over DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District.

MCCL has backed Oberstar in past elections. Here's the release from MCCL:

"Chip Cravaack exemplifies everything the people of Minnesota's 8th District look for in a candidate for Congress," said MCCL Executive Director Scott Fischbach. "Cravaack has a passionate dedication to uphold the constitutional right to life and to protect our country's most vulnerable citizens - the unborn."

Cravaack has made the protection of lives threatened by abortion, infanticide and euthanasia central to his campaign. He strongly believes in the inalienable right to life from conception to natural death. Cravaack opposes the destruction of human embryos for experimentation and supports ethical adult stem cell research, which "has shown great possibilities and does not trade one life to save another," he has stated.

Cravaack and Jim Oberstar, the current 8th District congressman, differ sharply on these issues and on the Obama health care overhaul, which instituted health care rationing and taxpayer funding of abortion. Less than a month before voting for the Obama health care bill, Oberstar stated, "I will not vote for a health care bill that doesn't have the [pro-life] House abortion language in it." The House language, which would have prohibited taxpayer funded abortion, was removed from the final bill, but Oberstar abandoned his pledge and voted in favor of it. He also led an effort to lobby pro-life Democrats in the U.S. House to vote for final passage of the Obama health care bill, even though it included rationing and abortion funding.

"Jim Oberstar has turned away from the pro-life principles he used to hold in common with the citizens of the 8th District," Fischbach said. "He has walked away from the pro-life movement. For years Jim Oberstar has had a 100 percent pro-life voting record and now he has a zero percent pro-life voting record. Just as Jim Oberstar has abandoned the babies, it is time for the voters to retire Jim Oberstar."

Fortunately, voters have a strong pro-life candidate in Chip Cravaack. MCCL Federal PAC urges the people of Minnesota's 8th District to vote for Chip Cravaack. He is the candidate with the courage and conviction to protect unborn babies, senior citizens, disabled persons and everyone else who life is threatened by abortion, health care rationing and other dangers.

Update: Here's a fact-check on whether the federal health care law allows federal funding to cover abortions.

Update:

Oberstar's campaign spokesman John Schadl says voters know Oberstar opposes abortion.

"It's regrettable I think that this decision has been made but people know who Jim is and what his values are. I don't know that this is going to be a game changer. I think we'll work a little harder to just restate Jim's values."

Schadl says Oberstar worked to ensure that federal funds wouldn't be spent on abortions when Congress debated the federal health care overhaul bill earlier this year.

Clark challenges Bachmann to 8 Town Hall forums UPDATED

Posted at 11:21 AM on October 12, 2010 by Annie Baxter (7 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

Tarryl Clark, the DFL candidate in Minnesota's 6th District race, is challenging GOP incumbent U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann to participate in eight Town Hall Forums.

Clark is also asking Bachmann to show up to tonight's debate in Bachmann's hometown of Stillwater, as well as an October 18th debate in Monticello.

Bachmann's camp has agreed to three debates, all in the final week before the election.

UPDATED 11:50 AM: Sergio Gor, Bachmann's spokesman, says the following in response to the new invitations:

We have announced our debate schedule. The Congresswoman is in the district every day talking with voters. Congresswoman Bachmann has had an ongoing dialogue with her constituents for many years and continues to value voter input.

Clark points out that Bachmann is only doing one public debate that members of her district can attend.

Here's what Clark said about Bachmann on a conference call with reporters:

Is she afraid of coming and talking to me? Is she afraid of what people are going to ask her? What I hear over and over again is that she's not making herself available. And I hear this from Republicans. I hear this from Independents. I hear this from Democrats. She must be afraid of something, and I can't figure out what it is.

Clark and Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson will debate tonight in Stillwater. Bachmann's campaign has indicated she will not attend.

Clark's spokeswoman, Carrie Lucking, says Anderson is not invited to the eight new Town Hall forums the campaign is putting together.

"Voters have the opportunity to see Tarryl and Bob with one another on four different occasions. What they lack right now is the ability to see Tarryl and Congresswoman Bachmann," said Lucking.

Clark says the Town Hall forums will take place regardless of Bachmann's participation. "We want to hear from the community," Lucking said.

The first Town Hall forum will be this Thursday in Woodbury at 7 p.m.

A Rasmussen poll released yesterday shows that 49 percent of likely voters find "most political debates to be informative." The survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on October 8-9, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

Meanwhile, I can't recall Bachmann's last interview with local media, though she's been talking to national media. She appeared yesterday on Fox Business News. Bachmann did the interview in a studio just up the street from MPR. She has declined two MPR News interview requests in the past week.

Bachmann also appeared last week on Fox talking about U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

UPDATED 11:56 AM: Sergio Gor says "We will have an interview with a local station this week, and a local paper too."

Midmorning debate

Posted at 8:52 AM on October 12, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The three candidates for governor will debate the issues on MPR's Midmorning at 9AM. We're providing a live blog of the show along with fact-checks of what they're saying:

1st District debate

Posted at 8:30 AM on October 12, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD1

The candidates in the race for Minnesota's 1st Congressional District debated health care reform, the federal budget deficit and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The debate, sponsored by Debate Minnesota, was held in Mankato.

Republican Randy Demmer criticized DFL Rep. Tim Walz for voting for the federal health care overhaul bill

Demmer denounced Walz's vote on the federal health care overhaul.

"There is nothing in this health care bill that will drive us to healthy living lifestyles," Demmer said. "Take care of ourselves. Its wrong and it has the wrong people in control of it and it needs to be repealed."

Walz defended his vote, saying it was better than doing nothing.

"We've made a good decision in this country," Walz said. "We've moved forward. It's not going to be perfect. It's going to continue to (be) reassessing. But we've made a step forward."

I-P candidate Steven Wilson told the crowd the bickering between the two main party candidates is why he's the best candidate to get things done.

"Both parties deserve to take responsibility because both of them had a stake in that," Wilson said. "This is something that's been going on for 20 years, that we've become addicted to debt as a nation. We're all responsible."

You can listen to the full debate here: Listen

The copy and audio were supplied by MPR's Elizabeth Baier. Here's her full story on the debate.

Gov candidates discuss the kids

Posted at 8:47 PM on October 11, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The three major party candidates discussed children's issues at a debate this afternoon in St. Paul. The debate, sponsored by MinnPost, allowed the candidates to outline their vision for early childhood education and children's health care.

The candidates did discuss specifics but also resorted their criticisms of their opponents.

Republican Tom Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner criticized Dayton for his numerous runs for political office. Dayton shot back that his work as a state agency head and U.S. Senate makes him more qualified to be governor.

Emmer criticized Horner for not having the Minnesota Department of Revenue review his budget plan. Horner said they did (which isn't exactly true).

Dayton criticized Emmer for constantly ripping government yet wanting to be in charge of it. Emmer said he's running because too many politicians ignore middle class issues.

You can read my story on the debate here.

You can listen to the full debate here: Listen

The biggest news of the day came after the debate when Dayton declined to answer questions about his settlement with a former staffer.

Dayton announced in a written statement that he was paying the U.S. Treasury back for the undisclosed amount of the settlement.

The Republican Party first raised the issue at a news conference this morning.

The three candidates will appear on MPR's Midmorning for a two hour gubernatorial debate tomorrow at 9.

Romney to rally too

Posted at 12:08 PM on October 11, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican Party of Minnesota Chair Tony Sutton says former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will be in Minnesota next week for a fundraiser and a rally.

Sutton says Romney will be Minnesota on Monday, October 18th. Sutton says the location for the rally has not yet been determined.

Over the weekend the Mark Dayton's campaign for governor announced that President Obama is going to be in Minnesota on Saturday, October 23rd for a DFL get out the vote rally.

The DFL hasn't confirmed details of Obama's visit, but the Minnesota Daily is reporting that the Obama rally will be on the U of M campus.

Pawlenty urges Republicans to come home

Posted at 3:09 PM on October 10, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty issued a statement today that took dead aim at the Independence Party's Tom Horner but it may have more to do with Republican Tom Emmer's support among the GOP base.

The reasons:

1) Pawlenty has vocally supported Emmer's candidacy since Emmer received the endorsement in May.

2) Pawlenty has raised money for Emmer's campaign.

3) Polling has showed that Horner is eating into Emmer's base.

Why send out a statement like this unless there's concern that some Republicans are indicating that they won't back Emmer.

Here's the statement from Pawlenty (followed by a statement from Horner's campaign):

"Voters in Minnesota have a choice this fall: Either elect a new governor who will create jobs by rejecting tax hikes and out-of-control spending, or elect someone who will raise taxes and stop job creation.

"Nobody understands the danger of raising taxes better than Republicans, which is why my party is so energized in Minnesota and across the nation. Republicans of all stripes - moderate, conservative, and libertarian - agree with Tom Emmer's central principles: government must live within its means; we cannot raise taxes if we want to preserve existing jobs and create new jobs; and government must be reformed.

"I've known Tom Horner for 30 years, and while he's a decent man, his proposals to raise billions in new taxes and allow government to grow unsustainably will take Minnesota in the wrong direction. Any Republican who votes for Tom Horner is not only helping Mark Dayton become governor, but casting a vote to undo the tax and spending cuts we've fought so hard for over the last 8 years.

"These are challenging times for our country and state. If you are concerned about your future, about creating jobs, and moving our state forward, Tom Horner and Mark Dayton represent the same wrong choice. Tom Emmer is the only candidate for governor who will fight to ensure we create jobs in Minnesota and enjoy a better future."

Here's a statement from Horner spokesman Matt Lewis:

Gov. Pawlenty is a decent person, but his policies have left Minnesota with job creation that has lagged the nation during much of the last decade, in good years and bad. That's not a record Minnesota can afford in the next four years. The most telling part of the endorsement, though, is that the Republican nominee hasn't been able to secure the endorsement of a Republican governor until little more than three weeks left in the campaign. It speaks volumes about the reluctance of Gov. Pawlenty to jeopardize his national ambitions by tying himself to a gubernatorial candidate who increasingly is the choice only of Palin-Bachmann Republicans. We need to offer a vision that speaks to all Minnesotans to create new jobs in the private sector, to invest in our future, and to truly reform rather than continue to kick the can down the road.

Fox 9 debate

Posted at 9:53 PM on October 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The three candidates battled over the budget, huffed over higher education and argued over anti-bullying legislation. The debate sponsored by Fox9 News and hosted at Hamline University, was broadcast on live TV. Miss it there? You can listen to it here:

Listen

FYI - I'll post a link to my story once it's live on the web.

Here's the story.

Obama to campaign for Dayton

Posted at 4:03 PM on October 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign says President Obama will hold a campaign rally for Dayton and other DFL candidates on October 23rd. The campaign says the rally will be in Minneapolis but other details aren't available yet.

Here's the release from Dayton's campaign:

President Obama will travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to headline a rally for Democratic-Farmer-Labor party gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton on Saturday, October 23, 2010. The rally will be the kick-off of the DFL's Get Out the Vote campaign on behalf of Mark Dayton and his Lieutenant Governor running mate Yvonne Prettner Solon, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, Attorney General Lori Swanson, and State Auditor Rebecca Otto.

Details of the event will be forthcoming.

Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are also holding a private fundraiser in Minneapolis for the political arm of the Democrats in the U.S. House (DCCC) that evening..

Emmer: Politics is a "hobby" to Dayton

Posted at 3:46 PM on October 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican Tom Emmer was a surprise guest at last night's "Reclaiming America: The Taking Back Congress Tour." The event featured GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann (read more about that here) but they also gave Emmer some time to speak.

Emmer suggested the state's political climate is ripe for Republicans across the country who are pushing limited government

"Do you feel the winds behind us?" Emmer asked. "Do you feel the winds finally starting to push our message for the future?"

Emmer emphasized a familiar campaign theme: Government can't take care of the citizens. He also criticized "traditional politicians" who are taking care of their careers first. He encouraged the members audience to work to elect him and other Republicans in November.

"You have to let them know that now is the time to grab your piece of the rope and start pulling with everything you have. We have 25 days to finish climbing to the top of this hill and to take back not just Minnesota but our country for the future of our kids."

Emmer then finished his speech by targeting his Democratic opponent, Mark Dayton.

"He's running because politics is a hobby for him. He doesn't experience what you and I have experienced. He hasn't tried to raise a family under the burdens that government provides."

Here's the full speech: Listen

Thanks to MPR's Annie Baxter for the audio.

PoliGraph: Emmer right on tax claim, with some caveats

Posted at 12:30 PM on October 8, 2010 by Catharine Richert (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer pledges to cut the corporate income tax if he's elected, which he argues stifle Minnesota's economy.

Here's what he had to say about the matter during a recent interview with Minnesota Public Radio's Gary Eichten:

Minnesota's corporate tax rate is "actually third highest in the country," Emmer said on Oct. 5, 2010. "When it's combined with the federal corporate tax, I believe it's the third highest in the world."

Emmer's facts are in the ballpark, but as with most things involving taxes it's more complicated than it appears on first glance.

The Evidence

Minnesota has a flat corporate tax rate of 9.8 percent, which Emmer wants to lower to 3 percent by 2015. He's right that the current rate is quite high compared to other states. Iowa comes in first with a 10 to 12 percent rate on corporations making more than $100,000 annually. Pennsylvania is next, followed by the District of Columbia. Minnesota comes in fourth when accounting for Iowa's two top brackets, so Emmer is close enough on his first point.

For the second part of his claim, Emmer relies on numbers produced by Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, an international group that collects and compiles data about developed countries. While their list excludes many smaller countries, it's common for experts, including the Congressional Budget Office, to use their data when comparing the U.S. corporate tax rate to other countries.

By this measure, Emmer is also correct: At a little more than 39 percent, the U.S. has the highest corporate tax rate in the world. Combined with Minnesota's of 9.8 percent, the state has one of the highest in the world.

Nevertheless, all these numbers deserve some context.

Experts argue that the U.S. statutory rate is misleading because the tax code contains all sorts of credits and deductions that companies take advantage of. So, it's unlikely that many businesses are actually paying the full amount. In any event, businesses frequently pass these tax costs on to consumers in the form of higher prices or employees in the form of lower wages.

Another interesting twist to this story: It's actually Minnesota's property tax that hits corporations the hardest. In 2009, businesses paid about $3.6 billion in property taxes and only $800 million in corporate income taxes, according to a study published by the Center on State Taxation.

The Verdict

Emmer is a little off on his numbers, but close enough to pass this test.

Sources

Minnesota Public Radio News, Midday interview with Rep. Tom Emmer, Oct. 5, 2010

Tom Emmer for Governor, The Emmer Budget Plan, accessed Oct. 7, 2010

The Tax Foundation, State Corporate Income Tax Rates, 2000-2010, accessed Oct. 7, 2010

The Tax Foundation, Facts on Minnesota's Tax Climate, accessed Oct. 8, 2010

Federation of Tax Administrators, Range of State and Corporate Income Tax Rates, accessed Oct. 7, 2010

The Congressional Budget Office, Corporate Income Tax Rates: International Comparisons, November 2005

The Council on State Taxation, Total state and local business taxes: State-by-state estimates for fiscal year 2009, March 2010

The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, Putting U.S. Corporate Taxes in Perspective, by Chye-Ching Huang, Oct. 27, 2008

MinnPost.com, How does Minnesota stack up in business taxation? Pretty well, it turns out, By Sharon Schmickle, Aug. 24, 2010

MN2020, Governor Gets it Wrong on Business Taxes, by Jeff Van Wychen, accessed Oct. 7, 2010

Interview, Carl Kuhl, spokesman, Emmer for Governor, Oct. 7, 2010

Is MN-1 tightening?

Posted at 11:13 AM on October 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD1, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

Political Hanidcapper Charlie Cook has moved his rating of Minnesota's First Congressional District from "Likely Democratic" to "Lean Democratic." DFL Rep. Tim Walz is facing a challenge from Republican Randy Demmer.

The district has been getting plenty of attention by Republicans in the past week. GOP Rep. John Kline is campaigning for Demmer today. The National Republican Congressional Committee also announced that it intends to run TV ads in the district.

Cook is also keeping Minnesota's 6th Congressional District in the "Likely Republican" column. That race features GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann and Democrat Tarryl Clark.

Bachmann headlines conservative rally

Posted at 10:22 AM on October 8, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6, U.S. House

From Annie Baxter:

GOP U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann attacked Democrats, food stamps, and Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner last night at an event called "Reclaiming America: The Taking Back Congress Tour."

Bachmann was joined by conservative broadcasters Hugh Hewitt and Dennis Prager. GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer made a guest appearance.

The event at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis was sponsored by the conservative radio station AM 1280 The Patriot and drew about 400 people, leaving many of the 1,500 seats on the main floor of Orchestra Hall empty.

The Patriot's operations manager Lee Michaels hinted at the sparse attendance. "I know there's nothing else going on downtown tonight," he quipped. The Twins were playing the Yankees at Target Field in the second game of the ALDS.

Bachmann's opponents in the 6th District House race, DFLer Tarryl Clark and Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson, have criticized Bachmann for participating in last night's event instead of attending a debate to which all three were invited.

Bachmann delivered a speech entitled "The Way Forward" in which she imagined what the country would be like if Republicans took control of Congress.

Among the agenda items is the repeal of the federal health care overhaul.

"That's just a given. I mean it's a given," Bachmann said. "And it's possible, by the way. Very possible. We lost the battle, but we will not lose the war. We will repeal 'Obamacare.'"

Bachmann said in its place, Congress should allow Americans to purchase health insurance using tax-free dollars.

Bachmann listed many other goals. She suggested that the government do the following:

--give the EPA a "full review" and have it focused only on "safe air, safe land, and safe water."

--auction off Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by whatever means necessary, including "Ebay or Craigslist."

--end federal subsidies of energy production

--cut the business tax rate from 34 percent to 9 percent.

Bachmann also took aim at U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's defense of food stamps.

CNN reports that Pelosi argued that for every dollar a person receives in food stamps, $1.79 is put back into the economy. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture cites an even higher figure of $1.84," said CNN.

Bachmann responded.

"Can anyone explain how you take the money out of the private sector, you give it to inefficient government, you have the price of bureaucracy that you add to that dollar, and you push that dollar out into the market, and somehow you take a magic wand and magic beans, and you throw them at that dollar and it poofs up into $1.84?" she asked.

"It just doesn't happen. And if that does happen, then the answer to our economic doldrums is obvious: you put everyone in the country on foods stamps and you put everyone in the country on unemployment, because it would be the greatest stimulative effect that you'd ever see."

Bachmann said the only gain in the equation is money spent on bureaucracy.

Economists at the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office have however, underscored the economic benefit of such programs.

"Lower-income households are . . . more likely to be among those with the highest propensity to spend. Therefore, policies aimed at lower-income households tend to have greater stimulative effects," said the CBO.

Bachmann also had sharp words for Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner, who has proposed both spending cuts and some tax increases. She likened him to DFL candidate Mark Dayton.

"We can't let anyone tell us that Tom Horner is a pro-business Republican. This is no pro-business Republican. This is two of the same, both pro-taxing, essentially Democrats running against Tom Emmer," she said.

Fellow speaker Dennis Prager said Democrats hate Bachmann more than any other Republican. He had a theory why.

"I actually think that your being female and being as good-looking as you are is a major factor. That your intelligence and values should come in such a beautiful package disturbs liberals and the left tremendously," Prager said.

Rasmussen Poll: Dayton slightly ahead of Emmer

Posted at 9:05 AM on October 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The latest Rasmussen Poll shows Democrat Mark Dayton with a slight lead over Republican Tom Emmer in Minnesota's race for governor. The poll shows Dayton polling at 40 percent. Emmer is polling at 38 percent. IP candidate Tom Horner is polling at 15 percent. Five percent of those polled are undecided. The poll's margin of error is +/-4 percentage points.

The last Rasmussen Poll showed Emmer leading Dayton 36 percent to 34 percent.

The poll surveyed 750 voters on October 6th.

Here's the poll.

Conservative groups to create "voter surveillance teams"

Posted at 4:39 PM on October 7, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010

Several conservative groups, including Minnesota Majority, say they're enlisting "voter surveillance teams" to monitor the November Election. Minnesota Majority's Jeff Davis says the group says they're aiming to prevent voter fraud. He says they'll closely watch and videotape buses and vans dropping off a large number of voters at polling site and will watch for people who are vouching that voters live in the correct precinct to ensure that they know who they are. Davis says they'll also run $50,000 worth of radio ads touting their plan.

DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez says the initiative is less to do about checking for voter fraud and more to do with voter suppression.

You can read my story on the issue here.

NFIB backs Emmer

Posted at 4:35 PM on October 7, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Minnesota Chapter of the National Federation of Businesses officially endorsed Republican Tom Emmer's bid for governor. NFIB state director Mike Hickey says Emmer's budget plan is the best plan for his 13,000 small business members.

"When you compare the three candidates in the race, Tom Emmer is the clear choice for small business and in our view will be the candidate that will best foster an improved economy and badly needed job growth in Minnesota"

Emmer said he was pleased to receive the endorsement and then targeted his opponents Democrat Mark Dayton and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner. Emmer has pledged to not raise taxes if elected. He said Dayton and Horner would both raise taxes, which in turn, would then limit job growth.

Emmer again criticized Dayton for failing to put together a full budget plan. The centerpiece of Dayton's budget balancing plan is an income tax hike on Minnesota's top earners. He also would create a new Twin Cities casino and relies on reducing the state's private contracts. He said there's still about a $1 billion budget hole. He said he would find additional spending cuts or delay paying back the $1.4 billion school payment delay.

Emmer said Dayton should outline how he'll close the gap and he pressed reporters to push him on it.

"He has said he has a plan but he's not willing to share it," Emmer said. So clearly, I am to take from that that he's keeping it a secret other that or he's saying he doesnt' have a plan. It's either one or the other."

Auditor campaign flap dismissed

Posted at 4:10 PM on October 7, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010

An administration law judge has dismissed a campaign complaint that Republican challenger Pat Anderson filed against DFL State Auditor Rebecca Otto.

Otto's campaign announced today that the judge determined there was no probable cause that the auditor had violated any law. Anderson, who is trying to win back the office she lost to Otto in 2006, accused the incumbent of making false statements about her tenure. She said Otto's claim of doing three times more investigations than her was not accurate.

In a news release, Otto stood firm on the workload issue.

"As State Auditor, I have increased dramatically the productivity of the Office," Otto wrote. "We are taking better care of taxpayer money and are more accountable to the people. Pat Anderson may hate to hear it, but it's the truth and I will continue to campaign based on the truth."

UPDATE

Pat Anderson issued a news release claiming Otto got off on a technicality, because there is no definition of "investigation" in state statute. She also pointed out that the Office of Administrative Hearings had no authority to address Otto's referencing of information on her official web in campaign materials.

"According to this ruling, elected officials in Minnesota can put up whatever they want on their official websites, use that official site as a source in campaign materials and this statute - designed to confront false statements - and this process through the Office of Administrative Hearings is powerless to scrutinize how things are put on these websites and whether they are accurate - even when the very person in charge of the website is the one using it as a source," Anderson said. "The basic facts of my complaint and the evidence I presented stand."

Romney to raise money for MNGOP

Posted at 3:45 PM on October 7, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD2, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD3, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6, Tim Pawlenty

Mitt Romney, a possible presidential candidate and former governor of Massachusetts, will be in Minnesota on October 18th to raise money for the Minnesota Republican Party. The invitation is asking couples to give $5,000 to attend a VIP reception that features Romney. The event will be held at the Sheraton Bloomington.

The co-hosts of the event include Gov. Pawlenty (who will likely be running against Romney in the presidential race), GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann, GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen, GOP Rep. John Kline and former Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson and former Target CEO Robert Ulrich.

Here's the invite.

Update: Romney will also raise money for Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tom Emmer.

GOP remark prompts letter

Posted at 3:11 PM on October 7, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Two of the former Republican state legislators who are backing Independence Party candidate Tom Horner in the race for governor say they're offended by a comment made by a state GOP leader.

George Pillsbury and Bill Belanger detailed their concerned today in a letter today to Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Tony Sutton. Yesterday, Sutton described Pillsbury, Belanger and the other former GOP legislators supporting Horner as "quislings." He also said there was a "special place in hell" for them. Quisling is a term for traitor and comes from the name of a Norwegian politician who collaborated with the Nazis.

"Those of us who support Horner and his centrist view of governance have nothing in common with Norwegian politician Vidkun Quisling," Pillsbury and Belanger wrote. "We proudly wore the uniforms of our nation, one of us as a Marine Lieutenant in the Philippines during World War II, one of us a few years later in Korea as an Army Corporal. For you to besmirch that service is demeaning."

Here's the complete letter:

Mr. Sutton:

As veterans of the United States military and former state legislators, we were highly offended to pick up our morning Star Tribune newspaper and read that you were accusing us of being traitors to our country for supporting Tom Horner for governor. ("There's a special place in hell for these quislings.")

Those of us who support Horner and his centrist view of governance have nothing in common with Norwegian politician Vidkun Quisling, a Nazi sympathizer who collaborated with the Germans to enslave millions of his countrymen during the Second World War. We proudly wore the uniforms of our nation, one of us as a Marine Lieutenant in the Philippines during World War II, one of us a few years later in Korea as an Army Corporal. For you to besmirch that service is demeaning.

We support Tom Horner for governor precisely because we care so much about our state and our nation. We sought elective office after our years of military service because we care about our country and its future. We did not believe our service ended when we were discharged. For decades, we have continued to volunteer in our communities to make our society stronger.

We are supporting Tom Horner for governor because we believe his moderate, centrist view of government is precisely what Minnesota needs right now. We are concerned that Sutton's candidate, Tom Emmer, is too far to the right, and that Mark Dayton, the Democrat, is too far to the left. We believe it is best for all concerned to have a governor who can work with both political parties, to do what's right and not worry about who gets the credit.

We went to war to defend the Constitution, which included fighting for your right of free speech, so you are free to say whatever you want. We would appreciate it if, in the future, you were more careful not to criticize American veterans just because you disagree with our choice of candidates.

Sincerely,

George Pillsbury
First Lieutenant, United States Marine Corp (ret)
Veteran of World War II
Former State Senator, Wayzata

Bill Belanger
Corporal, United States Army (ret)
Veteran of the Korean War
Former State Senator, Bloomington

Sutton told the Associated Press that he did not intend a Nazi comparison. He said he used the word as a common term for traitor. A day earlier, Sutton was asking DFL candidate Mark Dayton to denounce Vice President Joe Biden for suggesting he wanted to strangle Republicans. The remark came at a Dayton fundraiser in St. Paul.

"If I hear one more Republican tell me about balancing the budget, I am going to strangle them," Biden said. "To the press, that's a figure of speech."

Bachmann hits "Reclaiming America" event, Clark talks Social Security

Posted at 2:15 PM on October 7, 2010 by Annie Baxter (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

GOP U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann is speaking tonight at an event called "Reclaiming America: The Taking Back Congress Tour." It's at 8 p.m. at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.

The event is sponsored by WWTC AM The Patriot. Bachmann will be joined by broadcasters Hugh Hughett Hewitt, Ed Dennis Prager, and Ed Morissey.

A press release for the event says the following:

The event is a push for local conservatives to gain momentum for the upcoming election on a nation-wide level to "take back Congress". Similar events are also scheduled for Chicago, Tampa and Denver among others. Topics to be debated include healthcare, taxes, marriage, and a look into local elections like the Governor's seat.

Bachmann's spokesman, Sergio Gor, says "the Congresswoman will focus on the importance of the upcoming election, the momentum in favor of Conservatives and what needs to be done if Republicans take over Congress in 2011."

Bachmann's DFL opponent for the 6th District House seat, Tarryl Clark, is holding events in St. Cloud, Anoka, and Oak Park Heights to discuss social security with seniors. Clark's campaign has received an endorsement from the Committee to Protect Social Security and Medicare.

DFL to run ads supporting Dayton

Posted at 11:26 AM on October 7, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez said the DFL Party will start running TV ads in the Twin Cities metro area tomorrow supporting Democrat Mark Dayton. Melendez couldn't characterize the size of the TV buy but said it would be a positive message regarding Dayton's plans for schools.

He said the ad won't criticize Republican Tom Emmer because he believes Dayton is winning the race.

Gingrich campaigns for Emmer

Posted at 4:48 PM on October 6, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich was in Minnesota today raising money for GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer and predicting a good election ahead for Republicans.

Gingrich became speaker after Republicans won control of the House in the 1994 midterm election. He's predicting a similar shift in power this year. Following a private fundraiser for Emmer at a downtown Minneapolis hotel, Gingrich told reporters that he thinks voters are angrier than in 1994, and he thinks GOP candidates are better. He also said Emmer's tax-cutting, job-creating message will resonate with voters.

Gingrich was introduced by Emmer's lieutenant governor running mate, Annette Meeks, who once worked on the congressman's staff. Eighth District GOP congressional candidate Chip Cravaack also took part in the news conference.

A spokesman for the Emmer campaign said 200 people attended the fundraiser. Donors were asked to give $1,000 to attend.

Yesterday, Vice President Joe Biden was in St. Paul raising money for DFL candidate Mark Dayton. DFL State Chair Brian Melendez responded to the Gingrich visit with the following statement:

"Tom Emmer has consistently shown how out of touch he is with everyday Minnesotans, so it's no surprise that he is now aligning himself with someone as radical as Newt Gingrich. Newt Gingrich has paraded around the country as a bombastic fearmonger trying to scare American voters into supporting his party's failed policies. He has denounced unemployment benefits, railed against unions, advocated the elimination of food stamps and endorsed the idea of privatizing social security - all measures that would hurt middle-class Minnesotans. As Minnesota voters look for a way forward and a more prosperous future, Tom Emmer's alliance with yet another extreme, failed leader proves he has nothing more to offer than harsh ideology and failed policies."

Here's the audio of the Gingrich news conference: Listen

Some former GOP lawmakers endorse Horner

Posted at 2:54 PM on October 6, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

This afternoon at a State Capitol news conference Tom Horner's Independence Party campaign for governor introduced a group of former Republican state lawmakers who are supporting Horner over GOP candidate Tom Emmer.

Thirteen are now publicly behind Horner's campaign. Former State Sen. George Pillsbury was among those on hand for the news conference. So too was former State Rep. Dave Bishop of Rochester who didn't have nice things to say about Emmer or DFL candidate Mark Dayton.

"Mark Dayton has succeed in my mind in two things," Bishop said, "being rated the United States' worst senator by Time Magazine and in using his money and family name to defeat the DFL endorsed candidate Margaret Kelliher."

Bishop then said he could not support Emmer, calling Emmer "too far to the right."

Bishop said he once heard Emmer say something about his mouth sometimes not being connected to his brain. "I don't think we can trust somebody who represents the right wing of the party and who has his brain sometimes disconnected from his mouth," Bishop concluded.

At a press conference with former U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich, Emmer downplayed the Horner endorsements.

"You're talking about people that disavowed in some cases even being Republicans," he said. "Yes, at one time they were Republicans in the state of Minnesota within our party, but some of them actually ran for endorsement as Democrats and have openly supported the current Obama administration."

The full list of former GOP legislators supporting Horner:

- Peggy Leppik, former state representative, Golden Valley

- Neil Peterson, former mayor and state representative from Bloomington

- George Pillsbury, former state senator, Wayzata, Lake Minnetonka

- Bill Belanger, former state senator, Bloomington

- Dennis Ozment, former state representative, Rosemount

- Roger Scherer, former state representative, Brooklyn Center; current member, Metropolitan Council

- David Jennings, former state representative, Martin and Watonwan Counties

- Ed Oliver, former state senator, Deephaven

- Lynne Osterman, former state representative, New Hope

- Dave Bishop, former state representative, Rochester

- Bill Schreiber, former state representative, Brooklyn Park; former House Minority Leader

- Art Seaberg, former state representative, South St. Paul

- Rod Searle, former state representative, Waseca; former Speaker of the House

PoliGraph: MN Forward ad something to cry about

Posted at 12:02 PM on October 6, 2010 by Catharine Richert (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

MN Forward, a group backing business-friendly candidates, is airing a new ad attacking Mark Dayton's tax plan.

"Dayton will raise job killing taxes by $5 billion," says a voice over in the ad, which features wailing children clearly upset by Dayton's tax plan. "That's more than $2,300 in new taxes per Minnesota family."

Dry your tears, kids. These claims are false.

The Evidence

MN Forward spokesman Brian McClung points to an article written by Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire last June, when Dayton was still vying to win the DFL primary. At the time, Dayton hadn't released many details about his tax plan, only that he was going to raise taxes on the wealthiest Minnesotans and that he wanted to raise $5 billion to cover the state's deficit.

Since then, Dayton has changed his tax proposal because his first wouldn't have raised enough money. Now, Dayton wants to increase the income tax rate on the state's wealthiest to 10.95 percent, which will bring in about $1.9 billion over two years.

All told, Dayton plans to raise about $3.7 billion by raising taxes, closing corporate tax loopholes and building a state-owned casino at the Mall of America, and save about $1.2 billion by trimming government spending.

So, MN Forward is using old data to root its claim. But even if it was true, would it mean "more than $2,300 in new taxes per Minnesota family?"

No.

McClung said MN Forward came up with that figure by dividing $5 billion by the more than 2.1 million households in the state. The math works out, but it's grossly misleading because it implies that every family would pay $2,300 in new taxes, which is false; Dayton's plan - past and present - only targets a sliver of the state's population.

The Verdict

The MN Forward ad uses old data to make false claims. It fails the PoliGraph test.

Sources

MN Forward, "Still Sad?", Oct. 2, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio News, DFL candidates for governor trade barbs over taxes, June 9, 2010

Mark Dayton for Governor, Taxes & Budget Plan, accessed Oct. 4, 2010

Minnesota Department of Administration, Minnesota population estimates: number and characteristics of the current population, accessed Oct. 5, 2010

Minnesota Department of Revenue, 2009 Tax Incidence Study, accessed Oct. 4, 2010

Interview, Brian McClung, Oct. 2, 2010

Pool report from Biden fundraiser

Posted at 4:22 PM on October 5, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Here's the pool report from the Vice-President Joe Biden's private fundraiser for Democrat Mark Dayton:

Vice President Biden spoke for about a half-hour to about 350 people Wednesday at a luncheon on the second floor of the Crowne Plaza - St. Paul Riverfront.

Tickets for the sold-out event were $150 each.

Visitors were greeted by a jazz duo that played piano and saxophone after they passed through the security screening.

Most of the attendees wore Dayton/Prettner Solon buttons. One attendee entered with sleeping a baby wrapped in a sling. One man wore a suit coat and a Minnesota Vikings baseball cap. Attendees included: U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Al Franken, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and state House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher.

The menu: baby greens topped with apples, golden raisins, pineapple and candied almonds; parmesan crusted chicken with roasted pepper and sundried tomato cream; garlic and rosemary roasted red potatoes; fresh seasonal vegetables; fresh-baked cookies and dessert bars.

Loud applause and whopping for former VP Walter Mondale, who kicked off the event.

"We are thrilled that the vice president is here because good things happen when Joe Biden is here."

Mondale said the last time Biden was in Minnesota, he was campaigning for President Obama "and it worked."

"Now he's back in Minnesota to support Mark Dayton's candidacy for governor. And that's going to work, too."

Mondale praised Dayton for his public career.

"I have admired his open and solid campaign."

Mondale said "we are slipping in almost every category" and "Mark understands that."

"He's the only candidate with a fundamental commitment to education," Mondale said.

Mondale said Dayton's the only candidate who has a budget that protects the middle class.

"We are here to help Mark Dayton be our governor," Mondale said.

Mondale joked that he's had long interest in the vice presidency.

"Joe Biden is truly a great vice president."

Applause.

"He's truly helping the country and our president, at home and abroad," Mondale said.

"He's a strong, seasoned voice," he said. "He knows the Congress and the nation."

Biden has made the office a "powerful force for justice and decency in America," Mondale said.

"Minnesota loves Mark Dayton and Joe Biden," he said.

Mondale introduced Dayton, which prompted more than a minute of applause and whooping.

"It's a tremendous honor for me to be standing between two vice presidents," Dayton said. "I am just an unemployed guy looking for a job."

He acknowledged Yvonne Prettner Solon, prompting more applause.

"The best thing that happened to me in this campaign was when she agreed to undertake this great adventure with me," Dayton said.

Dayton said Biden extended a helping hand to him in when he arrived in the Senate.

Dayton then thanked all the attendees.

"I want you to know how important your support is to Yvonne and me," Dayton said. "In the past, I've been able to do virtually all the fundraising looking in the mirror. It was easy. I never turned myself down."

Dayton praised Biden's wife, Jill, for leading a summit on community colleges back in Washington.

"The nation is better for her work today and Minnesotans are better for his presence today," Dayton said.

Biden took the podium as the crowd cheered, "Joe! Joe! Joe!"

"Mark, thank you for your introduction," Biden said.

Biden talked about getting to the Senate at age 29 and first meeting Mondale.

"Fritz is a guy who never, ever, lost his moral compass," he said. "People always listened to him and they still listen to him."

Biden said he initially turned down Obama to be vice president.

But as he considered it, the second guy he called was Mondale to ask him about the job.

"Your help and personal friendship has been invaluable," Biden said to Mondale.

At about 13 minutes into the speeches, a woman stood up in the back and asked Biden to speak up.

"Alright then," he said. "I am sorry."

Another man stood up. "Vice president, how well do you know Bruce Vento?"

"There are some things I don't admit to," Biden joked.

"I am here to give you're a simple message," Biden said. "To paraphrase the great philosopher Samuel Clemens, 'Reports of the death of the Democratic Party have been greatly exaggerated.'"

The crowd applauded.

"The fact of the matter is the people of Minnesota, the people of the United States, were absolutely devastated by the eight years of neglect, eight years of a policy that masqueraded as a vision, which was little more than a Ponzi scheme, that Wall Street was conducting. For eight years, all that happened was we piled up debt, we generated losses for the middle class, and the end result was, when we came into office, we inherited, before I a chance to turn on the computer in the office -- Fritz, your old office - we were handed a bill for $1.3 trillion, a projected deficit of $8 trillion for the next 10 years, if we did nothing."

"The last six months of the Bush administration we lost 3 million jobs, before I lowered my hand on that cold January day, we lost 740,000 jobs that month, we lost 40,000 before the month ended, and another 3.5 million before could get our economic package in place."

He said housing prices had plummeted for 23 months in a row.

"Americans were in really tough shape," he said.

"Ladies and gentleman, we knew we had to act, we knew we had to act boldly," he said. "And we knew the things were going to have to ask our colleagues in the Senate and the House to do would not be popular."

"But we acted and we stabilized the financial system," he said.

He said they didn't do it to save the wealthy but to save the pension funds that would have gone under had these banks failed.

"We moved and started the recovery act, which actually no one doubts now," he said.

He said the act created 3.5 million jobs, including 60,000 in Minnesota.

"We demanded, unlike the last administration, full reorganization at the automobile companies and helped them through bankruptcy."

The year before Obama took office, auto manufacturers shed 435,000 jobs, he said. Since they've come out of bankruptcy, they've added 63,000 jobs.

"For the first time in two decades, the American automobile industry is growing."

He said by investing in roads and bridges, they've built critical infrastructure.

He said they've provided tax breaks to the engine of economic growth, small businesses.

He said financial reform will prevent banks from acting like hedge fund. He noted that the administration has clamped down on credit card companies, many that punished people who paid their bills on time.

He talked about health care.

"We went out and passed a health care bill that will continue to need work," he said. "Ladies and gentleman, what we passed is now only becoming apparent to the American people."

"Ladies and gentleman, we've begin to turn things around," he said. "Finally, finally things are being able to move."

"It's not so much about what we did, it's about what we have to do from here on," he said.

"We know what we have to do the next few years, the kind of things Mark wants to do as governor," he said.

He listed priorities like investing in green energy grants, giving tax breaks to the middle class and better education for our children.

He talked about improving tax breaks for people who have kids in college to ease the financial burden.

"So many of our children area graduating with debt they cannot sustain," said Biden, who noted that he sold his home help his three college-age students pay nearly $300,000 in college costs.

"The truth is, people shouldn't be put in those positions," he said.

"Ladies and gentleman, if nations out produce us, out educate us, they are going to out compete us," he said.

"We know how to create jobs," he said. "And we know how to balance the budget."

Biden turned his focus to Republicans.

"If I hear one more Republican tell me about balancing the budget, I am going to strangle them," he said. "To the press, that's a figure of speech."

He said George W. Bush left a $1.3 trillion deficit.

"So I like to remind my Republican friends that we know how to balance the budget," he said. "The last one to do that was William Jefferson Clinton."

He also criticized Republicans' new "Pledge to America."

He said it will increase the debt $1 trillion dollars.

"These guys have absolutely no credibility, no credibility on debt," he said.

"Folks, look, we've seen this movie before. We've seen this movie. We know how it ends," Biden said. "Look, you got a guy here running for governor in this state who also knows how it ended."

He said Pawlenty has "eviscerated" education. "How are we going to lead the world in the 21st century without education?"

Biden reminded the audience of what a former mayor of Boston said. "Don't compare me to the almighty," he recalled. "Compare me to the alternative."

Of the upcoming election....

Biden recounted an anecdote from former President Bill Clinton, who says: "If this is a referendum on people's anger, we will lose," Biden recounted. "People have a right to be angry."

He said for people working, we are in a recession. For people out of work, it's a depression.

"People going to bed staring at the ceiling at night wondering how in God's name they are going to provide for their families," he said.

Biden said to lose a job is a loss of dignity for many. "So many families in this state have been deprived of the dignity and the respect they deserve."

"So folks, they have a reason to be angry," he said. "We have got to make sure we make this a choice, not a referendum."

"I am absolutely convinced if we make it a choice, and we fight back, we will do very, very well," he said.

He predicted Democrats will do better in the upcoming election than some pundits expect.

"We are going to keep the House of Representatives," he said.

Biden also took a shot at Republicans.

"This is not your father's Republican Party," he said. "This is the party of repeal and repeat. This is the Republican Tea Party. These are not the same brand of cat you are dealing with."

"If we don't bring this case to the American people in the next three weeks, shame on us," he said.

"This is going to come down to a ground game," he said. "If we organizer our voters, we will do very well. If we don't, we won't."

"I've never been as optimistic as I am right now," he said. "We are on the right track."

"Please five us people like Mark," he said. "Give us governors in states who understand what the needs of average people are."

"Thank for you being about to elect Mark Dayton as the next governor of state of Minnesota," he said, ending his comments.

Dayton: Tax plan will stay the same

Posted at 3:13 PM on October 5, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton says he doesn't have a "secret plan to raise taxes" and says accusations that he does are "ridiculous."

Dayton made the comments today after Republican Tom Emmer suggested Dayton has a "secret plan" to increase taxes by $1 billion on middle class Minnesotans to close a nearly $6 billion projected budget gap.

Dayton, who already proposed increasing income taxes on Minnesota's top earners, said he has no secret plan to raise taxes more.

"If there is, it's a secret to me too," Dayton said. "Absolutely not. It's just ridiculous. Representative Emmer up until now has been pretty forthright with his conduct. I hope that doesn't change but to me it's a sign of his desperation."

Dayton said his plan to erase the projected budget deficit is still about $1 billion short. He said in the past that he'll look for more revenue (taxes) or spending cuts to plug the gap.

Now, he says he'll work to find the savings in cuts alone. If he can't make up the difference in cuts, Dayton said he would delay paying part of a $1.4 billion school funding shift.

"As a fallback position, if necessary, I'll have to delay repaying some of the $1.4 billion shift. I'm going to find the savings with additional cuts and administrative services and if not, I've said what the fallback position is and none of it involves raising taxes."

Dayton has said in the past that he wants to pay back the school shift in full over the next two years. Both Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner have said they'll delay repaying the school shift until 2014.

Biden campaigns for Dayton

Posted at 3:06 PM on October 5, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Vice President Joe Biden was in St. Paul today firing up supporters of DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton and also helping to raise some money.

At a Macalester College rally, Biden spent most of his 40-minute speech defending the Obama administration's efforts to turn around the economy. He then urged the crowd to help elect Dayton by going out and telling other voters the truth about Democrats.

Afterwards, Biden headlined a private Dayton fundraiser at a downtown St. Paul hotel. About 300 people attended, with tickets ranging from $150 to $2,000.

Here's audio of the Biden rally speech: Listen

Midmorning hosting gov forum next week

Posted at 2:07 PM on October 5, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

MPR's Midmorning will feature the three major party candidates for governor on Tuesday, October 12th. Democrat Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner will appear that morning with Midmorning host Kerri Miller.

The special two hour show starts at 9am. MPR's lead producer says all three candidates are confirmed to attend.

Emmer opens up a new line of attack on Dayton

Posted at 1:05 PM on October 5, 2010 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican Tom Emmer was on MPR's Midday this morning and has opened up a new line of criticism on Democrat Mark Dayton. Emmer said Dayton is withholding details of his budget balancing plan until after the election. He's also suggesting Dayton's plan to increase income taxes will be broader than he's now proposing.

"There aren't enough details and what Sen. Dayton is now suggesting is that we should all just wait until after the election," Emmer said. "Much like we've been hearing out of Washington, we should wait until after the election, after we pass whatever it is to find out whatever is in it. I think people have to ask these hard questions right now. If your budget is billions of dollars short, how far are you going to go?"

Emmer isn't the only one suggesting Dayton will hike taxes on all Minnesotans. The corporate backed PAC, Minnesota Forward, is running an ad suggesting Dayton will hike income taxes on everyone/

"Dayton will raise job-killing taxes by $5 billion," the ad says. "That's more than $2,300 in new taxes per Minnesota family."

MN Forward spokesman Brian McClung acknowledged to WCCO that the tax would be "per family" not every family.

Dayton has called for increasing the income tax rate on Minnesota's top earners -- single filers with an after tax income of $130,000 a year and joint filers earning $150,000 a year (after taxes). He also admitted his budget balancing plan is $1 billion short and is looking for additional cuts or revenue to make up the difference.

Dayton spokeswoman Katie Tinucci says it's unfair for Emmer to suggest Dayton will extend his income tax hike to others. She said he's never proposed what Emmer is suggesting.

"Mark Dayton has always been honest with Minnesota Voters and he has promised to make taxes fair in Minnesota again," Tinucci said. "He's the only candidate who has promised to protect the middle class from carrying a heavier tax burden."

Tinucci says Emmer's budget plan would result in higher property taxes because he's making significant cuts to LGA. She said IP candidate Tom Horner's proposal to lower the sales tax rate but extend it to services and clothing would unfairly hit lower and middle income Minnesotans.

Pawlenty to shake money trees for GOP legislative candidates

Posted at 4:54 PM on October 4, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

Governor Pawlenty is ramping up his political efforts for Republican candidates for the Legislature. Pawlenty is scheduled to keynote a fundraiser for state Senate candidate Karin Housley tonight. Housley is challenging DFL Sen. Katie Sieben.

On Thursday Friday, Pawlenty will hold a joint fundraiser for Diane Anderson, Candidate for State Representative of 38A and Ted Daley, Candidate for State Senate of 38. Anderson is challenging DFL Rep. Sandy Masin. Daley is challenging DFL Sen. Jim Carlson.

Pawlenty, who has been hitting the road on behalf of Republican candidates across the country, won't slow down in the coming week. Pawlenty is scheduled to be in Iowa on Friday and Saturday.

Emmer goes after Horner on government contracts

Posted at 4:15 PM on October 4, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican Tom Emmer is targeting Independence Party candidate Tom Horner's past PR contracts with state government. In a news release, Emmer criticized Horner for receiving government contracts during his time at Himle Horner (read the story here). Here's the release from Emmer:

"No wonder Tom Horner wants to raise billions in new taxes and grow government at a double-digit percentage increase. Horner has milked government for millions of dollars in lucrative contracts," Emmer said at a campaign appearance in Faribault. "Tom Horner wants to maintain business-as-usual even though voters know that the status quo is not working."

The Star Tribune reported today that Tom Horner's firm Himle Horner has received millions from state and local governments to write speeches, rehab the Department of Transportation's image after the 35W bridge collapse, and for work on the Northstar commuter rail project.

"Tom Horner believes that struggling Minnesota families and businesses owe government more of their money in the worst economy in two generations to help line Mr. Horner's pockets. My perspective is different: I think government should do its most important tasks well, but we can only create jobs and keep our economy moving by making government live within its means."

Horner campaign spokesman Matt Lewis issued this statement on Emmer's critcism.

Any candidate for governor who views his opponent's demonstrated ability to work with local units of government as a detriment is going to have some serious problems trying to lead the state of Minnesota.

But on a larger note, is this a game that Rep. Emmer really wants to play? Tom Horner's public clients have always been visible. Horner actually took the extraordinary step of completely divesting from his firm and relieving himself of all clients and all potential conflicts of interest.

It's more than we ask of Rep. Emmer and other sitting legislators. We don't even require that Rep. Emmer tell us which industries and clients he is representing while he is actually voting as a member of the legislature. But I don't care to get into a back and forth on who Rep. Emmer. I think Minnesotans are focused on the policies and the vision that all three candidates are offering in this election, Rep. Emmer's ideas included. And when past clients have arisen in policy discussions Tom Horner has actively volunteered that info.

Horner has a background of working with a wide range of groups from Northstar, as Rep. Emmer suggests, to the Hospitals, to Project 515 to the Chamber of Commerce, which endorsed Rep. Emmer. Mr. Horner has run a business, has been active in organizations ranging from Catholic Charities to Serve Minnesota, has run a U.S. Senate office, taught at St. Thomas and done much more. All of these experiences help shape his knowledge and ability to create coalitions around key issues facing the state.

Since he brought up the budget though, I also think that his campaign needs to address the reality that MPR's PoliGraph pointed out last week.

Emmer isn't the only one targeting Horner. The DFL Party is criticizing Horner in a new web video. They argue he's ignoring the problems facing the middle class.

Bachmann agreeing to three debates

Posted at 1:28 PM on October 4, 2010 by Annie Baxter
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

GOP U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann is participating in the "At Issue" debate with 6th District candidates at KSTP Studios on October 31st, as well as a debate on MPR's Midday program October 28th.

More details as they come in.

UPDATE: Bachmann's camp put out a press release saying they're doing three debates. The third, in addition to the two listed above, will take place October 26th in St. Cloud and is held by the Chamber Of Commerce there.

Bachmann for Congress spokesman Segio Gor released the following statement regarding debates for the 6th District race.

Congresswoman Bachmann looks forward to debating Tarryl Clark. Voters deserve a clear picture between the two candidates - a taxpayer advocate like Michele who fought against higher taxes and failed bailouts or a spender like Tarryl who never met a tax increase she didn't support.

He continued:

Congresswoman Bachmann is eager to highlight the vast differences between her and her opponent. Voters deserve a clear picture of the candidates; instead Clark for Congress has only offered gimmicks and rhetoric.

MPR has not yet received confirmation of Tarryl Clark's participation in the Midday debate.

UPDATE: Clark's camp has confirmed that they'll do the Midday debate.

Newt raising money for Emmer this week

Posted at 11:50 AM on October 4, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S. House, will be in town this week to raise money for Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor. Emmer's campaign is asking donors to give $1,000 to attend the luncheon. The event will be held at the Marriot City Center in Minneapolis at noon on Wednesday.

Emmer's campaign says there are no public events scheduled with Gingrich.

Update: The MNGOP says Gingrich will hold a news conference after the luncheon.

The Gingrich fundraiser will be held one day after Vice-President Joe Biden will be in Minnesota on behalf of Democrat Mark Dayton. Biden will hold a campaign rally and fundraiser for Dayton.

Horner announces more support

Posted at 11:39 AM on October 4, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

IP candidate Tom Horner announced a list of endorsements today. Chief among them is former GOP Speaker of the MN House Dave Jennings and former Taylor Corp. CEO Jean Taylor. Former North Dakota Gov. Allen Olson (who now lives in MN), U of M Crookston professor Jack Geller, former Minneapolis City Council member Joan Niemiec, MNDOT Commissioner Richard Braun and St. Thomas professor Fred Zimmerman also endorsed Horner.

NRA backs Lori Swanson for Attorney General

Posted at 11:36 AM on October 4, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010

The NRA announced that it's backing Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, a Democrat, for reelection. Swanson is running for a secont term against Republican Chris Barden. Here's part of the release:

"Lori Swanson's commitment to preserving our Second Amendment freedoms has earned her the NRA-PVF endorsement," said Chris W. Cox, chairman of NRA-PVF. "Gun owners and hunters in Minnesota can trust Lori Swanson to fight for their Second Amendment rights.

Lori Swanson returned positive responses to the NRA-PVF candidate questionnaire and has been a strong and vocal supporter of our right to keep and bear arms while serving as Minnesota Attorney General. She also signed the important amicus brief in the McDonald case, arguing that the Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental right that applies to all Americans.

"Lori Swanson's support for individual gun ownership rights has earned her an 'A+' rating -- the NRA-PVF's highest -- and endorsement from the NRA-PVF," Cox continued. "We ask all Minnesota gun owners, hunters and NRA members to vote Lori Swanson for Attorney General on November 2."

Bachmann lags Clark and Anderson in commiting to debates

Posted at 11:45 AM on October 4, 2010 by Annie Baxter (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

On Friday, I had a confusing conversation with GOP U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann's spokesman, Sergio Gor, over their camp's debate plans.

Gor said they had confirmed with a few venues, but it's still not clear which ones.

Meanwhile, Bachmann's opponents, DFLer Tarryl Clark and Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson, are committing to debates.

Clark has released the debates she'll participate in.

October 12th: Debate hosted by the Stillwater Gazette, Stillwater
October 15th: Debate hosted by North Metro Television, Blaine
October 18th: Debate hosted by the Monticello Chamber of Commerce, Monticello
October 26th: Debate hosted by the Minnesota News Network, St. Cloud
October 31st: At Issue, KSTP Studios
Another debate, to be hosted by the St. Cloud Rotary and Chamber of Commerce, is still being negotiated, and other debates may also be added.

"Some of the forums have indicated that they will not hold their debate unless Bachmann participates," said Clark's spokeswoman Carrie Lucking. "However, we will participate in forums regardless of Bachmann's participation."

Over the weekend, Bob Anderson asked his opponents to list their debate schedules. "Refusing to debate is a disservice to the people of Minnesota and contradicts the principles of a free and open democracy," he said in a press release.

I renewed a request to Bachmann's camp to clarify their debate plans but haven't heard back.

Horner on MPR's Midday at 11

Posted at 9:54 AM on October 4, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

IP Candidate Tom Horner will be on MPR's Midday today at 11am.

Republican Tom Emmer will be on the show on Tuesday.

Democrat Mark Dayton will be on the show on Thursday.

Candidates draw big crowd for Sunday debate

Posted at 8:04 PM on October 3, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Trade, immigration, religious tolerance and poverty were among the topics raised today during the latest debate of the three-major-party candidates for governor.

DFLer Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner also hit on all the usual issues during the 90 minute event at Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul. The Jewish Community Relations Council and a dozen other groups sponsored the debate, which drew a big audience. One organizer said the crowd was about 1,000.

Here's the debate audio: Listen

Will Bachmann debate? You decide

Posted at 1:52 PM on October 1, 2010 by Annie Baxter (18 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

I've been trying to pin down whether there will be any debates between Republican U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann, DFLer Tarryl Clark, and IP candidate Bob Anderson.

So far, it seems that at least two possible debates were canceled because Bachmann didn't participate. That's not necessarily big news. The candidates get loads of debate requests. And last year, it appears that Bachmann limited her participation to two debates.
UPDATED: There were two public debates, as well as a debate on MPR that was limited to candidates.

But a conversation with Bachmann's spokesman, Sergio Gor, left me pretty confused. I *think* he said she'll be doing some debates, but that message seemed to change a few times in the course of our chat.

Here's the transcript of the conversation. If you can decipher it unequivocally, let me know.

BAXTER: I've checked with a couple of these debate places, and they're saying they have not heard back from you. So I just want to pin down what you're going to commit to.

GOR: We've confirmed with some, you haven't dug those up, then.

BAXTER: I've called everyone that's on the list. I know two {debates} have been canceled so far because you guys weren't participating. And the other ones said you haven't confirmed.

GOR: I can't tell you what's on your list, that's the thing. I don't know what list you're going off of.

BAXTER: Can you tell me how many you've confirmed?

GOR: I can't.

BAXTER: How about the one in St. Cloud. Have you confirmed for that?

GOR: I can't confirm any of that.

BAXTER: How about Monticello. They say you haven't confirmed. Is that contrary.....

GOR: I can't confirm any of that. We're just not commenting on that.

BAXTER: I'm going to be writing something saying who says you have or haven't confirmed. So I wanted to give you the opportunity....

GOR: That's fine. Just include in there that we have said yes to some venues, and when they're ready to announce is when the press will learn. But I can 100 percent tell you we have confirmed with some venues.

BAXTER: Venues, plural?

GOR: Geez, you're getting picky, yes.

BAXTER: I just want to be precise.

GOR: Yeah.

BAXTER: But you're not going to say which ones?

GOR: Nope.

BAXTER: Can I ask you again... The other candidates are not giving a similar line about why they're not announcing which places. It doesn't seem to be as much of an issue with the venues being in control of this. Is that really what's going on?

GOR: What do you mean?

BAXTER: Are you concerned about getting.... too many national press in the door or something like that?

GOR: It's just a campaign decision. We're picking and choosing. As you can imagine, we get dozens and dozens of requests. We've got requests that I'm positive you don't have on your list.

BAXTER: Right.

GOR: There are all sorts of new venues and new clubs and organizations around the district, and then there are the news outlets, so we pick and choose.

BAXTER: Sure. But you will be participating in more than one debate?

GOR: I can't confirm that. We confirmed with several venues about participating. That's where I'm going to leave it at.

BAXTER: When you say you confirmed... you mean you RSVP'd? You're not saying you affirmatively responded?

GOR: We've affirmatively responded.

BAXTER: You have affirmatively responded to more than one venue.

GOR: To several, correct.

BAXTER: That means you are participating in more than one debate?

GOR: Those are your words.

BAXTER: It just doesn't make sense to me. If you've affirmatively responded....

GOR: That's all you're going to get out of me. Rephrasing the question in different ways doesn't get you a different answer. I've said all I can. You know this, Annie, come on. We've confirmed with several venues.

BAXTER: "Affirmatively confirmed" would, to most people, mean you've said yes.

GOR: Yes.

BAXTER: I just want to make sure that's what you're saying.

GOR: Yes.

BAXTER: So it does mean more than one debate?

GOR: We've confirmed with several venues affirmatively.

BAXTER: I just don't know what you're saying. I just don't know. But I don't want to misrepresent it.

GOR: Just say: the venues will be announced when the organizers want to announce them, but yes, we have confirmed several venues.

BAXTER: Okay. And by confirmed you mean you are attending.

GOR: Correct.

BAXTER: Okay.

GOR: All right?

BAXTER: Okay.

Tarryl Clark's camp confident about fundraising numbers

Posted at 11:34 AM on October 1, 2010 by Annie Baxter
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

DFL State Senator Tarryl Clark, who's running against Republican U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann for the 6th District House seat, will release fundraising numbers soon, says spokeswoman Carrie Lucking.

Lucking says they're still calculating numbers for the third quarter report:

However, we are confident that we will report another record-setting quarter. We have amassed over 40,000 individual donors. We raised over $100,000 online yesterday and have the resources to defeat Congresswoman Bachmann. We have always expected to be outraised and outspent by Congresswoman Bachmann, but we have the resources necessary to compete and win in November.

Earlier today, Bachmann's spokesman Sergio Gor said their camp had raised more than twice as much as their second quarter fundraising haul, putting their third quarter haul at more than $3.4 million. Just how much more than that $3.4 million they pulled in is not yet clear.

Emmer pitches budget plan

Posted at 11:08 AM on October 1, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer spoke this morning in Eden Prairie. During his remarks to a joint meeting of the area Chambers of Commerce, Emmer defended his budget plan and criticized the proposals Democrat Mark Dayton Independence Party candidate Tom Horner have put forth.

"I'm a kid from Minnesota. I have Minnesota values," Emmer said. "When did it become extreme to believe that there's right and there's a wrong? When did it become extreme to believe that people should be responsible for their own behavior and that there should be consequences and rewards? When did that become extreme? It's not. That's what I believe the majority, the vast majority of people in this state and this country agree with. That is mainstream."

Emmer also answered a few questions, including one about polls showing him trailing Dayton the governor's race. Emmer said the only poll that counts will be on Nov. 2.

Following Emmer's speech in Eden Prairie, he is headed to northwestern Minnesota for a string of appearances.

Here's the speech:

Listen

PoliGraph: Dayton's call to cut more easily said than done

Posted at 12:00 PM on October 1, 2010 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

Part of Mark Dayton's revised budget plan involves dramatic reductions in how much the government spends on private sector contracts.

"State agencies spent over $850 million on outsourced professional and technical services during the 2008-09 biennium," Dayton's plan states. "Cutting this outsourcing in half would thus save $425 million."

Dayton's correct that the state spends about that much on outsourcing annually. But is it realistic to slice spending in half?

The Evidence

During the last biennium, the state spent more than $862 million on private sector contracts - or roughly $431 million each year - according to data pulled from the Minnesota Management and Budget website. This money was spent on a range of services, including road and bridge repair, computer programming, correctional facility management and payroll administration. So, Dayton's figures are in the ballpark.

Dayton hasn't detailed the contracts he'd like to cut, but his staff points to a recent study done by the Wisconsin Legislature that found outsourcing waste and says a similar Minnesota assessment could show that some projects are unnecessary.

Even so, making these cuts may be easier said than done because many contracts provide the state with essential services. In fact, the state requires that agencies or departments prove that "no current state employee is able and available to perform the services called for by the contract" before putting a project up for bid.

Some of the most substantial private sector contracting occurs at the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Between 2008 and 2009, MnDOT spent more than $120 million on contracts to rebuild roads and bridges, and is slated to spend about $73 million in 2010.

The state relies heavily on the private sector for road construction. Firms bid competitively on contracts to repair bridges and roads in the state, and the winning bidder hires workers to do the actual repairs. According to David Semerad, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, upwards of 20,000 people are hired for these jobs in a typical road construction year.

According to government data, here's a sampling of other essential contracts:

• A contract between the Department of Corrections and Correctional Medical Services, a company that provides medical, psychiatric, and pharmaceutical services to the state's 10 prison facilities, care required by the state. Between 2008 and 2009, the corrections department spent $46 million on the contract.

• A contract between Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and US Bank to process credit card-based payment by students of tuition and fees, which cost roughly $3.5 million in the last biennium. According to Linda Kohl, a spokeswoman for MnSCU, such contracts are standard at many higher education institutions. "We use a contract because US Bank has far more expertise in student private banking data issues than we do," she said.

• An $8.2 million contract between the Department of Employment and Economic Development and Bearingpoint Inc (now Delloite Consulting) to maintain the state's unemployment benefits website. The site is where people go to file for the benefits, and is the only fully automated system in the country, according to department spokeswoman Kirsten Morell.

The Verdict

Dayton's correct that the state spends approximately $850 million per biennium on outsourcing. And cutting such activity in half could save the state more than $400 million.

But in practice, Dayton's plan appears difficult to implement. Many of the state's contracts provide essential services that the state would still have to supply one way or another. Further, Minnesota law requires departments and agencies prove no state workers can take on these tasks before they contract with a firm.

Dayton's claim is inconclusive.

Sources

Mark Dayton for Governor, Mark Dayton's Revised Budget Plan, Sept. 21, 2010

Dayton campaign fact sheet on outsourcing

Minnesota Management and Budget, contractor spending 2008, created Sept. 29, 2010

Minnesota Management and Budget, contractors spending 2009, created Sept. 29, 2010

Correctional Medical Services, Locations: Minnesota, accessed Sept. 30, 2010

The Pew Center on the States, States Buying Smarter: Lessons Learned from Minnesota and Virginia, May 2010

Minnesota Office of the Revisor Statutes, 16C.08 Professional or Technical Services, accessed Sept. 30, 2010

The Milkwaukee Sentinal Journal, Use of outsourcing by state soars, audit shows, By Patrick Marley, May 12, 2009

Interview, Katharine Tinucci, spokeswoman, Mark Dayton, Sept. 28, 2010

Interview, David Semerad, Chief Financial Officer, Associated General Contractors of
Minnesota, Sept. 30, 2010

Interview, Shari Burt, Communications Director, Minnesota Department of Corrections, Sept. 30, 2010

Interview, Linda Kohl, Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Sept. 30, 2010

Interview, Kirsten Morell, spokeswoman, Department of Employment and Economic Development, Sept. 30, 2010

Bachmann more than doubles second quarter fundraising

Posted at 9:54 AM on October 1, 2010 by Annie Baxter
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

In the second quarter of this year, Republican U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann's fundraising haul of $1.7 million was the biggest of any U.S. House candidate.

Now, according to spokesman Sergio Gor, her third quarter fundraising is more than twice as big as her Q2 haul, putting it at more than $3.4 million.

Gor notes that Bachmann's camp has now added $1 million to its cash-on-hand, which was $2.4 million in the second quarter. He adds that the campaign had contributions from 100,000 people.

Gor says an official release of the numbers will come in the next few days.

Gov candidates hit the road on Friday

Posted at 5:29 PM on September 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The three major party candidates for governor will travel to Greater Minnesota on Friday.

Republican Tom Emmer starts his day off by speaking to the Chamber of Commerce in Eden Prairie. He'll then head hold campaign rallies in Fergus Falls, Moorhead, Detroit Lakes and Park Rapids.

Democrat Mark Dayton will spend the day in Duluth. He's scheduled to speak before the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees 2010 Conference at 4pm.

The Independence Party's Tom Horner will also be in Duluth Friday morning. He's scheduled to be on KDAL Radio at 6:20AM and is scheduled to meet with officials in the Minnesota Forest Products industry and will also greet attendees at the Duluth Rotary Club.

Dayton wants a shot at federal grants

Posted at 3:47 PM on September 30, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

DFL candidate for governor Mark Dayton is asking the federal government to give Minnesota an extension to apply for health care grants.

Dayton made the request today in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. In the letter, Dayton wrote that "extensions would enable Minnesota's next governor to make informed decisions about all of these grant opportunities and would prevent the loss of important federal funds for our state."

Gov. Tim Pawlenty issued an executive order a month ago preventing all state departments and agencies from applying for money available through the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Republican governor also said he would try to block what he views as an intrusive federal mandate whenever possible during his final months in office.

Horner gets housing industry twofer

Posted at 3:31 PM on September 30, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Minnesota Association of REALTORS Political Action Committee and the Builders Association of Minnesota Political Action Committee have made a joint endorsement of Independence Party candidate Tom Horner for governor.

A news release from the two organizations today called the endorsement historic.

"This is the first time Minnesota's housing industry has come together to endorse a gubernatorial candidate," said Jerry Teeson, Vice Chair of the REALTORS PAC. "We need a governor who has a realistic vision to rebuild private economy and create jobs. Tom Horner is the best candidate to tackle today's problems and move our economy forward towards a promising future."

Revenue Department: Horner's plan not examined

Posted at 2:08 PM on September 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Officials at the Minnesota Department of Revenue are saying Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner has not submitted his budget plan for review, but that Horner's campaign contacted them to see if the tax plan would work.

At the most recent debate last week, Horner said he submitted his budget plan for a review...

Horner: "We're going to take medical services off of the table. We won't tax those. We won't tax prescription drugs or medical devices and the numbers do add up.

Republican Tom Emmer: No they don't.

Horner: The Revenue Department says they did.

Emmer: They have not and you have to be honest about it.

Horner: I'm just curious as to where your information is that the Department of Revenue has said my numbers don't add up because the Department of Revenue told me that the numbers do add up.

Emmer: Well put it out there. We've asked and haven't been given anything that supports that.

Horner: Tom, That's just not true, you know that's not true.

Emmer: What we have been shown is that you have to make much broader attempt.

Horner: That's just a blatant lie."
Listen

But Revenue spokeswoman Kit Borgman says Horner's team "generally discussed their proposal" with Revenue Department Research Director Paul Wilson but didn't submit the plan for a review. Horner is proposing to expand the sales tax to clothing and unspecified services and lower the tax rate. He says his tax plan would raise $2.15 billion.

Borgman says Wilson said that the "general idea about broadening the sales tax and lowering it can get him where to where he wants to go." But Borgman said Wilson couldn't provide greater detail on whether Horner's numbers work because Horner hasn't specified which services he would tax. Borgman said Wilson offered to review the budget plan, but Horner's team declined. (Update: Borgman said Horner's team didn't ask for a total analysis of their plan. "He said they didn't ask him to bless their numbers so to speak or estimate the impact," Borgman said. "Because he (Wilson) said it would be impossible anyway because they didn't have enough detail.")

Democrat Mark Dayton has repeatedly criticized Horner for not offering specifics as to which services he would tax.

Horner's campaign is the only major party campaign that hasn't submitted its plan to the revenue department for analysis. Dayton was forced to revise his plan after the department found it wouldn't raise as much money as he projected. Republican Tom Emmer submitted his plan to cut taxes to the revenue department for review, but Emmer is not proposing a tax increase. He has outlined general areas where he will reduce spending to balance the books. Emmer, however, has not said how he would specifically reduce spending in each category of the budget.

Update:

Horner just told MPR News that Revenue Department officials confirmed that his plan has the capacity to raise $1.3 billion from his sales tax plan. But he admits that there is more work to be done to identify "the services that make sense."

Horner also said that he won't expand the sales tax to business to business services, food, medical services and medical purchases and equipment. Horner said he's open to expanding the sales tax to all other consumer services.

"What the Department of Revenue has said is 'Consumer services, clothing, reduce the rate by one percent, is there a potential of $1.3 billion there? Yes.' And so, yes, I do acknowledge that everything is on the table. It doesn't mean we're going to end up with everyuthing on the table it does mean we do have to evaluate everything to reach a final judgement. That's going to take more people involved. It's going to take more resources. It's going to economic modeling. We want to make sure that we're doing this in a way that build the economy of Minnesota not in a way that gets us to November 2nd (Election Day)."

Update: Tom Emmer released this statement:

"Today we learned that Tom Horner has not in fact had his massive sales tax increase analyzed by the Minnesota Department of Revenue, contradicting what he stated only days ago. As a result, Minnesotans must ask themselves, what else is Tom Horner hiding from us?

"Tom Horner has clearly shown his intentions to grow government spending in an irresponsible way. He has no way to pay for that unsustainable growth except through massive sales tax increases. Those sales tax increases will crush Minnesota families by taxing everything from clothing and garage sales to baby formula. At least Senator Dayton had the intellectual honesty to admit that he can't balance the budget even with enormous income tax increases.

"My two opponents are fighting for the bragging right of who will tax Minnesotans more and who can promise more with no way to pay for it. In contrast, I am the only candidate proposing an honest, balanced budget and calling for government to live within its means."

Meet the gov candidates!

Posted at 12:02 PM on September 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The three major party candidates for governor will make individual appearances on MPR's Midday next week.

Indepence Party candidate Tom Horner will be on the show on Monday at 11am.

Republican Tom Emmer will be on the show on Tuesday at 11am.

Democrat Mark Dayton will be on the show on Thursday.

Bachmann headlines summit for conservative women

Posted at 11:22 AM on September 30, 2010 by Annie Baxter (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD6

GOP U.S. House Rep. Michele Bachmann will be headlining an event today held by Smart Girl Politics, which calls itself the "home on the Internet for conservative women and grassroots activism." The group is holding its second aunnual Smart Girl Summit.

Sergio Gor, Bachmann's spokesperson, says Bachmann will address the following topics: "the Tea Party movement, the importance of the upcoming elections and the difference women have made and continue to make."

Gor notes that Bachmann will be flying back to Minnesota tonight.

Bachmann is featured in the current edition of Newsweek, in an article about "mama grizzlies"-- a term Sarah Palin had used to describe herself during her 2008 vice presidential bid. Here's a snippet about Bachmann from the article:

Like Palin, Bachmann lives out her pro-life views convincingly. Over the years she has cared for 23 foster children--in addition to five of her own. "Four [foster kids] at a time were the most we had," she told the Minneapolis Star Tribune in 2007. "There were times I thought, I'm so tired, I'll never get conditioner in my hair again." As a state legislator, Bachmann pushed for anti--abortion initiatives, such as the 2005 Positive Alternatives Act, which has provided some $2.4 million in state Department of Health grants to programs that encourage and assist women in carrying their pregnancies to term and caring for their babies. (For her part, Whitman wonders how legislating against abortion jibes with the grizzlies' small-government arguments: "We can agree or disagree on the role of government in our personal life, but a less intrusive government is not in your bedroom.")

The article concludes with some sharp words about the "mama grizzlies."

Fundamentally, the mama-grizzly phenomenon is not really a movement or even a political term that represents a fully coherent set of ideas. It's mostly a marketing tool, meant to draw attention to Americans' broad dissatisfaction with the way things are. Fair enough. Many people are dissatisfied, and they want to vent and they want to change Washington. But in the wild, real mama grizzlies are known to be aggressive, irrational, and mean. The issues facing the country are complex, and bears are not.

PoliGraph: Horner's budget claim accurate

Posted at 12:30 PM on September 29, 2010 by Catharine Richert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

Minnesota's next governor will face a major problem when he takes office: the deficit.

For his part, Independent Tom Horner says that, despite projected increases in revenue, the state won't have any extra cash.

"We don't have $2 billion extra," he said during the Sept. 7, 2010, debate in Duluth in response to his opponent Republican Tom Emmer's claim that the state will be working with a revenue surplus next year. "[The state] already spent it."

Horner's claim is on the money.

The Evidence

It's true that the state will have more cash in the next biennium. According to Management and Budget, revenues are projected to increase from nearly $31 billion to about $33 billion - roughly a 7 percent increase.

But revenue only tells one side of the story, as Horner points out.

In the next biennium, spending is slated to increase to $38.7 billion, leaving a gap between revenue and expenditures of roughly $5.8 billion, otherwise known as the deficit. Republican Emmer has outlined a budget plan that cuts real and projected spending growth but hasn't detailed how he would account for a growing demand for state services.

There are two key pots of money being moved around that make these budget contortions even trickier. In this biennium, the state got about $2 billion in federal stimulus funding that helped pay for education and health care. The one-time cash transfer effectively allowed the state to spend more without drawing down general funds in the current fiscal year.

This funding disappears in the next biennium, but is nevertheless included in projected spending for the state. And it's unlikely that lawmakers are going to find an additional $2 billion to fill the hole.

Add to that the $1.4 billion the state is obliged by law to repay schools in the next biennium, and the deficit begins to take shape. (Emmer and Horner have both said they will push back payment to the 2014-2015 biennium.) The rest of the deficit reflects recent cuts made to balance the budget and cost increases associated with a growing, aging population.

The Verdict

Though revenue is going up in the next biennium, Horner says that the state won't really have an extra $2 billion extra to play with. And he's correct: that federal funding disappears in the next budget cycle.

This claim is accurate.

Sources

Duluth debate, Sept. 7, 2010

Minnesota Management and Budget, Price of Government, May 2010

Minnesota Management and Budget, General Fund Balance Analysis: End of 2010
Legislative Sessions, accessed Sept. 28, 2010

The Minneapolis Star Tribune, That deficit is a demon, and Emmer doesn't want to face it, by Lori Sturdevant, Aug. 28, 2010

Minnesota 2020, Emmer's Faux Claims on Revenue, Spending Growth, by Jeff Van Wychen, Sept. 15, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio News, Tax increases in Dayton, Horner budget plans; Emmer downplaying deficit, by Tom Scheck, Sept. 1, 2010

Interview, Tom Horner, Sept. 28, 2010

Interview, Bill Marx, Minnesota House of Representatives Chief Financial Analyst, Sept. 29, 2010

Interview, Jay Kiedrowski, Senior Fellow, the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, Sept. 28, 2010

Interview, Curt Yoakum, spokesman, Minnesota Management and Budget, Sept. 28, 2010

Biden to hold rally for Dayton

Posted at 10:09 AM on September 29, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton's campaing spokeswoman Katie Tinucci says Vice-President Joe Biden will hold a campaign rally for Dayton at Macalester College. Tinucci and a spokeswoman at Macalester say they'll release more details on the event soon. Biden will also hold a fundraising luncheon for Dayton on October 5th.

Biden's appearance at Macalaster follows the White House's recent push to get college students motivated to vote in November. Several DFL strategists, including Jeff Blodgett, have suggested Democrats need to motivate voters who turn out during presidential elections but don't vote during the mid-term elections. College students are a key part of that group.

Update: The campaign says the event will be held at the Leonard Center Field House from 9AM-11:30 on the Macalester Campus. More info can be found here.

Next gubernatorial debate on Sunday

Posted at 12:40 PM on September 28, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Minnesota's three major-party candidates for governor get back to the business of debating Sunday. Oct. 3, during a Jewish Community-sponsored event.

The debate is scheduled at 4:30 p.m. at Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul. A news release today from the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas said the debate will focus on the "changing face of Minnesota," with particular emphasis on "the role of international trade in improving Minnesota's economy, the challenges and opportunities of immigration to Minnesota, and the increasing responsibilities of our National Guard."

DFLer Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner have debated more than a dozen times since the primary election. But this week there were no debates scheduled.

Dayton at AFL-CIO

Posted at 5:06 PM on September 27, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

DFL candidate for governor Mark Dayton received a warm welcome today at the Minnesota AFL-CIO 50th Constitutional Convention in Bloomington, where he delivered a firey stump speech.

Dayton, who recently won the AFL-CIO endorsement, touched on several key union issues, including jobs and public employee pensions. When it comes to state government's role in job creations, Dayton said there's a big difference between him and Republican candidate Tom Emmer.

"I've got an opponent who believes that government should do nothing at all," Dayton said. "Well if you don't believe in government, then don't try to run it."

Here's the audio of the speech: Listen

Candidate proposes Minnesota money

Posted at 10:58 AM on September 27, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

A minor party candidate for governor is proposing the creation of a state currency.

Ken Pentel, who's running as a Ecology Democracy Party candidate, announced a new money plan today that he said would an effective tool for stabilizing the economy.

"By creating a Minnesota currency, we would take responsibility where the federal government has not by allowing the people to have greater control and power over the monetary system at a community level," Pentel wrote." Interest free loans could be made which would in turn create less debt and allow the borrower less burden over the course of time. And most important, it would counter one of the key drivers of ecological overshoot."

Pentel has run previous campaigns for governor under the Green Party banner.

NRA backs Emmer

Posted at 10:47 AM on September 27, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund has announced its endorsement of Republican candidate Tom Emmer in Minnesota's contest for governor.

The NRA-PVF issued a news release today highlighting Emmer's voting record in the Minnesota House on measure protecting gun owners.

"Tom Emmer has earned the NRA-PVF endorsement for his solid pro-gun record," said Chris W. Cox, chairman of the NRA-PVF. "His commitment to preserving our Second Amendment rights and hunting heritage makes Tom Emmer the clear choice for Minnesota gun owners."

The origanization said Emmer earned an "A+" rating. In comparison, DFL candidate Mark Dayton received an "F" rating, based on his voting record in the U.S. Senate.

Census expert: MN won't lose a seat in Congress

Posted at 5:02 PM on September 26, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, U.S. House

A new study based on projected Census population figures shows Minnesota will likely keep all eight of its current U-S house seats.

The 435 U-S house seats are divided between states based on population. Last year, estimates projected Minnesota to lose a congressional seat to Missouri. But Kimball Brace of Virginia-based Election Data Services says the new estimates show Missouri will instead likely lose a seat to Minnesota.

And Brace says that's a fortunate finding for Minnesota.

"When you're in a losing situation you have less members pushing your kind of issues that may be important to members of your state. And it becomes more difficult to have the kind of issues that you think are important brought up by congress and passed in terms of legislative initiatives."

Brace cautions that we won't know for sure if Minnesota will keep all its seats until final Census numbers come out in late December.

"The addition of the military overseas could have an impact," he said. "Particularly in your state where there's not a lot of military overseas from Minnesota."

(H/T Rupa Shenoy)

Pawlenty to call special session

Posted at 5:22 PM on September 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature, Tim Pawlenty

Governor Pawlenty spent much of the day viewing flood damage and meeting with local officials in Truman, Pine Island and Owatonna. The governor plans to seek federal disaster aid for 34 counties, and will call a one-day special session once the federal damage assessment is completed.

During a conference call with reporters, Pawlenty said he'll meet soon with House and Senate leaders to work out an advance agreement.

"We'll take the legislation from the previous floods and use it for a template and change the numbers and things like that. So, it won't be hard to put the legislation together because we've done this now many times over the last handful of years."

Pawlenty described the flash flooding as a very significant event that requires a federal and state response.

PoliGraph: Emmer wrong on LGA

Posted at 1:00 PM on September 24, 2010 by Catharine Richert (9 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

If Republican Tom Emmer's elected governor, he says he'll restructure the way the state parcels out money to cities to eliminate what he says has been wasteful spending in the local government aid program.

To help sell his platform, Emmer frequently points out that aid isn't spread evenly among Minnesota communities.

"I don't know how many of your viewers understand that only about half the cities in this state get any local government aid and frankly only a handful get the lion's share," he said during a debate Sept. 17, 2010.

It's a claim that he reiterated during a debate in St. Cloud Sept. 21, and that appears on part of his campaign website called EmmerTruth, meant to refute misinformation about the platform.

There's little truth to this Emmer claim.

The Evidence

Emmer's campaign said it could not back-up his claim that only half the cities in the state get aid. In fact, most do. This year, 85 percent of communities - or 727 out of 854 communities -- will get local government aid after unallotment cuts, according to data supplied by the Minnesota State Legislature House Research Department, which tracks these payments annually.

Emmer's second point, that a handful of communities get the most money, is more complicated. This year, the state will give out $426,535,440 in local government aid. Nearly half of that - about $200 million - goes to 14 cities, including Duluth, Minneapolis, St. Cloud, St. Paul, and Winona.

However, Emmer's statement glosses over some important context. Local Government Aid was created to help towns with limited tax bases provide services to its residents. Funding is doled out based on a city's fiscal needs and its ability to pay for them, as well as other factors, including population. So on one hand, it makes sense that large cities, like St. Paul or Minneapolis, would be getting a lot of money.

But dollar amounts don't reveal much. To really understand how the state is spending the cash, it makes more sense to look at aid per capita. By this measure, some of the state's smallest towns are getting the most money per person. For instance, Leonidas, population 57, got $35,240 this year, which breaks down to about $618 per person. By comparison, Minneapolis, population 390,000, got $63,986,731 in local government aid - or about $164 per person.

The Verdict

Emmer's claim is fraught with inaccuracies. He's wrong that only half of Minnesota communities are getting aid. It's far more than that. And while Minneapolis and St. Paul come out on top in terms of dollars of aid, it's the smallest cities in the state that are getting the most aid per person - precisely the aim of the local government aid program.

This claim is false.

Sources

The UpTake, transcript of the TPT Almanac debate, Sept. 17, 2010

Emmer for Governor, EmmerTruth: Tom Emmer Wants to Reform, Not Eliminate, Local Government Aid, accessed Sept. 23, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio News, City officials gloomily expect cuts to local government aid, by Dan Olson, Sept. 17, 2010

Minnesota2020, Phony LGA Statistics at AARP Debate, by Jeff Van Wychen, Sept. 21, 2010

Minnesota House Research Department, Governor's December 2008 City Aid and Credit Cuts and Payments, Dec. 19, 2008

Minnesota House Research Department, 2009-2011 LGA certified and paid amounts, after the 2010 session, June 11, 2010

The Minnesota Department of Revenue, Final City Unallotment: 2009, accessed Sept. 23, 2010

The League of Minnesota Cities, Local Government Aid 101: 2009 Distribution & Beyond, updated April 2010

LGA payments by amount

LGA payments by per capita amount

Interview, Carl Kuhl, Emmer for Governor, Sept. 23, 2010

Interview, Lena Gould, Policy Analyst, League of Minnesota Cities

Interview, Jeff Van Wychen, fellow, Minnesota 2020, Sept. 23, 2010

Interview, Pat Dalton, House Research Department, Sept. 23, 2010

Rasmussen Poll: Gov race a dead heat

Posted at 7:20 AM on September 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

A new poll released by Rasmussen Reports shows Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer in a dead heat. The poll, taken on September 22nd, shows Emmer with the support of 42 percent of those polled. Dayton has the support of 41 percent of those polled. The Independence Party's Tom Horner received nine percent support. Two percent of those polled are undecided. The margin of error is plus or minus four percentage points. (Note: The poll includes leaners).

Update: A closer look at the poll shows a different set of numbers when you take away the leaners. Emmer edges Dayton 36% to 34%, and Horner receives the support of 18 percent of those polled.

You can read the full results here.

Gov candidates try to school each other on school issues

Posted at 8:26 PM on September 23, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

From MPR's Tom Weber:

The three major party candidates debated education-related issues during a debate Thursday evening at the studios of Twin Cities Public Television in downtown St. Paul.

There wasn't much new ground covered over what Democrat Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and the Independence Party's Tom Horner had previously said about education (this wasn't their first 'education only' debate, after all), but they renewed their pledges to all increase funding for early childhood education.

On matters of the state budget, Emmer and Horner would not start paying back a $1.4 billion payment delay to schools until after the upcoming biennium; Dayton says he still wants to include the payback in his first budget, even though his newest budget proposal (released this week) still has a deficit.

The forum, sponsored by the Minneapolis Foundation, was moderated by MPR Morning Edition and TPT's Almanac host Cathy Wurzer. It was broadcast and webcast live and set before a studio audience that amounted to a 'who's who' of education leaders in the Twin Cities - including Minneapolis Schools superintendent Bernadeia Johnson; Minneapolis school board member Tom Madden; former Federal Reserve VP Art Rolnick, DFL state representative Carlos Mariani; and Curt Johnson, a former chief of staff to Gov. Arne Carlson and current partner at Education Evolving.

You can listen to the full debate here: Listen

Dayton schedules lunchtime fundraiser with Biden

Posted at 12:39 PM on September 23, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

DFLer Mark Dayton's gubernatorial campaign has sent out an invitation for a fundraiser with Vice President Joe Biden on Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The exact location in St. Paul hasn't chosen yet, but the lunch will be expensive.

The cheapest ticket ("Young Professional") is $150. The most expensive ("Luncheon Chair") is $2,000. The other levels are $250, $500 and $1,000.

Dayton outlines school improvement plan

Posted at 4:55 PM on September 22, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton says he would need up to four years and some yet-to-be determined money to implement his proposed K-12 education agenda.

Dayton stood outside a St. Paul elementary school today to highlight a proposal ranging from lower class sizes to classroom technology upgrades. But with the state facing a projected $5.8 billion budget deficit, Dayton said the funding for his education plan is still a work in progress.

"It does involve committing additional resources, which is the reason that I am committed also to raising revenues progressively, so that we can restore our commitment to out children," Dayton said.

Dayton said his immediate priority for schools is to maintain the funding levels already in statute, and payback a school-funding shift, if possible.

A state Republican party official dismissed the proposal as a big promise with no money behind it.

Buesgens resigns from the MNGOP

Posted at 3:59 PM on September 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature

GOP Rep. Mark Buesgens has resigned as a consultant to the Minnesota Republican Party. Minnesota GOP spokesman Mark Drake confirmed that Buesgens resigned his position today. Buesgens has been charged with three misdemeanors after being arrested Saturday in Wright County for suspected DWI. He was arrested for drunk driving on Saturday night.

Buesgens has served as the campaign manager for Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor. Emmer's campaign says Buesgens left the campaign on September 12th and went to work for the MNGOP as a consultant.

AP reports that Buesgens is not resigning his seat in the Legislature and he still his re-election bid still has the backing of the Republican Party.

The DWI arrest and his decision to leave the party aren't the only problems for Buesgens. The Star Tribune was the first to report that Buesgens is facing foreclosure proceedings on his home.

Update: AP reports that the Sheriffs sale of his home has been called off.

MN Chamber PAC backs Emmer

Posted at 12:31 PM on September 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Leadership PAC announced today that is was backing Republican Tom Emmer's bid for governor. The board announced the endorsement after it held private screenings with Emmer and IP candidate Tom Horner. The Chamber news release says Democrat Mark Dayton declined to be screened for the endorsement.

"Tom Emmer is the candidate who best meets our criteria and will make an outstanding governor," said Steve McCulloch in a news release. McCulloch of St. Louis Park is a member of the Minnesota Chamber Leadership Fund Political Action Committee. "Emmer is the candidate who best represents the Minnesota Chamber's pro-business, pro-jobs agenda and is most electable. His message will resonate with all Minnesotans, because it's common-sense, especially during a challenging economy."

The PAC Board said it was impressed with how Emmer would address the state's projected $5.8 billion budget deficit. Emmer has released a list of spending targets but failed to outline specific cuts.

McCulloch also criticized Dayton's approach to balancing the budget. Dayton suggested raising income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to fix part of the state's budget deficit.

"Minnesota cannot afford a Mark Dayton Administration," he said. "The business community is unified in stopping his agenda of tax increases that would put all businesses at a disadvantage in today's global marketplace and, as a result, cripple Minnesota's economy just when a shot in the arm is needed."

The Chamber's decision doesn't come as a huge surprise considering Chamber President David Olson has already formed a PAC that has endorsed Emmer's campaign. MN Forward has run ads criticizing Dayton and praising Emmer.

Update: Horner released this statement on the Chamber's decision:

"It's disappointing, but not surprising that the Minnesota Chamber would endorse the Republican-endorsed candidate," Horner said. "They have been doing that for decades.

"The Chamber and its political action committee have invested significant resources in Emmer's candidacy, and it would be astonishing if they walked away from their chosen candidate a month before the election," he said.

"I am pleased that we are giving the Chamber and other organizations a lot to think about and that many, like the Minnesota Medical Political Action Committee, an affiliate of the Minnesota Medical Association, and individual business leaders are stepping forward, putting Minnesota's long-term interests first, and endorsing Tom Horner."

RGA gets in gov race

Posted at 12:01 PM on September 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Republican Govermor's Association has entered Minnesota's governor's race in a big way. Minnesota's Future, an independent expenditure group, reports that the RGA donated $428,000 to it. The report, which hasn't been posted online yet, was given to MPR by the organizers of Minnesota's Future. That group has been running ads criticizing Democrat Mark Dayton's record on taxes.

The RGA isn't the only national group involved in the race. The Democratic Governor's Association gave $250,000 to Win Minnesota, which funneled the money to The Alliance for a Better Minnesota. ABM has been running ads criticizing Republcan Tom Emmer.

PoliGraph: Union right on Emmer's transportation votes

Posted at 1:00 PM on September 22, 2010 by Catharine Richert (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

A new mailer from the Minnesota AFL-CIO links Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer to the I-35W bridge collapse.

The mailer, which features a picture of a truck and school bus tumbling toward the Mississippi River as the bridge crumbled, says, "Emmer voted three times against funds that would have repaired broken infrastructure across Minnesota, including the I-35 bridge. He even voted against the final attempt to rebuild infrastructure before the bridge collapsed."

The labor union mailer also states that, "Emmer was one of only ten representatives that voted against efforts to compensate victims of the bridge collapse" and that "Emmer opposed a $6.6 billion plan to rebuild roads, bridges, and transit throughout Minnesota even after the I-35 bridge collapse."

For the most part, these claims are true.

The Evidence

"Emmer voted three times against funds that would have repaired broken infrastructure across Minnesota, including the I-35 bridge. He even voted against the final attempt to rebuild infrastructure before the bridge collapsed."

Emmer voted against the 2007 transportation funding bill three times: the House version passed in March, a merged House and Senate version in May; and an unsuccessful effort to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto of the legislation.

But there are a few important caveats to this claim. First, Emmer's opposition to the transportation bill wasn't the reason it failed. House leaders needed 90 members to override Pawlenty's veto, but only secured 83.

It's also crucial to note that there was no specific provision in the bill to update the I-35W bridge, as the AFL-CIO's claim implies. However, it would have expanded the trunk highway fund and bonds, which cover bridge repair - precisely the sources of money that might have allowed the Minnesota Department of Transportation to renovate or replace the bridge sooner.

For several years, the I-35W bridge had been on MnDOT's "Budget Buster" list, meaning it needed replacement or repair within 10 years. But according to MnDOT documents, overhauling the bridge was postponed due to funding woes.

"Emmer was one of only ten representatives that voted against efforts to compensate victims of the bridge collapse."

This claim is also true. Emmer was among a handful of members who voted against a bill that set up a $40 million compensation fund for survivors of the bridge collapse. Like his fellow Republicans, Emmer questioned whether the state could afford the fund in lean times, and he objected to a provision that allows the fund to be used to pay damages to victims of future disasters.

"Emmer opposed a $6.6 billion plan to rebuild roads, bridges, and transit throughout Minnesota even after the I-35 bridge collapse."

The final vote in question came in February, 2008. The bill, a direct result of the collapse, provided funding for road and bridge repairs and money meant specifically for the I-35W bridge. Emmer voted against this bill as well.

The Verdict

For the most part, the AFL-CIO mailer is correct. On three occasions, Emmer voted against legislation having to do with the bridge collapse or general bridge repair in the state, though it's important to note that the 2007 transportation funding bill did not specify repairs to the I-35W bridge.

Sources

AFL-CIO mailer

Minnesota State Legislature, Actions on HF 946: The 2007 Omnibus Transportation Bill, accessed Sept. 21, 2010

Minnesota State Legislature, House Journal: March 24, 2007, p. 2016, accessed Sept. 21, 2010

Minnesota State Legislature, House Journal: May 14, 2007, p. 6640, accessed Sept. 21, 2010

Minnesota State Legislature, House Journal May 21, 2010, p. 7571, accessed Sept. 21, 2010

Minnesota House of Representatives Research, Summary: HF 946, May 11, 2007

The Minnesota State Legislature, Investigative Report to Joint Committee to Investigate the I-35W Bridge Collapse, Gray, Plant, Mooty, May 2008

MN2020, 451 Minnesota Bridges "Functionally Obsolete" By Conrad deFiebre, Aug. 2, 2007

The Minneapolis Star Tribune, House OKs $40 million for bridge survivors, by Pat Doyle, Feb. 29, 2008

The Minnesota State Legislature, Actions on HF 2553, accessed Sept. 21, 2010

The Minnesota State Legislature, House Journal May 5, 2008, p. 11270, accessed Sept. 21, 2010

The Minnesota State Legislature, Action on HF2800, accessed Sept. 21, 2010

The Minnesota State Legislature, House Journal Feb 21, 2008, p. 7884, accessed Sept. 21, 2010

Interview, Chris Shields, Communications Director, Minnesota AFL-CIO, Sept. 21, 2010

Interview, Margaret Donahoe, Executive Director, Minnesota Transportation Alliance, Sept. 2, 2010

Candidates debate budget, pensions, local projects in St. Cloud

Posted at 10:54 AM on September 22, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

DFLer Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner faced off again Tuesday, during a gubernatorial debate sponsored by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce.

As usual, most of the attention was on the state budget, including aspects of Dayton's revised budget proposal, which he released earlier in the day.

Here's the debate in three parts:

Part 1 Listen

Part 2 Listen

Part 3 Listen

ABM spent $2.8 million against Emmer

Posted at 8:03 AM on September 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota reports spending $2.8 million running advertising on Google, Facebook and TV criticizing Republican Tom Emmer. The latest campaign finance report shows ABM received $2.9 million since the start of the year and spent $2.9 million.

The group received contributions Win MN, the Campaign 2010 Fund. Those groups received funds from wealthy DFL donors like Alida Messinger (Democrat Mark Dayton's ex-wife) and Vance Opperman and several labor unions like SEIU, Education MN and the Minnesota Nurses. The Human Rights Campaign also gave 110k to those groups.

You can read ABM's latest report here.

3M, 16 others business gave to MN Forward since the Primary

Posted at 8:02 AM on September 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

3M gave $100,000 to MN Forward, a coalition of Minnesota busineses aimed at electing business friendly candidates. The groups latest campaign finance report shows 3M was one of 17 businesses that gave to the group.

MN Forward reports raising $1.358 million since the start of the year. The group spent $856,449. The group reports spending $300k on ads criticizing Democrat Mark Dayton and $348k on ads in support of Republican Tom Emmer.

You can read the full report here.

The GOP and DFL start peeping at Tom (Horner)

Posted at 2:01 PM on September 21, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Tom Horner with the Independence Party has been getting plenty of attention lately. In the past two days, the Republican Party of Minnesota and the DFL Party are starting to take aim at Horner.

On Monday, the Republican Party announced it created a website characterizing Horner as a liberal. Phil Krinkie, with The Taxpayers League of Minnesota (which is backing Republican Tom Emmer), wrote an e-mail to supporters suggesting Horner has little chance of winning.

The DFL Party is also starting taking aim at Horner. On Monday, the DFL Party's Kristin Sosanie sent an e-mail to reporters saying Horner "would rather cut taxes for big business than fund Minnesota's public schools."

Today, Sosanie sent an e-mail calling Horner and Republican candidate Tom Emmer as "The Republican Toms":

The middle class is at the breaking point and simply cannot pay any more. Our public schools cannot afford another four years of misguided Republican policies. Minnesota needs a governor who is fundamentally committed to standing up for the middle class by fighting for regular Minnesotans and supporting education. That's not Tom Emmer or Tom Horner.

A political insider told me last week that the GOP and DFL won't start paying attention to Horner until he started polling above 15 percent. A recent Survey USA poll released last showed Horner polling at 18 percent.

Dayton releases revised budget plan

Posted at 11:21 AM on September 21, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton's new budget plan takes aim at "predatory credit card companies" and MnSCU employees who are earning more than the governor.

But the plan is still $1 billion short of erasing the projected budget deficit of $5.8 billion. Dayton's campaign spokeswoman Katie Tinucci says Dayton will continue to look for new revenue or spending cuts to balance the budget. She said the "worst case scenario" is that Dayton wouldn't immediately pay back the entire $1.2 billion payment delay to K12 schools.

Dayton released the updated budget plan today after a revenue department analysis found his earlier plan didn't raise nearly as much money as he had hoped.

The revised plan isn't dramatically different from his first proposal, but it does attach some specific dollar figures to his earlier ideas and contain a few new wrinkles.

The key differences are a tax on credit card companies that charge interest rates that are higher than 15 percent and a 5 percent pay cut for MnSCU employees who earn more than the governor (roughly $120,000 per year).

Dayton says his primary goal is still tax fairness.

"I am the only candidate who will not raise taxes on the middle class. We cannot ask them to pay more," Dayton said.

"My opponents will force them to pay more to stay in their homes and every time they buy clothes for their kids. My plan will emphasize our greatest job creation engine, education, and asks those who are most able to help put Minnesota back on a path to prosperity and keep it a great place to live."

Update:

It should be noted that IP candidate Tom Horner acknowledged to me that his budget plan is roughly $1 billion short on specifics. Republican Tom Emmer has offered a budget framework but has not detailed where the cuts would come from. You can read that story here.

MEDPAC says Horner is just what the doctor ordered.

Posted at 10:52 AM on September 21, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Minnesota Medical Association's Political Action Committee, MEDPAC, has endorsed the Independence Party's Tom Horner for governor. The PAC announced the endorsement this morning in a news release.

The PAC says Horner's support for adopting the MA expansion and his approach to balancing the budget are two of the reasons why the members are supporting him. The group also said Horner's pledge to increase the cigarette tax is also a factor.

"Tom Horner will be an outstanding governor for Minnesota's physicians, patients, and larger medical community," said Dr. Michael Tedford, chair of MEDPAC and an otolaryngologist from Minneapolis. "His deep knowledge of the health care community, as well as his balanced approach to solving the problems facing our state, will serve Minnesotans well as we seek smart, affordable, comprehensive solutions to our health care concerns."

"The issues of access to affordable, quality health care demand a leader who is willing to work with all stakeholders, and with members of all political parties. Horner is that leader," Tedford said.

Buesgens statement on DWI arrest

Posted at 8:21 PM on September 20, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature

GOP Rep. Mark Buesgens released this statement today after reports surfaced today that Wright County Sheriffs deputy arrested Buesgens on Saturday night for allegedly driving drunk.

Here's the statement:

"On September 18 I was arrested in Wright County on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. I fully cooperated with law enforcement in every respect. Tests revealed my blood alcohol content was over the legal limit, and I've been charged with a misdemeanor impaired driving offense. Because the legal case is pending, I've been advised to not comment further on the incident's specifics.

"However, I do want to say that I am very sorry and that I greatly regret my actions and how they have disappointed my family, friends and constituents. I have taken immediate, pro-active steps to address this issue, including scheduling a chemical health evaluation with a certified professional. I will immediately undertake any recommendations made in the evaluation, and I have already made arrangements to start a recovery program.

"I am fully and completely committed to doing everything possible to ensure that these serious issues are addressed appropriately and effectively. I cannot overstate my gratitude for the public's understanding, support and prayers during this difficult time for me and
my family."

-30-

Another DWI with Emmer campaign ties

Posted at 6:31 PM on September 20, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (20 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Associated Press is reporting that the former manager of Republican Tom Emmer's gubernatorial campaign, David Fitzsimmons, was arrested for drunk driving shortly after stepping down from that job back in May.

Fitzsimmons was arrested for DWI in Hennepin County on May 16, but he was not convicted. The revelation about Fitzsimmons followed today's earlier news that state Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan, was arrested for DWI Saturday in Wright County. Buesgens was Emmer's campaign chairman until about a week ago.

Emmer had his own DWI issues in 1981 and 1991.

Durenberger endorses Walz

Posted at 4:30 PM on September 20, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

Former Republican Sen. Dave Durenberger endorsed two-term 1st District DFL Congressman Tim Walz at a news conference this afternoon in Rochester.

"Tim Walz knows how to put partisan politics aside and get the job done. He listens, and he brings people together to solve the challenges we face," Durenberger said. "I support Tim because we need more representatives in Washington who approach problem solving like Tim does."

Republicans are hoping Rep. Randy Demmer, R-Hayfield, will be able to pick off Walz. They're targeting the race and say they see big opportunity in the 1st District, which has traditionally leaned toward the GOP.

In addition to endorsing Walz, months ago Durenberger endorsed the IP's candidate for governor Tom Horner. Horner served as Durenberger's spokesman and his chief of staff when Durenberger was in the Senate.

Horner: K-12 reform "essential"

Posted at 3:33 PM on September 20, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Over the noon hour Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner was at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute, delivering a speech about education reform and then answering questions on the topic.

Horner called for more spending on early childhood education, and more accountability for students, teachers and administrators. Horner said the current model for public education is out-of-date and not as effective as it should be.

MPR will broadcast Horner's entire conversation with Larry Jacobs tomorrow at noon on Midday, but if you want to hear it sooner here it is.

Rep. Buesgens arrested for DWI

Posted at 2:14 PM on September 20, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature

State Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan, was arrested over the weekend for allegedly driving drunk.

WCCO TV reports that a Wright County deputy stopped Buesgens Saturday night after seeing the six-term legislator driving in a ditch near Maple Lake. The report said Buesgens' blood alcohol content was 0.16, twice the legal limit.

Buesgens confirmed the arrest, but he told MPR News that he could not comment further until after a meeting with his lawyer.

Buesgens is running for re-election in House District 35B. He also serves served as chairman of Republican candidate Tom Emmer's gubernatorial campaign.

UPDATE 1
A spokesman for Emmer says Buesgens' last day employed by the campaign was September 12, when moved over to the state party.

UPDATE 2
Tom Emmer released this statement:

"Mark made a serious mistake in judgment. I am thankful that he did not hurt others or himself. Driving under the influence is not acceptable. Mark is a friend. He is a good man. We will help him and his family in any way possible. They are in my thoughts and prayers."

Dayton to release updated budget plan tomorrow

Posted at 12:05 PM on September 20, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign spokeswoman says the campaign will release an updated budget plan tomorrow morning. The campaign has been crunching the numbers after the MN Department of Revenue released an analysis that Dayton's proposed income tax hike on Minnesota's top earners wouldn't generate the money he predicted.

Republican Tom Emmer released a budget plan that relies on spending cuts to erase a $5.8 billion budget deficit. Emmer is also advocating for business tax cuts. Emmer has released a list of targets but hasn't specified which programs he would cut.

The Independence Party's Tom Horner says he would reduce the state's sales tax rate by a percent but would expand the sales tax to clothing and unspecified services. Horner is also calling for billions of dollars in spending cuts.

Clinton writes letter for Clark

Posted at 11:22 AM on September 20, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, U.S. House

Former President Bill Clinton is providing some support for DFL congressional candidate Tarryl Clark.

Clinton wrote a fundraising appeal for Clark, who's trying to unseat incumbent 6th District Republican Michele Bachmann. In the letter, Clinton said the district deserves "a leader who will deliver results instead of divisive partisan rhetoric."

Here's the letter:

Dear ______,

To renew the American promise and make our government actually work for people, especially during these difficult times, we need the best public servants to step forward and lead.

That's why I support Minnesota State Senator Tarryl Clark for Congress, and hope you will, too.

Tarryl is running against Congresswoman Michele Bachmann in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District. The people of the 6th District deserve a leader who will deliver results instead of divisive partisan rhetoric; who will roll up her sleeves and get to work on the critical issues instead of just getting people wound up about them.

Tarryl Clark is the leader Minnesota's 6th District needs in Congress. This race is a truly unique opportunity to change Washington for the better. It will mean a lot to families - in Minnesota and across America -- to have Tarryl Clark working in Congress for the causes that matter to all of us.

As a State Senator, Tarryl has been a voice for common sense, and for the kind of positive change we still so desperately need. She's worked to create jobs and help small businesses expand. She has led efforts to protect senior citizens, to bolster early childhood education, and to invest in critical infrastructure projects. She's worked to make college affordable and health care accessible. She's been a leader on veterans' issues, particularly in helping veterans returning from combat duty transition into to civilian life.

From her accomplishments representing Central Minnesota in the State Senate, to her leadership in heading organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the Community Action Partnership, Tarryl Clark has dedicated her life to making Minnesota better. And she's delivered results.

Tarryl is a friend and ally we can count on, who will make a real difference for Minnesota's families in Congress. But first, she needs our help to win this election.

Join me by making a secure online contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more to Tarryl Clark's campaign today. I'm proud to support Tarryl Clark, and I hope I can count on you to do the same.

Personally,

Bill Clinton

p.s. Tarryl is running a campaign in the Minnesota tradition: with a vast coalition of grassroots supporters, energetic volunteers, and a commitment to common sense values that Minnesotans expect from their leaders. That's how she's going to win. But to do it, she needs your support today. Please join me by making a contribution now.

Newt Gingrich coming to MN

Posted at 1:27 PM on September 17, 2010 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich will raise money for the Minnesota Republican Party on October 6th. The MNGOP is asking donors to give $5,000 a couple. Gingrich, who is considering a run for president in 2012, will speak at the Minneapolis Marriot. Here's the invite:

State Chair Tony Sutton Governor Tim Pawlenty Congressman John Kline Congresswoman Michele Bachmann Congressman Erik Paulsen

Honorary Finance Chairs
Brad Anderson & Bob Ulrich

Invite you to Join
The Honorable Newt Gingrich

For an Exclusive Roundtable Discussion
Wednesday October 6, 2010

At
The Minneapolis Marriott
(Valet Parking Available)
11:00 AM

PoliGraph: Clark one for three

Posted at 12:40 PM on September 17, 2010 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, PoliGraph

DFL State Sen. Tarryl Clark's latest challenge to her opponent Rep. Michele Bachmann goes something like this: cut your salary and budget because I cut mine.

The challenge comes in a new Clark television ad and letter launched Sept. 15.

"When Minnesota faced a record budget deficit, I cut my legislative compensation and budget," Clark said in the ad.

In a separate letter to Bachmann on the same subject, Clark wrote, "You spend more taxpayer dollars on campaign-style mailings and radio ads than any Minnesota Member of Congress. You spend more taxpayer money on self-promoting media staff than on legislative staff."

Clark gets two of these three claims wrong.

The Evidence

"When Minnesota faced a record budget deficit, I cut my legislative compensation and budget."

In the 2007-2008 biennium, Clark made about $102,380, including base salary, a leadership bonus and per diem. This biennium, Clark trimmed her per diem spending by $13,316, or about 13 percent, for a total salary of $89,064. She also declined a communications budget, among other things.

"You spend more taxpayer dollars on campaign-style mailings and radio ads than any Minnesota Member of Congress."

Clark is talking about money Bachmann spends on constituent communications regarding congressional business - her "franking" privileges, which are paid for with public funds. This claim does not concern campaign mailers, which are covered by campaign coffers, not taxpayer dollars, though Clark's staff points out that some of Bachmann's fliers are fancy, full-color spreads that tout her accomplishments.

In late 2009, several articles were written about how much the delegation spends on mail after the U.S. House of Representatives published its first quarterly report on the subject. Indeed, between July 1, 2009 and Sept. 30, 2009, Bachmann spent more than any other member on franking expenses.

But there's more current data available. For the entire congressional session, which includes July 2009 through June 2010, Bachmann comes in fourth behind Reps. Erik Paulson, John Kline, and Tim Walz. During this period, Bachmann spent $171,521 of her more than $2 million budget on franking costs. Paulson, in comparison, spent $262,716 of his more than $2 million budget on constituent mail.

"You spend more taxpayer money on self-promoting media staff than on legislative staff."

Clark's also wrong that Bachmann spends more on her media staff than on her legislative staff. According to Legistorm, a website that tracks Hill staffer salaries on a quarterly basis, Bachmann has so far spent $184,989 on legislative staff this congressional session.

During the same period of time, she's spent only $174,551 on press staff. Narrowing the search to 2009 or the first two quarters of 2010, it's the same story: Bachmann spent more money on legislative staff than on press staff.

The Verdict

Clark has cut her own salary and budget. But the record shows that Bachman is not the biggest spender when it comes to mail. And she's never spent more on her media staff than on her legislative staff.

Sources

Tarryl Clark for Congress, "Challenge," accessed Sept. 16, 2010

Tarryl Clark for Congress, open letter to Rep. Michele Bachmann, accessed Sept. 16, 2010

"Challenge" Fact Sheet

Tarryl Clark for Congress, The Bachmann Agenda: Self-Promoting at Taxpayers, accessed Sept. 17, 2010

Minnesota Independent, Bachmann a member of House's million-franking club, by Chris Steller, Dec. 4, 2009

The Star Tribune, A look at the MN delegation's office expenditures, by Eric Roper, Dec. 1, 2009

The Congressional Research Office, Franking Privilege: Historical Development and Options for Change, Dec. 5, 2007

The U.S. House of Representatives, Statement of Disbursements: July 1, 2009-Dec. 31, 2009, accessed Sept. 16, 2010

The U.S. House of Representatives, Statement of Disbursements: January 1, 2010-June 30, 2010, accessed Sept. 16, 2010

The Minnesota House of Representatives, State Elected Officials' Compensation, accessed Sept. 17, 2010

Legistorm, Rep. Michele Bachmann, staff salaries, accessed Sept. 16, 2010

Rep. Michele Bachmann's legislative staff salaries, created Sept. 16, 2010

Rep. Michele Bachmann's press staff salaries, created Sept. 16, 2010

Interview, Carrie Lucking, spokeswoman, Tarryl Clark, Sept. 16, 2010

Interview, Senate Finance, Sept. 17, 2010

Pawlenty says trade trip kept him off straw poll

Posted at 11:56 AM on September 17, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Pawlenty travel, Tim Pawlenty

The Values Voter Summit is underway in Washington D.C.

A long list of well-known conservatives and some GOP presidential hopefuls are speaking there, but Gov. Tim Pawlenty is not among them.

In a telephone conference call from Tokyo Pawlenty called the Values Voter Summit'an "important group," and noted that he's addressed the summit before. He said he took his name out of the summit's presidential straw poll this time because he was unable to be there in person.

"We certainly appreciate the Values Voter Summit, but I wasn't able to be there because of the trade mission," he said. "And because I was unable to be there, we didn't think it would be appropriate to participate otherwise in the event. So it's fairly straight forward in that regard."

Rep. Michele Bachmann spoke at the summit today. Bachmann's name is included in the presidential straw poll.

Update: AP reports that Bachmann requested her name be taken off the straw poll, and she will not be included.

And more debates

Posted at 5:30 PM on September 16, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The candidates for governor meet again Friday night to debate live on Twin Cities Public Television at 8 p.m. in a forum sponsored by AARP.

And on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. they'll debate again at the Radisson Hotel in St. Cloud, in a forum sponsored by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. The St. Cloud Times reports the debate will be during a regular meeting of St. Cloud Rotary Club, which starts at noon.

It's getting a little hard to keep track of all these, so if you know of any others that are scheduled let us know.

Last night's debate

Posted at 4:22 PM on September 16, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

If you missed the gubernatorial debate sponsored by the Citizens League, the LEAD Project and BringMeTheNews and have been kicking yourself all day, here it is:

Clinton raised money for Clark too

Posted at 2:01 PM on September 16, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

It appears that former President Bill Clinton was in Minnesota to raise money just for Mark Dayton's campaign for governor. Salon is reporting that Clinton held a fundraiser for Democrat Tarryl Clark's congressional campaign. The campaign did not tell reporters about the private fundraiser.

Clinton reportedly took aim at Clark's Republican opponent, GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann:

At a late-night fundraiser for state Sen. Tarryl Clark, Clinton described Bachmann as the epitome of a trend he regards as profoundly dangerous to the nation's future. "Your opponent," he told Clark, "is the ultimate example of putting ideology over evidence."

"I respect people with a conservative philosophy," he continued. "This country has been well-served by having two broad traditions within which people can operate. If you have a philosophy, it means you're generally inclined one way or the other but you're open to evidence. If you have an ideology, it means everything is determined by dogma and you're impervious to evidence. Evidence is irrelevant.

"That's how I see Rep. Bachmann. She's very attractive in saying all these things she says, but it's pretty stupid."

Bachman hits the silver screen

Posted at 12:57 PM on September 16, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann will be the subject of a new documentary. The 6th District Republican will be the focus of a documentary that examines three conservative Congresswoman from "the heartland." The film also focuses on a "reawakening of conservative women."

The documentary is produced by Citizens United, the group that won a U.S. Supreme Court challenge that allowed businesses to spend corporate money on politics (but not give to candidates directly).

Slate's David Wiegel says the film will be released next Wednesday.

Here's the trailer for the documentary.

Horner pitches jobs plan to business group

Posted at 12:05 PM on September 16, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Speaking at a South Lake-Excelsior Chamber of Commerce meeting over the noon hour Thursday, Tom Horner reiterated proposals he says could help turnaround the bleak jobs picture in Minnesota.

Here are the key points of Horner's five-point 'Minnesota Works' job plan:

--Phase out the corporate tax. (He would cut it by 20 percent starting in the 2012-13 biennium).

--Spend $120 million more on education, from early childhood to post-secondary.

--Spend $30 million more in state funds for research at post-secondary schools and create $145 million "Innovation Fund"

--Streamline regulations

--Enact a $400 million bonding bill to improve roads and bridges.

Horner, Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer meet for their 12th debate Friday night on Twin Cities Public Television.

NRCC putting Demmer's seat "in play."

Posted at 10:12 AM on September 16, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

The National Republican Congressional Committee announced today that it's put Republican Randy Demmer in the top tier of "Young Gun status." Demmer is challenging DFL Rep. Tim Walz in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District.

"Randy Demmer has proven that he's ready to take on incumbent Tim Walz, an out-of-touch Democrat who has blindly supported his party's failed agenda of job-killing policies and reckless spending," said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX). "Randy's campaign is a symbol of the growing momentum behind Republican candidates in Minnesota and across the country. As Democrats and their party bosses continue to force their big-government, big-spending policies onto the backs of hard-working families, Republicans like Randy Demmer will continue to present a clear alternative to a Democrat majority that unapologetically spends too much, borrows too much and taxes too much."

Demmer's promotion to the top level of "Young Gun status" is a signal that the NRCC is keeping an eye on Minnesota's 1st. But it's not a solid guarantee that it will deliver national party money on Demmer's behalf. When asked to explain what this promotion meant in real terms, NRCC spokesman Tom Erickson replied:

"It's our policy not to comment on specific strategy, but it means that this seat is most certainly "in play" as voters in southern Minnesota have grow tired of Congressman Walz's support for a reckless agenda that has driven our economy off a cliff."

For a closer look at the race in Minnesota's 1st, check out this story from MPR's Mark Zdechlik.

Update: Here's a response from Walz campaign spokeswoman Sara Severs:

"Representative Demmer may be a "young gun", but he can't shoot straight. He's a typical, career politician whose record proves he has no new ideas, only the same failed policies of the past. There is a clear choice in this campaign and we're confident southern Minnesota voters will recognize his pitiful record for what it is."

Emmer talks K12

Posted at 5:45 PM on September 15, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican Tom Emmer used his time at the U of M's Humphrey School to talk about his proposed changes to the state's K12 schools. Emmer said he wants to continue testing because he believes it's the best way to measure and improve student performance.

"What gets measured will get done," Emmer said.

Emmer also took aim at the Minnesota Miracle (where the state took over more spending of school spending) by saying it the shift wasn't solely focused on student performance. He criticized those who consider the Minnesota Miracle as the model for improving education.

"I think it shows how badly skewed our thinking is on education. The Minnesota Miracle of 1971 was not about improving the way we educate our kids. It wasn't even about improving the performance of students. The Minnesota Miracle refers to changing how we pay for education. The first shjift to more state funding and away from property taxes. In my mind, that's a pretty minor miracle. How we pay for education is not nearly as important as what kind of education our kids get for those dollars."

Emmer also said he'd like to reduce the number of state requirements on school districts. He said he wants schools teaching a large number of disadvantaged students to be able to opt out of several state and local mandates like collective bargaining. He also wants to give other school districts the right to get waivers from certain mandates.

"There are all kinds of state mandates that school districts have to operate within and they don't have a choice. I'm suggesting we give them the opportunity to say 'if we get us out from under this mandate, it's going to allow us the freedom to make certain decisions which will let us put resources in place where we think they are going to be more effective than they are right now."

During the Q and A with the Humphrey School's Larry Jacobs, Emmer also discussed the budget, federal oversight and his decision to cut spending on higher education. When a student question asked "How would you assist students so they don't graduate from college with $50,000 in debt?", Emmer responded that he understood the frustration since he did the math with seven kids but ...

"I'm reminded that I paid my own way. I paid my own my way through college and did it myself. A lot of you are doing the same thing. It took me until my early thirties to pay off the loans that I did have to take for law school. Partly it's your responsibility. I will tell you that right up front. You need to take control of your destiny. You need to be responsible for it."

Emmer added that he would like to see students be guaranteed a fixed tuition from a university for the four years that the student goes to that school. He also added that he would like to see a better marketplace to find lower interest rates to pay school.

Here's Emmer's speech: Listen

Here's the q and a with Jacobs: Listen

MNGOP calls on Horner to have budget analyzed

Posted at 2:55 PM on September 15, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The MNGOP is calling on Independence Party candidate Tom Horner to submit his budget plan to be analyzed by the Minnesota Department of Revenue. The party made the request one day after Revenue officials said Mark Dayton's income tax proposal is well short of his initial projections. MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton said Horner should allow the department scrutinize his tax hikes.

"Many believe that your tax plan's math just doesn't work. I suggest that you prove your plan's honesty before attacking others' plans," Sutton wrote in a letter to Horner.

Horner is proposing to expand the sales tax to clothing and "unspecified services" while lowering the overall rate.

Update: Horner campaign spokesman Matt Lewis issued this statement this afternoon:

The Horner-Mulder Minnesota Works budget outline relies on publicly available data from the Department of Revenue and the nonpartisan Minnesota House of Representatives research department. We are confident that the estimates in the Minnesota Works budget accurately reflect the cost of the tax reforms proposed, and are pleased that experts including former Federal Reserve Senior Vice President Art Rolnick have cited the Horner-Mulder proposal as the best of the three candidates' plans. Per the agreement of the three gubernatorial candidates we have asked the Department of Revenue to confirm that those estimates are accurate and will report the findings as soon as they are available to us.

PoliGraph: Byberg right on Peterson's voting record

Posted at 12:00 PM on September 15, 2010 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, PoliGraph

Seventh District congressman Collin Peterson is not your average Democrat.

The 10-term DFLer gets high marks from the National Rifle Association, plays guitar, and is more likely to be found in the halls of Congress wearing cowboy boots than Oxfords.

But a YouTube ad from Peterson's Republican opponent Lee Byberg seeks to puncture Peterson's reputation as a maverick.

"Collin Peterson knows that Minnesota's 7th District didn't support Barack Obama and his socialist agenda," states an ominous voiceover while a man lists Peterson's voting offenses on a white board. "This is why he's so careful to paint himself as a middle-of-the-road candidate... It's time to retire a lifetime politician who votes with Speaker Nancy Pelosi well over 90 percent of the time."

Byberg is correct that Peterson's recently been following the party line. But it hasn't always been that way.

The Evidence

This investigation will not rule on whether Obama has a socialist agenda, as the ad states; that's a matter of opinion. Instead, this PoliGraph test will focus on whether the ad gets Peterson's voting record right.

Generally speaking, Peterson's district is conservative. Voters there have supported Republicans in the last three presidential elections, although John McCain defeated Barack Obama by just three percentage points in the 7th in 2008.

Byberg's right that Peterson votes frequently with his party leaders. Of the 1,483 votes Peterson cast during this congressional session, he's voted with his party about 93.3 percent of the time, according to The Washington Post. That puts Peterson just above his party's average of 92.2 percent.

Peterson's so-called party unity score hasn't always been so high. During the 109th Congress, the last session before Democrats took over the House of Representatives, Peterson voted with his party only 78.7 percent of the time. Between 1995 and 1997, Peterson claimed a party unity score of 64 percent - the lowest of his career.

The Verdict

Byberg's claim is accurate: In the current session of Congress Peterson voted with his party more than 90 percent of the time.

Sources

Lee Byberg for Congress, Collin Peterson 101, accessed Sept. 14, 2010

Congressional Quarterly, Member Profile: Collin Peterson, accessed Sept. 14, 2010

The Washington Post, Votes Database: 111th Congress, accessed Sept. 14, 2010

The Washington Post, Votes Database: 109th Congress, accessed Sept. 14, 2010

The Washington Post, Votes Database: 104th Congress, accessed Sept. 14, 2010

The Wall Street Journal, In the House, It's Peterson vs. Climate Bill, by Steven Powers, June 22, 2010

Collin Peterson, Peterson Op-Ed: Amendments to Climate Change Bill Were Necessary, July 16, 2010

Congressional Quarterly, Partisanship and Presidential Support in the Bush Era, by John Cranford and Rachel Bloom, accessed Sept. 14, 2010

Clinton fundraiser attracts between 250 to 300

Posted at 10:16 PM on September 14, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Former President Bill Clinton's fundraiser for Democat Mark Dayton's gubernatorial bid attracted between 250 to 300 people. Here's the pool report filed by AP's Brian Bakst:

I was escorted into the room at 9:10 p.m. Dozens of people were walking around a Graves 601 hotel ballroom as a band played on a stage set up to the side of the room. At the head of the room, was a podium flanked by Minnesota and U.S. flags.

"Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow," an anthem of Clinton's runs for president, played just before he entered the room about 9:20 p.m. He took the stage along with Democratic nominee Mark Dayton, his running mate Yvonne Prettner Solon and Dayton's two sons. All four stood on stage as Clinton spoke.

Among those in attendance, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. Several state legislators were also in attendance. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie left before Clinton arrived. Two Democrats Dayton beat in the August primary were also on hand, Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Matt Entenza.

Party staffers said President Clinton stood for VIP photos before he delivered his remarks. Between 250 and 300 people were expected for the event, paying anywhere from $100 to $1,000 each. Some of the proceeds were going to Dayton's campaign and other money was flowing to the state party. Officials wouldn't give an estimate of the amount raised.

Dayton spoke only briefly ahead of Clinton, introducing the former president. "You're not here to hear about me. You're here to hear a great man, a great leader, former President of the United States, Bill Clinton."

Clinton took to the podium, where he spoke for about 35 minutes, some from notes and some off the cuff.

Clinton opened by commenting on his family's friendship with Dayton, who served with former Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Clinton spent much of his time talking about the need to give Democrats more time to get the country past its economic problems, which he said were lingering from the administration that preceded the one in place now. He made light of the tea party and its bearing on Republican politics, suggesting party elders wouldn't fit into today's party.

"A lot of their candidates today, they make him look like a liberal," Clinton said of former Republican President George W. Bush.

"It used to be that Republicans were evidence-based, not dogma-based," Clinton said. "They have thrown all that overboard. This is about dogma and big special interest under the guise of the tea party."

"There's a lot of voter anger out there and that anger is legitimate. Millions of Americans feel disempowered," Clinton said.

"To those voters, we should honor their anger. Tell them we're mad too. But the question is when you're mad what do you do with your anger. You have to channel it to something positive? ... Honor the anger but tell people not to let it cloud their judgment."

Clinton ran down Dayton's biography and pronounced him more than qualified for the job he's after.

"I feel like I know this man. He has a good heart and he has a good mind and what he'll do is predictable."

Of Tom Emmer, whom Clinton didn't refer to by name: "Near as I can tell, he wants to get rid of government."

Clinton finished speaking just before 10 p.m. and left the stage to shake hands with people in the room. He left the room at about 10:04 p.m.

Emmer's plan and reaction to it

Posted at 4:37 PM on September 14, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican Tom Emmer released a budget plan that spends only what the state is set to collect in revenue over the next two years. Emmer released a budget plan that outlined his budget targets but didn't detail specific cuts, saying that should be worked out with the Legislature.

His proposal for the next two years cuts spending for higher education, aid to cities and counties, and state agencies. He would also slash projected growth in health and human services programs by nearly 3 billion dollars . Emmer said his plan is the most specific of the candidates running for office and holds the line on taxes.

Reaction to his budget plan was swift.

Katharine Tinucci, Dayton's deputy campaign manager:

"Rep. Emmer's plan will cut funding for Higher Education by 14%, K-12 Education by 14%, and Local Government Aid by 33%. He will thus cause huge increases in property taxes, higher college tuitions and seriously damage the quality of education throughout Minnesota. Furthermore, his drastic cuts in funding for Health and Human Services will restrict access to essential health care for those most in need.

By contrast, Mark Dayton will invest in better education and new jobs. He will protect middle-class taxpayers by making our tax system fairer, while Tom Emmer will raise property taxes and Tom Horner will expand the sales tax."

Hibbing Mayor Rick Wolff, president of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities:

"Tom Emmer's plan to cut $1.1 billion in property tax aids and credits would continue the status quo policies that have nearly doubled property taxes over the past eight years on families and businesses. Under Tom Emmer's plan, we'll all feel the pain when we dig deeper into our wallets to pay more for the services that keep our communities strong: police, fire protection, libraries, parks, snow plowing, senior centers and more. Strong, affordable communities are what have made Minnesota the envy of other states for decades, and that appears to be a legacy Tom Emmer's plan would dismantle."

Donna Cassutt, Minnesota DFL State Associate Chair:

"Representative Emmer has conveniently ignored the nearly $2 billion Governor Pawlenty borrowed from the schools, but has not forgotten about his friends in big business. By refusing to pay back the $1.8 billion owed to Minnesota's schools, Tom Emmer will devastate K-12 education. By slashing vital health and human services, Tom Emmer will jeopardize the well-being of Minnesota's children and senior citizens. By making sure that only big corporations receive tax breaks, Representative Emmer will be forcing property taxes sky high for middle class Minnesotans. Minnesotans deserve more."

Chris Coleman, mayor of St. Paul:

"Tom Emmer's budget plan is a continuation of the last eight years under Tim Pawlenty's disastrous fiscal management, which has left Minnesotans struggling in the face of the largest property tax increase in a generation. The Emmer plan will result in huge tax increases, severe cuts to core public safety services and drastically change the quality of life our residents want and deserve."

Tony Sutton, Republican Party of Minnesota chairman:

"With Minnesotans making the necessary sacrifices to balance their budgets, it is time for the government to do the same. To that end, Tom Emmer crafted a plan which draws down the $6 billion projected deficit for FY 2012 - 2013, and focuses taxpayer resources on essential services.

Firm in his conviction that Minnesota cannot shoulder the higher tax burden which Mark Dayton and Tom Horner have proposed, Tom Emmer has put forth a plan that won't raise taxes. To address the current deficit, Tom Emmer seeks to stabilize runaway Health and Human Services spending, reform Local Government Aid, and put bureaucracy around the state on a much needed diet."

Minnesota Medical Association President Benjamin Whitten, M.D.:

The physicians of Minnesota are deeply concerned about Tom Emmer's proposal to cut Minnesota's health care safety net by an additional $2.25 billion. We know that nearly 75 percent of state Medicaid spending is spent on services for people with disabilities and the elderly. We also know that state spending on health care is being driven by increased enrollment in state programs (particularly in the economic downturn), an aging population, and increased use of the health care system.

Without knowing all the details, the impact of a proposal like this is that something will have to give. The state would have to either cover fewer Minnesotans or fewer services or lower payment rates for care. These options would increase the ranks of the state's uninsured and reduce access to doctors, hospitals and clinics.

Cutting people off the state's balance sheet will not eliminate the cost of treatment. It will just result in someone else paying for it -- either the hospitals or clinics that treat these patients or the state's employers through higher private sector premiums.

Emmer releases budget targets

Posted at 3:04 PM on September 14, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer today bet his campaign on whether Minnesotans will accept a state budget for the next two years that cuts spending on higher education, aid to cities and counties and state agencies. His plan (read the release from the campaign here) would also slash projected growth in spending on health and human services progams and continue a spending delay for Minnesota schools.

Emmer laid out the broad strokes of his budget on the same day that DFLer Mark Dayton acknowledged his plan to raise taxes on the state's highest earners doesn't raise as much money as he thought.

Emmer says the state has to live with as much money as it is due to collect over the next two years and no more. He laid out broad targets for where he would spend that $33 billion dollars, but said the details of which programs would be cut and how they would be cut will have to be worked out with the Legislature next year.

Some of what Emmer proposes are real cuts--higher education, for example would get about $300 million less in the next biennium than it gets now. Aids and credits to local governments would see an actual cut of $550 million and state agencies would see a cut of about $550 million.

But Emmer finds big money in slowing projected growth in spending. Specifically in the area of health and human services, which is projected to grow by nearly $3 billion in the next biennium, Emmer's plan allows for growth of only $667 million. Emmer would not say whether that limited growth means fewer people would be eligible for state health programs or whether they would see lower benefits.

"We have set the most aggressive budget targets," Emmer said. "We have also told you that one of our priorities is that we work with both parties because you have the Legislative bodies and we're not going to tell them that their ideas are not welcome here. But you must live within your means. In this case, we have shown you that this is what can be done and will be done if we're in the office."

Emmer announced earlier that his budget plan would hold the line on spending for K-12 schools and that he would not begin to fix a delay in state spending for schools until 2014.

While Emmer gave only broad numbers of his proposal, he said he was still being more specific than his major party opponents, Democrat Mark Dayton and Tom Horner of the Independence Party. Both Dayton and Horner have proposed raising taxes. Emmer's plan includes a tax cut of more than $600 million for businesses.

"Sen. Dayton and Tom Horner have announced their budget priority: preserving the status quo in government," Emmer said. "They are both members of the political class, who think raising taxes on hard-pressed Minnesotans is better than asking government to become more efficient."

Emmer's budget announcement comes on the same day that Dayton announced that his plan to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners is well short of projections. The Department of Revenue analyzed Dayton's tax proposal and said it would generate nearly $1.9 billion over the next two years. Dayton has claimed the income tax hike along with a variety of other tax increases would produce double that.

Neither Dayton nor the Independence Party's Tom Horner have commented on Emmer's budget plan yet.

Update: Horner said he doesn't think Minnesotans will accept Emmer's plan because it makes deep cuts in health care, aid to cities and counties and higher education:

"It leaves people who are trying to go to college out in the cold. He's got to raise tuition rates through the ceiling. It says to Greater Minnesota "the jokes on you" and leaves them in the lurch. It's gong to say to nursing homes in the state, 28% of which are already in financial peril, we're going to push you off the cliff."

Horner also emphasized that he doesn't think the Legislature would pass this plan because the cuts are too deep to core government programs.

Update: Dayton's campaign manager released this statement on Emmer's budget plan:

"Rep. Emmer's plan will cut funding for Higher Education by 14%, K-12 Education by 14%, and Local Government Aid by 33%. He will thus cause huge increases in property taxes, higher college tuitions and seriously damage the quality of education throughout Minnesota. Furthermore, his drastic cuts in funding for Health and Human Services will restrict access to essential health care for those most in need.

By contrast, Mark Dayton will invest in better education and new jobs. He will protect middle-class taxpayers by making our tax system fairer, while Tom Emmer will raise property taxes and Tom Horner will expand the sales tax."

Dayton's income tax hike is well short of his $4 billion projection

Posted at 1:19 PM on September 14, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign for governor released revenue estimates crunched by the Minnesota Department of Revenue that shows Dayton's proposed tax hike on Minnesota's top earners is well short of the $4 billion he's been projecting. (Update: The campaign points out that he was proposing $4 billion in new spending from a variety of areas but the biggest portion of his plan is the income tax hike).

Dayton requested the analysis after he pledged to not raise the rate higher than the top rate in the nation (Hawaii's rate is 11%). The Revenue Department said increasing the state's top rate from 7.85% to 10.95% would produce $1,899,300,000 in new revenue in the next two year budget (Read analysis here). Dayton's campaign spokeswoman Katie Tinucci said in a news release that the results show the campaign needs to find more revenue and additional spending cuts to balance a projected $5.8 billion budget deficit.

"These projections show that more work is needed to identify additional sources of revenues for making Minnesota's state and local taxes more progressive, a promise that Mark Dayton will keep, if he is elected Governor. It also shows the need for our continuing efforts to find additional areas to cut government spending that will not harm early childhood, K-12, and higher education.

"Mark Dayton is the only candidate with a tax plan that will protect the middle class, by making taxes fair again in Minnesota, rather than expanding the regressive sales tax, as Mr. Horner proposes, and the even more regressive property tax, as will Rep. Emmer's non-proposals."

Dayton also requested several projections. The 10.95% rate was the highest. Here's a link to the analysis of all of Dayton's requests.

Dayton's campaign released the projections after reporters requested it from the campaign and the Minnesota Department of Revenue. He is also proposing a property tax increase on $1 million homes and wants to expand gambling.

Republican Tom Emmer is scheduled to release the third part of his budget plan later today.

Boehner promises Demmer a spot on the Ag Committee

Posted at 1:03 PM on September 14, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio has promised 1st District Republican candidate Randy Demmer a spot on the House Agriculture Committee if Demmer defeats DFL Rep. Tim Walz. Boehner, who is likely to become Speaker if Republicans take the majority, made the announcement in a news release:

"Randy Demmer has my full support for a seat on the House Agriculture Committee. As a retired farmer, Randy understands the challenges facing farmers, ranchers, and rural communities," said House Republican Leader John Boehner. "He would be a strong advocate for solutions that address the issues facing agriculture communities, and I look forward to working with him, the Republican leadership, and the Members of the Steering Committee to place him on the House Agriculture Committee at the earliest possible opportunity"

The move won't mean a dramatic difference if Demmer defeats Walz since Walz currently sits on the House Ag Committee. The state's clout could diminish over ag policy, however, if the GOP takes control of the House (regardless of what happens in Minnesota's 1st). That's because DFL Rep. Collin Peterson currently chairs the House Ag Committee.

Update: Walz campaign spokeswoman Sara Severs issued this statement:

Farmers have a clear choice in southern Minnesota. They can choose Tim Walz and his hard work on the Agriculture Committee and the 2008 Farm Bill, or they can go with Representative Demmer and John Boehner's failed policies of the past. There's a reason why John Boehner's "Freedom to Farm" legislation is commonly referred to as the Freedom to Fail bill in Minnesota: because of its disastrous effect on Minnesota agriculture.

Wisconsin's late primary

Posted at 12:43 PM on September 14, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010

The primary election season comes to a close today in Wisconsin and six other states where officials did not comply with a federal requirement for an earlier vote.

Under the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, states must provide a 45-day window between the primary and general elections to ensure that the votes cast by military personnel and other Americans living abroad get counted back home. Minnesota lawmakers moved the state primary from September to August. Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says a few states tried to get waivers.

"When the federal government stepped in I think they rolled the dice and said we're going to ask to avoid this this time and not implement it until the next election," Ritchie said. "Wisconsin rolled the dice and they lost. The federal government said no, and so they have a mess on their hands."

Wisconsin will accept absentee ballots from overseas voters until November 19, under an agreement reached with the U.S. Justice Department.

Tincher headed back to the DFL

Posted at 12:01 PM on September 14, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The campaign manager for Margaret Anderson Kelliher's failed gubernatorial campaign is headed to the DFL Party to direct the party's Get Out the Vote efforts. Jaime Tincher ran Kelliher's campaign for governor. Kelliher narrowly lost the primary bid to former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton.

Tincher is a whiz at targeting likely voters and ensuring that they turn out to the polls. Her hire is also a signal that Kelliher and her loyal backers are unifying behind Dayton's campaign. She ran the DFL Party's coordinated campaign in 2008.

Dayton talks taxes

Posted at 5:18 PM on September 13, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton appeared at the U of M's Humphrey School today to talk about his plan to increase income taxes on Minnesota's top earners. Dayton detailed why he believes the state needs higher income taxes. He also said he's supporting a new property tax bracked on million dollar homes and would "look" a sales tax hike on luxury items as long as the taxes are progressive.

Dayton said he's unwilling to make Minnesota's income tax rate the tops in the nation. He suggested to reporters after the forum that he was looking at a "10.9% or 10.8% rate" when asked how much lower his income tax rate would be compared to Hawaii's 11% rate. Minnesota's top rate is currently 7.85%.

Dayton said the Minnesota Department of Revenue looked at "various scenarios" regarding Dayton's income tax plan. The campaign says it will release that information tomorrow.

You can listen to Dayton's speech here: Listen

You can listen to Dayton's q and a with the Humphrey School's Larry Jacobs here: Listen

Republican Tom Emmer will be at the U of M for a similar event on Wednesday. The Independence Party's Tom Horner will be at the U of M on Monday, September 20th.

More ads in 1st District

Posted at 3:37 PM on September 13, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2008: U.S. MN CD1, Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

Last week DFL Rep. Tim Walz rolled out his first TV ad of the 2010 election.

Today Rep. Randy Demmer, R-Hayfield, who's challenging Walz, unveiled 3 new radio spots. Two of Demmer's radio ads directly criticize Walz; one for supporting the health care overall and the other for expanding the scope and cost of government.

The Demmer campaign did not say how much its ad buy cost but says the ads will run for two weeks on radio stations throughout southern Minnesota.

The ads are audio only, but Demmer's campaign released them on You Tube.

Carlson predicts potential Horner landslide

Posted at 2:45 PM on September 13, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson says he's certain voters will elect Independence Party candidate Tom Honer as Minnesota's next governor by a wide margin, if they pay attention to the campaign.

Carlson announced his endorsement of Horner today in a series of public events, where he said the IP candidate is offering the best budget proposals for the state. Horner has consistently run third in preference polls. During a news conference on the steps of the State Capitol, Carlson said his role in the coming weeks is to help voters pay attention to Horner.

"I don't want to sit on the sidelines," Carlson said. "I want to be an activist. I've told Tom Horner wherever you want me to go, whenever you want me to go, let me know and I'll do my best to be there, and I mean it."

State GOP officials downplayed the endorsement, calling Carlson a former Republican who governed during what they termed as the "relatively carefree" 1990s.

DFLer Mark Dayton Dayton said the endorsement is a signal that the Republican Party is divided between Horner and Republican candidate Tom Emmer.

"I'm a Democrat running against a corporate Republican and an extreme Republican so it fits," Dayton said. "Arne was a moderate Republican."

Here's the audio of the Horner event: Listen

Arne backs Horner

Posted at 6:18 AM on September 13, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson announced this morning that he's backing Tom Horner's campaign for governor. Horner, of the Independence Party, will travel the state with Carlson today. Here's the release:

Governor Carlson endorses, travels state with Horner

This morning former Minnesota Governor Arne H. Carlson endorsed Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner. Gov. Carlson gave Horner his enthusiastic support this morning on KARE-11 TV's Sunrise program before heading to press conferences in Rochester, St. Cloud and on the steps of the State Capitol. Following a press conference coinciding with a public meet and greet in Rochester, Gov. Carlson and Horner will travel by bus to the south steps of the capitol for a major press conference.

Please join us for today's public events:

Rochester Art Center, Grand Lobby -- 9 a.m. press conference
State Capitol, south steps - 12 p.m. press conference
St. Cloud Public Library, Mississippi Room - 3 p.m.

Gov. Carlson cited Minnesota's dire financial situation in his announcement. Carlson pointed out that the current record $5.8 billion deficit is the product of poor fiscal management dating back to 2003, when lawmakers began to rely on one-time money to fix long-term budget holes rather than make the tough decisions necessary to address the structural shortfall. Carlson said Horner's budget plan is a mix of "realism and redesign" and that Horner is the only candidate in the race who has the vision, plan and capabilities to restore financial integrity to the state.

"If you believe, as I do, that our problems are too large and the other candidates too extreme to be trusted with the future of the state, this election demands we take another path," said Carlson.

# # #

PoliGraph: Dayton's public worker claim on target

Posted at 2:49 PM on September 10, 2010 by Catharine Richert (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

With all the talk about taxes and spending, this year's gubernatorial race is a debate over the size of Minnesota's government.

While his opponents point to the size of Minnesota's public sector workforce as evidence that government has gotten too big, DFLer Mark Dayton says the talking point is a myth.

"Minnesota ranks, according to Census Bureau, the 10th lowest state in the number of state and local government employees per capita among the states," he said during a debate in Winona Aug. 19, 2010. "It's just one of these myths that's perpetrated that we're overinflated with public employees. It just simply isn't true."

Dayton nearly hits the mark with this claim.

The Evidence

Annually, the U.S. Census Bureau measures the number of federal, state, and local civilian government employees in each state. The survey is required by law, and it's this data that Dayton's staff points to support his claim.

According to an analysis done by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, a union for many state workers, Dayton's correct. (AFSCME has endorsed Dayton for governor.)

With approximately 36,000 full-time state government employees, Minnesota has the 10th leanest workforce in the country. That translates to 71 government workers for every 10,000 people.

(It's important to note that Dayton said "per capita," not per 10,000 employees, but it's an error PoliGraph will let slide because looking at this data per capita would produce very small, not very useful numbers. For instance, per capita, there are about .007 full-time state employees for every person living in the state.)

But Dayton said state and local employees, and the AFSCME analysis excludes local government workers.

Expanding the analysis to include all state and local government employees counted by the U.S. Census Bureau nevertheless produces similar results. By this measure, Minnesota has the 12th smallest public sector workforce in the nation, with about 450 government employees per 10,000 people.

The Verdict

Dayton got a few things mixed-up with this claim, but he's well within range to say that Minnesota has one of the smallest state and local government workforces in the country.

This claim is accurate.

Sources

The U.S. Census Bureau, Government Employment and Payroll: About the Survey, accessed Sept. 10, 2010

The Star Tribune, New normal is painful for state employees, by Lori Sturdevant, 4/19/2009

PoliGraph, analysis of state and local workers, created Sept. 10, 2010

Interview, Jeremy Drucker, spokesman, Mark Dayton, Sept. 8, 2010

Interview, Mike Messina, researcher, AFSCME, Sept. 8, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

Dayton asking for up to $10k for Clinton event

Posted at 2:50 PM on September 10, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign for governor is asking donors to give between $1,000 and $10,000 for Tuesday's fundraising dinner featuring former President Bill Clinton. The proceeds of the event will be split up between Dayton, the DFL Party and other candidates.

The Clinton fundraiser will be held at the Graves 601 Hotel in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. No word yet on whether the event will be open to the press.

McCollum announces DFL rallies, third debate

Posted at 1:41 PM on September 10, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

Congresswoman Betty McCollum says she will headline a series of town hall rallies aimed at energizing DFL voters.

McCollum announced the 4th District rallies today in a news release. The first event is scheduled at Macalester College Chapel on Monday, Sept. 13, starting at 5:30 p.m. Other rallies are scheduled on Sept. 18, at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center in St. Paul, and on Sept. 25, at the Sheet Metal Workers Hall in Maplewood.

In addition, McCollum has agreed to participate in an MPR News-sponsored radio debate for sometime during the week of Sept. 21 Oct. 25. The exact date has not been determined. The White Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce and League of Women Voters of St. Paul are sponsoring two other 4th District congressional debates.

Yesterday, McCollum's Republican challenger Teresa Collett was criticizing the incumbent for declining to attend a KSTP-TV debate.

Gov candidates debate school issues at debate

Posted at 11:51 AM on September 10, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer says he would wait until 2014 to begin paying back a $1.4 billion school funding delay. He also says he won't cut school funding from current levels if he's elected governor. Emmer released his budget plan before a debate today that focused on education issues. He says his top priorities as governor will be job creation and schools.

"Our schools will be a priority because I believe our children's education is fundamental to our success. As governor, I will protect classroom funding."

Emmer has yet to release a detailed plan to erase the state's projected $5.8 billion budget deficit, but his plan to delay paying back the school funding shift would reduce the shortfall $1.4 billion. Democrat Mark Dayton says Emmer isn't protecting school budgets if he declines to pay back the school funding shift. Dayton has promised to pay back the shift in the first budget cycle and increase funding for schools every year he's governor.

Democrat Mark Dayton says Emmer can't say he's holding K12 school funding "harmless" if he's not paying back the school funding shift. Schools across the state have been forced to borrow money to meet their cash flow needs. Dayton says his plan to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners is geared specifically to getting more money to schools.

"Public education's problems today are first and foremost financial. Can we reform them? Yes. Must we reform them? Absolutely, yes. Can we make public education better? Yes and we will. But we're not go to do that by cutting and cutting and cutting and forcing more borrowing and putting you in precarious financial situations when you don't know from one year to the next how much you have to operate. And when you do, that funding is taken away from you."

Dayton is making a commitment to pay back the full K12 funding shift and spend more money on schools every year he's governor. Tom Horner with the Independence Party says more money is needed for schools but also wants better results.

"The investment is based on what is the outcome that we want to achieve? And the outcome we need to achieve are our kids graduating from 12th grade with the skills they need to success in life. And when you back up from there, you better make sure they're reading by grade level in third grade and they're coming into kindergarten ready for success and we have parents who understand parenting skills."

Horner says he also won't start paying back the school payment delay in the next budget cycle.

Horner is proposing to expand the sales tax to clothing and some services but lowering the overall rate.

The debate, which was sponsored by the Association of Metropolitan School Districts and moderated by Keesha Gaskins at the League of Women Voters, can be heard here: Listen

Emmer promises to hold K12 funding harmless

Posted at 8:03 AM on September 10, 2010 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican Tom Emmer outlined his plans for K12 schools today. Emmer promised to hold K12 funding harmless in the next budget cycle. He also said, if elected, he would repay the K12 funding shift beginning in Fiscal Year 2014 (the next budget cycle).

Emmer also outlined other "reprioritizations" of K12 funding. They include raising academic standards, reducing state mandates and rewarding performance.

Emmer's campaign has said this is the second phase of his budget plan. He has yet to outline how he'll erase the state's budget deficit. However, by delaying the K12 shift, the deficit will be reduced by $1.4 billion.

I'll post Emmer's full release once it's available.

Here's the release:

Tom Emmer today released the second part of his budget plan at a candidate forum sponsored by the Association of Metropolitan School Districts.

"Next to creating new jobs in the current tough economy, our highest priority as a state must be educating our kids well," said the Republican nominee for governor. "In tough times, I believe we must prioritize state government spending for the most important public services: I believe our children's education is fundamental to our future success. As governor, I will protect classroom funding."

Emmer noted that Minnesota is competing in a global economy in which business competitiveness and educational excellence are preeminently important.

"My budget promise for public education is two-fold: First, ensure that K-12 funding is held harmless in the next biennium and second, expect improved results through broad reforms," the GOP nominee said.

"We will begin to repay the $1.4 billion education shift in FY 2014. We will do so faster by growing our economy and putting Minnesotans back to work which is why we must enact our jobs creation agenda," added Emmer.

Emmer said that he envisions these reforms to include initiatives related to teacher effectiveness, kindergarten readiness, redesign of teacher preparation programs and enhancement of our accountability system for schools.

Tom Emmer's Budget Plan for Improving Education

1. Hold K-12 education funding harmless in the next biennium.

State general fund spending for FY 2010-11 is set at $13.3 billion. Tom Emmer is committed to ensure that this critical spending of the budget is not reduced.

2. Reprioritize some existing K-12 funding to address critical needs.

Approximately 40% of the state's general fund spending is for K-12, some changes in priorities can be accomplished without undermining local school districts' effort.

* Redirect funding from existing state child care and basic sliding fee child care program to early child education in order to ensure all children are ready for kindergarten.
* Create urban school district empowerment zones and reduce state mandates by allowing school districts to have greater authority to operate their districts.
* Reducing state mandates for all school districts.

3. Insist on major reforms to improve classroom instruction and learning.

Minnesotans throughout the state take pride in their local schools, but they also expect more from them. Tom Emmer believes that reform of K-12 education is essential to maintain Minnesotans' ability to:

* Raise academic standards.
* Ensure accountability for results.
* Reward performance.
* Ensure effective teachers in every classroom.

4. Repay the education funding shift.

If elected Tom Emmer will begin repay the $1.4 billion education shift in FY 2014. By enacting the Emmer Jobs Agenda and putting Minnesotans back to work, the economy will grow and repayment may be triggered more quickly.

- 30 -

Collett and McCollum camps trade barbs over debates

Posted at 4:58 PM on September 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (34 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

Republican Teresa Collett is criticizing DFL Rep. Betty McCollum for declining to attend a KSTP-TV/League of Women Voters debate which was scheduled to be taped on September 19th. Collett called on McCollum to explain why she is declining to attend the debate.

"What does Betty McCollum have to hide from the voters besides her record", Collett asked in a news release.

McCollum's political director Will Blauvelt said the campaign declined to attend the debate because KSTP's owner, Stanley Hubbard, has given $2,000 to Collett's campaign.

"We don't do debates where the sponsoring organization has made political contributions to our opponents," Blauvelt said. "We've had the principle for three or four cycles now."

Blauvelt said the McCollum campaign would likely accept a debate request if another TV station offered it. He also said the McCollum campaign has accepted two other debate requests.

The first is scheduled at the White Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce on September 21st. The event will be at Jinny's Conference and Catering. Blauvelt said the other debate will be sponsored by the St. Paul League of Women Voters on October 21st.

Nader backs Pentel's gov run

Posted at 4:39 PM on September 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Ralph Nader, a former Green Party candidate for President, endorsed Ken Pentel's campaign for governor. Pentel is running as a member of the Ecology Democracy Party. He has run for governor in 1998, 2002 and 2006 as a member of the Green Party.

Here's a statement from Nader (released by Pentel's campaign):

"In a 2000 Business Week poll, over 70% of the people said corporations have too much control over their lives. This was before the corporate outrages, corporate militarism and Wall Street Collapse, recession and bailout of the past decade.

Ken Pentel gets this feeling by a large majority of Americans in an experienced and knowledgeable way. He is a long time Minnesotan, fighter for fairness, justice and wise and healthy use of natural resources - air, water, soil, energy.

Ken Pentel's present run for Governor is for you and your children. Watch him, listen to him, question him, invite him and see if you agree with me that on November 2 you have a real choice for a change.

As he bicycles across the entire state of Minnesota, chances are good that you'll have an opportunity to do these things in person."

TV debate planned on senior issues

Posted at 3:40 PM on September 9, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The three major candidates for governor are scheduled to discussed issues related to older Minnesotans in a televised debate next week.

Twin Cities Public Television and AARP Minnesota are sponsoring the debate, which will air live Friday, Sept. 17, at 8:00 p.m. An AARP news release today said the hour long broadcast will cover "health care reform, state budget priorities, economic security for older Minnesotans and preparing Minnesota for our aging demographic."

Ellison warns Muslims not to "take the bait"

Posted at 12:32 PM on September 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, U.S. House

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison spoke with MPR's Tom Crann this morning about the controversy over a Florida pastor who wants to hold a Quran book burning on the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, says Muslims in this country and elsewhere shouldn't "take the bait." He's worried there will be violence that would just play into the stereotypes that led to the Quran burning in the first place.

Ellison also defended the pastor's right to burn the holy book. He said as a lawyer, an American and a Muslim he has to stand up for the guy's right to be incendiary, but that doesn't mean the guy's right.

You can listen to the full interview here: Listen

Update: AP is reporting that the pastor cancels plan to burn Qurans on Sept. 11, heeding to outcry.

Humphrey School to feature gov candidates

Posted at 11:07 AM on September 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The U of M's Humphrey School will feature one on one interviews with the three major party candidates for governor.

The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance is sponsoring the forums to "foster informed and substantive discussion of important matters of public policy."

Here's the schedule:

Senator Mark Dayton (DFL) Monday, September 13, 2010 Noon - 1:15pm

Representative Tom Emmer (GOP) Wednesday, September 15, 2010 1:00 - 2:00pm

Tom Horner (IP) Monday, September 20, 2010 Noon - 1:15pm

Jindal to raise money for Emmer on Monday night

Posted at 11:03 AM on September 9, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal will raise money for Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor on Monday night. The fundraiser will be at the Minneapolis Hilton at 6pm. Donors are being asked to give $500 a person. I'm checking to see if the event is open press. An Emmer spokesman says the fundraisers are closed to the press at this point.

Walz to air first TV ad of campaign

Posted at 5:05 PM on September 8, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik
Filed under: Campaign 2008: U.S. MN CD1, Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

DFL Rep. Tim Walz today unveiled the first TV ad of his 2010 re-election campaign.

Walz rolled out the ad at news conferences in Mankato and Rochester. The two-term incumbent's 30-second spot features a Vietnam veteran applauding Walz for his efforts to help veterans.

The Walz campaign said the ad would run in the 1st District, but wouldn't give details about how much the ad buy cost or how long the ad would run

Walz's Republican challenger, State Rep. Randy Demmer, is planning TV ads too, but Demmer's campaign would not say when its ads will be on the air.

Here's the Walz ad:

Kelliher looks back, ahead

Posted at 4:00 PM on September 8, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature

House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher has kept a pretty low profile since her second-place finish to Mark Dayton in the DFL primary last month.

But Kelliher was back at the State Capitol this week for a meeting of the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy, and she stopped by the MPR News bureau to talk briefly about the primary, the general election and her political future.

"I'm doing well," Kelliher said. "You get to catch up on all the things that you don't get to do for about a year and a half or two years of time."

Kelliher was the DFL endorsed candidate for governor. Dayton did not seek the party endorsement, and he beat Kelliher in the primary by 6,971 votes. Kelliher said she hasn't spent much time second-guessing her campaign.

"It's always a time and resources question in a campaign," Kelliher said. "So having a little bit more time -- it was clear that we were surging -- and it was also clear that just having a little bit extra money would have made a difference. But I did raise more money than any other DFL endorsed candidate for governor ever has."

Kelliher said primary night was a rollercoaster, as she watched her strong, early lead gradually disappear. News organizations called the contest for Dayton late that night, but Kelliher waited until the next day to concede. She said she does not regret that decision.

After six terms, Kelliher will step away from Minnesota House at the end of the year. She said she'll then be looking for a new challenge. Kelliher also said politics remains a future option.

"I would not rule out another statewide run," Kelliher said. "But I think that that's probably a ways away."

Here's the full interview: Listen

PoliGraph: Emmer wrong on rhymes

Posted at 2:00 PM on September 8, 2010 by Catharine Richert (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

"Origami bird. You have great long wings to fly. Why do you sit still?"

The haiku imprinted on the sidewalk of the corner of Western Ave and Selby Ave. in St. Paul and other sidewalk poems in the Capitol city are irking Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer.

During an MPR-sponsored Sept. 3, 2010 debate at the Minnesota State Fair, Emmer promised to reform local government aid so it can't be used to pay to put poetry on the sidewalks.

"LGA should be applied to what it was intended for," he said. "It should pay for essential services defined as police and fire service and sewer and water infrastructure. That's should what it should be going for, not to etch poetry in sidewalks in St. Paul."

There's no truth to Emmer's claim.

The Evidence

Local government aid, which was put on the books nearly three decades ago, is meant to help Minnesota communities with smaller tax bases provide the same services as larger, more affluent cities. Aid is distributed based on city size and population, among other things, and it goes directly into a city's general fund.

Emmer said that local government aid was intended to pay for essential services, such as the police force and fire fighting, and often it is. But his statement implies that there are restrictions on how it can be used. In fact, local government aid can be used however a city sees fit - including sidewalk poetry.

Even so, no local government aid was used in Everyday Poems for City Sidewalk, the project that has Emmer so fired up.

Rather, the entire project is paid for by a group called Public Art St. Paul, and has been since 2008 when it began. Costs include paying Marcus Young, the artist behind the project, the graphic designers who create the poetry templates, and the poets themselves. All told, it's cost the non-profit about $80,500 since 2008, according to Christine Podas-Larson, president of Public Art St. Paul.

Emmer's staff points out that the City of St. Paul advertises the project on its website. And it's true that Public Art St. Paul and St. Paul Public Works have teamed up to support the program; it's public works employees who imprint the poems during annual sidewalk repairs, a process takes only a few minutes, Podas-Larson said.

Where does funding for the sidewalk repair come from? Not local government aid, according to the City of St. Paul. Repairs are paid for with bonds and Right of Way Assessments, a fancy name for a fee city dwellers pay to keep streets, lights and sidewalks in top shape.

The Verdict

This case is clear cut: Emmer's claim about local government aid is false.

Sources

"Origami bird," by Madeline K. Schuster

Minnesota Public Radio News, State Fair gubernatorial debate, Sept. 3, 2010

The City of St. Paul, Sidewalk poetry, accessed Sept. 7, 2010

The City of St. Paul, Sidewalk poetry FAQs, accessed Sept. 7, 2010

Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, Chapter 477A. Local Government Aid, accessed Sept. 8, 2010

The State Auditor of Minnesota, Local Government Aid and Its Effect on Expenditures, Feb. 10, 2003

City of St. Paul, 2010 Adopted Budget, accessed Sept. 7, 2010

Interview, Bob Hume, deputy chief of state for St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, Sept. 7, 2010

Interview, Christine Podas-Larson, president, Public Art St. Paul, Sept. 7, 2010

Interview, Pat Dalton, legislative analyst, Research Department, Minnesota House of Representatives, Sept. 7, 2010

Clinton and Biden to campaign for Dayton

Posted at 9:00 AM on September 8, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton's campaign announced today that former President Bill Clinton and Vice-President Joe Biden will campaign for Dayton's campaign for governor.

Dayton campaign officials says Clinton will campaign for Dayton on September 14th. Biden will campaign for Dayton on October 5th.

The New York Times also reported earlier this week that President Obama will also campaign in Minnesota over the next two months.

On abortion, Emmer changes the subject

Posted at 4:35 PM on September 7, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

An interesting moment at the gubernatorial debate in Duluth today. A woman who identified herself as Elizabeth asked a question about abortion: "I would like to ask these gentlemen what their philosophy is on abortion and specifically what your policy is on taxpayer funded abortion in Minnesota?"

The candidates' responses in order:

Tom Horner-- "I think we all agree we ought to reduce abortions. And so I've laid out a very specific plan that says I think we get to reducing abortions by making sure that all women have access to good health care, including access to contraceptives. I think we get there by making sure that we have responsible sex education in the schools. It was disappointing that Gov. Pawlenty turned down the federal grant that would have expanded good, responsible, including abstinence-based sex education in the schools. And I think we make an investment in adoption services. That's what a governor can do to make good public policy to achieve the goal that I think most Minnesotans agree on; reduce the number of abortions."

Tom Emmer-- "You know what, I appreciate the question, and, you know, Jacquie and I, we believe in life. But I've got to tell you, this election; it has to be about what is hurting the state of Minnesota--the loss of jobs. It's got to be, the economics are front and center. These are important issues, no doubt, but we've got to start talking about why Minnesota is not able to do the things it might want to do. We've got to talk about reforming our education system. We've got to talk about reforming our government delivery systems. More importantly, we've got to talk about growing jobs again in the state of Minnesota. That should be job number one for the next governor of this state, and those issues will be handled by the Legislature."

Mark Dayton--"I think the decision is between a woman and her doctor and her God. And I believe abortion should be safe, legal and rare."

On his website Emmer is quite clear where he stands on the abortion issue:

As a husband of 24 years and the father to seven children, nothing is more important to me than family. I strongly believe in the sanctity of human life, from conception to natural death. As a legislator, I have voted 100% pro-life and introduced numerous bills and amendments to protect the unborn. As Governor, I will continue to support the rights of the unborn, the elderly and the infirm.

By the way, if you missed the debate here it is: Listen

Next debate to focus on education

Posted at 4:08 PM on September 7, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Association of Metropolitan School Districts is sponsoring a gubernatorial debate Friday, focused exclusively on education issues.

The event is scheduled for 8:00 a.m., at the TIES building, 1667 Snelling Avenue North in St. Paul. The association's executive director, Scott Croonquist, said all three major party candidates (Mark Dayton, Tom Emmer and Tom Horner) are confirmed.

A gubernatorial debate focused on health care issues is scheduled Wednesday at St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, but DFLer Dayton cannot attend due to a previous speaking commitment.

Fairgoers weigh in on budget, other issues

Posted at 1:45 PM on September 7, 2010 by Mark Zdechlik
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

Now that the Minnesota State Fair is over, the nonpartisan Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services has unveiled the results of an informal, unscientific poll of fair goers.

The survey shows that a slim majority, 50.1 percent, said a combination of spending cuts and new revenue should be used to erase the budget deficit projected for the next biennium.

Legislative staffers said 9,926 people participated in their State Fair Poll. The survey also found participants rejected by a 2-1 ratio using public money for a new Vikings' stadium.

Strong majorities also favored a photo ID requirement for voting and ending the state's moratorium on new nuclear power plants.

Pawlenty asks for federal Medicaid money

Posted at 11:44 AM on September 7, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty

Gov. Tim Pawlenty today asked U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for about $260 million in federal funding for Medicaid and foster care.

If you're confused about the governor's stand on federal funding you're forgiven, because it's complicated. Last week Pawlenty issued an executive order to state agencies telling them to avoid applying for discretionary funding under the federal health care law which he referred to as "Obamacare."

The pot of money he asked for today came from a different law designed to help states during the economic crisis. Pawlenty had originally counted on this money in the budget plan he proposed to lawmakers early this year.

What's the difference? The governor's letter says this money reflects "current and longstanding Minnesota policy objectives and commitments." He also writes that Minnesota gets back only $0.72 for every dollar the state sends to Washington and that "Minnesota taxpayers subsidize the federal government."

Here's his letter.

If you missed the State Fair debate...

Posted at 1:52 PM on September 3, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

It was a good one.

You can listen to it again here.

Watch the MPR debate here

Posted at 11:00 AM on September 3, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

This is a live feed so you can see the gubernatorial debate from the fair. If you click on this after noon, you'll see Garrison Keillor and if you click after 1, you'll see all kinds of other wonderful things from the fair (at least until we turn the camera off).

PoliGraph: Clark right on Bachmann bridge claim

Posted at 12:02 PM on September 3, 2010 by Catharine Richert (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, PoliGraph

DFLer Tarryl Clark frequently criticizes Michele Bachmann for neglecting the needs of the 6th District.

Case in point: In an Aug. 20, 2010, letter to her supporters, Clark pointed out that her Republican opponent failed to bring home money to help repair a local bridge.

"Despite this threat and the lessons that should have been learned from the I-35W Bridge collapse, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann refused to secure the funding needed to replace the Highway 23 bridge, a critical transportation artery in our community," Clark wrote.

Clark's claim is essentially correct. But there's a bit more to the story.

The Evidence

In 2007, after the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed, a flurry of bridge inspections occurred across the state.

To cover emergency repairs and other transportation projects, the Legislature overrode Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto of a massive transportation funding bill in late February of 2008. The measure included $600 million in bridge repairs.

On March 20, the DeSoto Bridge in St. Cloud - the bridge Clark is referring to - was shut down because of structural deficiencies.

The next day, Bachmann pledged to forgo earmarks, money that's set aside during the congressional appropriations process for local projects. And shortly thereafter, she told government and transportation officials that she would not renege on her promise. Instead, she said she would find other sources of funding to help rebuild the bridge.

While some area leaders expressed concern about Bachmann's "no earmarks" pledge, it appears that the Minnesota Department of Transportation wasn't so keen on federal help in the first place.

In an April 16, 2008, letter from Bachmann to Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Bachmann reiterated her resistance to earmarks for the project. But she wrote that during a conference call with the transportation department, one official "noted that [the department] does not want any congressional earmarks through the Fiscal Year 2009 federal appropriations process to finance replacement of the DeSoto Bridge. In fact, the official noted that the use of federal earmarked dollars would actually slow down the accelerated replacement plan for which our community is so desperate."

The next day, in an interview with the St. Cloud Times, transportation department spokeswoman Lucy Kender confirmed that waiting for federal funding would likely slow the rebuilding process.

Ultimately, the state relied on the transportation funding bill passed earlier in the year.

The Verdict

Though Clark glosses over the fact that the Legislature had already set aside funding for bridge repair projects, her claim is basically accurate.

Sources

Tarryl Clark for Congress, email to supporters, Aug. 20, 2010

The Minnesota Department of Transportation, Highway 23, St. Cloud, accessed Sept. 2, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio, St. Cloud dedicates new Granite City Crossing Bridge, by Ambar Espinoza, October 26, 2009

Minnesota Independent, Bachmann will forgo earmarks for Desoto bridge, by Andy Birkey, March 31, 2008

Website for Rep. Michele Bachmann, Bachmann Takes Pledge Against Pork, accessed Sept. 2, 2010

The Associated Press, Bachmann Defends 'No Earmarks' For Bridge, April 25, 2008

The St. Cloud Times, A vow for bridge funds, by Lawrence Schumacher, March 29, 2010 (subscription only)

The St. Cloud Times, MnDOT rules out earmarks, by Lawrence Schumacher, April 17, 2008 (subscription only)

The Minnesota Transportation Alliance, Minnesota's Transportation System: A Guide to the Essentials, 2008

Rep. Michele Bachmann, letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, April 18, 2010

Rep. Michele Bachmann, page one: letter to Gov. Tim Pawlenty, page two: letter to Gov. Tim Pawlenty, April 16, 2008

Interview, Carrie Lucking, spokeswoman, Tarryl Clark, Sept. 1, 2010

Interview, Margaret Donahoe, Executive Director, Minnesota Transportation Alliance, Sept. 2, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

Candidates for governor debate at fair at 11

Posted at 9:55 AM on September 3, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and the IP's Tom Horner will debate at the Minnesota State Fair at 11 on Midday with Gary Eichten.

If you're at the fair, it's NOT at the MPR booth. It's at Carousel Park near the grandstand building.

If you're not at the fair, you can listen on the radio and/or watch the web cam here.

Emmer acknowledges son's "mistake"

Posted at 12:34 PM on September 2, 2010 by Mike Mulcahy (14 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Dogged by his opponents' criticism of his own drunken-driving arrests in 1981 and 1991, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer on Thursday acknowledged that his 20-year-old son Tripp was cited for underage drinking in July.

The alternative Twin Cities newspaper City Pages today posted photos on its website showing Emmer's 20-year-old son Tripp holding beer bottles at a party.

State court records show that in July Tripp Emmer pleaded guilty to an underage drinking petty misdemeanor citation. He paid a $100 fine and $85 in fees.

City Pages doesn't reveal the source of the Facebook photos it said were taken when Tripp Emmer was 19. The paper said the photos have since been removed from Facebook.

Tom Emmer's opponents have already made an issue of his DWI arrests. Emmer has not addressed the arrests in detail, but in a video on his website last spring, he said he had made mistakes and that God had given him a wakeup call.

Tripp Emmer appears in his father's first TV campaign ad.

One of the photos shows Tripp Emmer giving a thumbs-up sign over an apparently unconscious woman whose arms and face have obscene cartoons drawn on them.

This isn't the first time a candidate's family members have been drawn into a campaign.

In 2008, at the GOP National Convention in St. Paul the pregnancy of vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's then 17-year-old daughter Bristol became national news. In the 2000 campaign former GOP Sen. Rod Grams had to respond to the arrest of his son Morgan on a variety of felony charges.

In a statement released late this morning, Emmer did not address the photos but acknowledged his son's citation for underage drinking.

"My son made a serious mistake and has paid the consequences," the statement said. "It was a mistake which many Minnesota families are all too familiar with. Like all the other challenges in life, our family is dealing with our son in this matter with humility, seriousness, and love."

Emmer says a plan is coming soon

Posted at 11:35 AM on September 1, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer says he will begin rolling out a plan next week that should be of interest to small business owners.

Emmer isn't offering specifics, but he provided a few clues today to state leaders of the National Federation of Independent Business. The NFIB presented Emmer with its Guardian of Small Business Award. During a brief speech to the group, Emmer repeated his pledge to reduce taxes and state regulation. He said his plan is aimed at creating more opportunities for businesses to expand and develop in the coming years.

"It's not about having no government," Emmer said. "The idea is not to be the discount stop for business in the United States of America. We have a great state. We need to maintain our quality of life, but we've got to start competing again, not only with other states, but the world, in order to keep our business."

Emmer said he was told that France is currently courting a major Minnesota company. He didn't name the company during his remarks, and remained closed lipped later when talking to reporters. Emmer also refused to answers questions about his forthcoming plan.

"You'll see it when do it next week," Emmer said.

DFLer Mark Dayton and the Independence Party's Tom Horner have regularly criticized Emmer for not yet releasing a detailed plan for balancing the state budget.

PoliGraph: Bachmann right on beer, wrong on bacon

Posted at 12:39 PM on September 1, 2010 by Catharine Richert (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2008: U.S. MN CD6, Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, PoliGraph

Beer. Bacon. Corn dogs.

What sounds like the recipe for a great day at the Minnesota State Fair is also the subject of Michele Bachmann's latest ad against her DFL opponent Tarryl Clark.

"While you're at the fair, you should know that Tarryl Clark here voted to raise taxes on your corn dog, and your deep-fried bacon and your beer," Jim the Election Guy, a fictional character featured in Bachmann's ads, tells viewers. "So, if you see Tarryl Clark while you're at the fair, just ask her: What's up with voting to tax my beer?"

Here's what's up with that: When it comes to corn dogs and bacon, Bachmann's claim is on shaky ground. But she's right that Clark voted for higher taxes on beer.

The Evidence

Bachmann's staff points to a handful of votes Clark cast during her time in the state senate as support for the claim.

Corn dogs and bacon

First, it's important to note that Minnesota's sales tax does not apply to food bought at the grocery store. But it does apply to food that is sold in restaurants or by other food vendors, including those at the state fair.

In 2008, Clark voted for a constitutional amendment that would have raised the sales tax by 3/8 of 1 percent to protect water and land - commonly known as the Legacy Amendment. After the Legislature passed it, voters approved the tax increase.

So, it's wrong to say that Clark voted for the sales tax increase. Rather, she voted to let Minnesotans vote on the Legacy Amendment.

Bachmann's campaign also points out that Clark voted twice in 2007 and 2008 respectively against amendments that would have allowed a referendum on a metro area sales tax increase meant to help pay for transportation improvements.

Bachmann reasons that, without the referendum, voters did not have the opportunity to stop the sales tax. But that's a stretch: voting against a referendum is not the same as voting for a sales tax increase on corn dogs and bacon as the ad says.

Beer

In 2009, Clark voted several times to increase taxes on beer, wine and liquor. But the legislation was vetoed, so the beer sold at the state fair is not subject to a recent tax increase as the Bachmann ad implies.

The Verdict

It's true that Clark voted for a sales tax increase on beer. But Bachmann's ad is wrong when it comes to corn dogs and bacon: Clark never voted to increase taxes on either.

Sources

YouTube, "State Fair," accessed Aug. 31, 2010

Minnesota Department of Revenue, Fact Sheet: Food and Food Ingredients, accessed Aug. 31, 2010

Michele Bachmann for Congress, Script and Fact Sheet, accessed Aug. 31, 2010

Tarryl Clark for Congress, Fact Check: Michele Bachmann Uses Voter-Approved Legacy Amendment to Attack Tarryl Clark, Aug. 31, 2010

Senate Journal, April 3, 2006, page 4525

Senate Journal, March 23, 2007, page 1267

Senate Journal, Feb. 21, 2008, page 6637

National Trust for Historic Preservation, Minnesota Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, accessed Aug. 31, 2010

Senate Journal, May 8, 2009, page 4466

Senate Journal, April 24, 2009, page 2754

Interview, Zach Rodvold, campaign manager, Sen. Tarryl Clark, Aug. 31, 2010

Interview, Sergio Gor, spokesman, Rep. Michele Bachmann, Aug. 31, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

Who's in line to be MN House Majority Leader?

Posted at 3:38 PM on August 31, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, MN Legislature

There are several DFL members of the Minnesota House who are working to help their colleagues get reelected this year. Some of those candidates are also looking at becoming the second in command of the Minnesota House.

DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher is retiring this year. That means current House Majority Leader Tony Sertich will likely take the House's top spot if Democrats regain the majority. That leaves a vacancy for House Majority Leader.

Several names have popped up. They include Joe Atkins from Inver Grove Heights, Melissa Hortman from Brooklyn Park, Erin Murphy from St. Paul and Steve Simon of St. Louis Park.

All four candidates told me they're interested in the position but are more worried about regaining control of the House.

If the House GOP picks up 21 seats, they'll regain the majority. GOP House Minority Leader Kurt Zellers will be elected Speaker. House GOP spokesman Kevin Watterson says he hasn't heard of anyone talking about the Majority Leader position in the GOP caucus.

Tim Kaine headed to Minnesota

Posted at 1:15 PM on August 31, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Tim Kaine, chair of the Democratic National Committee, will be in Minnesota tomorrow. DNC spokesman Frank Benenati says Kaine will be "meeting with donors and activists (i.e. raise money).

He will also hold a news conference with Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Mark Dayton, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. The topic of the newser will be Dayton's "commitment to partnerships between state and local government."

Firefighters are supporting Dayton

Posted at 11:18 AM on August 31, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The statewide union representing firefighters is backing DFL candidate Mark Dayton in the race for governor.

Minnesota Professional Firefighters officials announced their endorsement of Dayton one day after the union representing Minneapolis police backed him. A statewide police union is also supporting Dayton. During a news conference today (Tuesday) outside a Minneapolis fire station, Dayton declared himself the public safety candidate.

"With layoffs in Duluth and consideration in Brainerd of eliminating a paid fire force, it just shows again how continuation of support for local government aids is so crucial to the ability to sustain the essential services that peoples lives depend on," Dayton said.

Firefighters endorsed Republican Tim Pawlenty for governor in 2002 and 2006. MPFF president Tom Thornberg says the union screened several candidates back in June but chose not to make an endorsement until after the primary. He said Republican Tom Emmer was invited but did not participate in the screening.

State Fair debate on Friday

Posted at 5:11 AM on August 31, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

With a new MPR News/Humphrey Institute poll showing the race for governor too close to call, Friday's State Fair debate could be important for the candidates to highlight their differences.

Democrat Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner have all confirmed for the event.

MPR News is hosting the debate at 11am in Carousel Park on the State Fairgrounds. Stop by if you're at the Fair. If you can't make it, tune in live or listen here.

Minneapolis police union backs Dayton

Posted at 11:38 AM on August 30, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis is backing Democrat Mark Dayton in the race for governor.

Union leaders say their board voted unanimously for Dayton after screening all three major party candidates. The federation's previous two endorsements for governor went to Republican Tim Pawlenty. But during a State Capitol news conference today, president John Delmonico said police are not looking at party affiliation.

"I don't like to think of us as a partisan union," Delmonico said. "I like to think of us as we endorse the best candidate. And clearly the last two governors races I believe we endorsed the best candidate. In this race, I believe, I know we're endorsing the best candidate. So I look at it who the person is, what the bring to the table instead of what party they're with."

The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis has more than 800 members. Dayton called it an important endorsement. He also has the backing of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.

Klobuchar is on Midday

Posted at 10:37 AM on August 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar will be on MPR's Midday today at 11am. You can listen live on the radio or here.

Clark hits the air

Posted at 6:25 AM on August 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

The ad wars in Minnesota's 6th District have begun. Democrat Tarryl Clark is on the air with a so-called bio ad that describes her as family member, a youth minister, a daughter of a veteran and as someone "who met a payroll." It also discusses how she worked to cut her own expenses in office. You can watch the ad here.

The ad comes one week after GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann went on the air with her "Taxin' Tarryl" ads.

Bachmann: no personal antipathy towards Obama

Posted at 9:56 PM on August 29, 2010 by Annie Baxter (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House, U.S. House

GOP Congresswoman Michele Bachmann told MPR that the various rallies she participated in this past weekend in D.C. were not motivated by harsh feelings towards President Obama.

Bachmann held a "Tea Party Rally" on the Washington Monument grounds Saturday. It was one of several conservative gatherings she attended. According to the Star Tribune, Bachmann encouraged the crowd to shout the phrase "You lie!" during her rally. South Carolina Republican Joe Wilson had yelled the phrase at President Obama during an address to Congress.

But at a festival in Woodbury yesterday, Bachmann described the D.C. rallies as being about unity.

What I saw this weekend was not so much an antipathy towards President Obama on a personal level, what I saw was a great unity. People are saying 'We love this country. We want this country to succeed. We want to see prosperity. We want to see growth. We want to see people's lives improve for the better.' That's what I saw this weekend.

She continued:

And it's a question now of policy difference. What can we do to make that happen? And there's legitimate policy differences that we have, and that's I think that's what November will be all about.

Bachmann's address in D.C. came on the heels of conservative broadcaster Glenn Beck's rally on Saturday. Beck, a fierce critic of President Obama, has accused the president of racism towards white people.

Bachmann's opponents in the sixth congressional district race were also working the crowds at the Woodbury festival Sunday. DFL State Senator Tarryl Clark walked the parade in Woodbury and shook hands with well-wishers afterwards. Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson also set up a booth at the Woodbury fair and talked with voters.

Tarryl Clark has criticized Bachmann for spending too much time outside of the district at events like those held in Washington this past weekend. Bachmann told me such criticisms are "despicable" and says she's home every weekend.

Local tea party groups form state coalition

Posted at 9:47 AM on August 27, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010

Tea party coordinators from throughout the state have announced a new umbrella organization called the Minnesota North Star Tea Party Patriots (MNSTPP).

The coalition is affiliated with the national Tea Party Patriots organization. According to a news release, the goal of MNSTPP is to unite dozens of groups around Minnesota to promote fiscal responsibility, free markets, and Constitutionally limited government.

"We're not here to tell local groups what to do," said board member Randy Liebo. "The point is to keep communication open and coordinate efforts when possible."

PoliGraph: Emmer's public sector salary claim inconclusive

Posted at 6:09 PM on August 26, 2010 by Catharine Richert (14 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

During a debate in Golden Valley, Tom Emmer put public sector employee salaries in his cross-hairs.

"On average, a person who works in the private sector in a job similar to that of somebody who's working in the [public] sector is making on average 30 to 40 less," the Republican gubernatorial candidate said on Aug. 26, 2010.

When it comes to national averages, he's correct. But a closer look at these numbers tells a different story.

The Evidence

Emmer's office clarified that he's talking about total employee compensation, not just salaries. He also is speaking of state and local employees, not federal workers. When overall compensation, including benefits, is taken into account, private sector employees make about $27.73 an hour while public sector employees make about $39.81 an hour, according to the most recent statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So overall, public sector employees make about 43.6 percent more in total compensation.

However, these numbers can be misleading because they include wages and how much it costs employers to provide benefits. For instance, a public sector worker is paid an average of $26.25 an hour. On top of that, it costs the government an additional $13.56 on average to cover health care, paid leave and other benefits -- for a total of $39.81 per worker.

So, it's useful to look only at hourly wages and salary. On average, private sector employees made $19.58 an hour. Meanwhile, public sector employees made $26.25 - about 33 percent more than private sector workers.

Emmer's essentially on the mark when it comes to national averages for public and private sector employment. Still, his statement is misleading for several reasons.
First, he implies that, job for job, public sector workers make 30 to 40 percent more than private sector employees. That's not necessarily true. For instance, the average state government computer programmer makes $29.70 an hour while the average computer programmer working at a private firm makes an average of $36.40 an hour. And a lawyer working for government makes, on average, 26 percent less than a lawyer working at a private firm, according to the Federal Salary Council.

In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics stresses that it's dangerous to compare public sector average pay to private sector average pay because the government work force is more skilled than the private sector work force, so average hourly pay is naturally lower.

The Verdict

When it comes to national averages, Emmer's correct that public sector employees make 30 to 40 percent more than their private sector counterparts. But his claim is misleading because he implies that this rule works for job-to-job comparisons; in fact, there are plenty of private sector jobs that pay more than public sector jobs. His claim is inconclusive.

SOURCES
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation - March 2010, accessed Aug. 26, 2010
Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2009 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates by ownership: State government, including schools and hospitals, accessed Aug. 26, 2010
Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2009 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates by ownership: Cross-industry, private ownership only, accessed Aug. 26, 2010
Office of the Legislature Auditor, State of Minnesota: State Employee Compensation, Feb. 3, 2000, accessed Aug. 26, 2010
The Federal Salary Council, Memo: Level of Comparability Payments for January 2011 and Other Matters Pertaining to the Locality Pay Program, accessed Aug. 26, 2010
The Cato Institute, Employee Compensation in State and Local Governments, by Chris Edwards, Jan. 2010
The Heritage Foundation, Inflated Federal Pay: How Americans Are Overtaxed to Overpay the Civil Service, by James Shek, July 16, 2010
Interview, Carl Kuhl, Emmer for Governor, Aug. 26, 2010
Interview, Jim Nobles, Legislative Auditor, State of Minnesota, Aug. 26, 2010

GOP trackers get new shirts

Posted at 4:46 PM on August 26, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (7 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

State Republican party officials have designed special tee shirts for their trackers to wear when following and filming DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton.

The clothing, unveiled today at the State Fair, comes in response to Dayton's recent complaint that GOP trackers were trying to intimidate him and his supporters. He also suggested partisan trackers wear some kind of identification.

The Republican shirts include identification along with critical messages aimed at Dayton.

Update

A spokeswoman for Dayton declined to comment specifically on the shirts, but she suggested the GOP spend more time trying to explain candidate Tom Emmer's plan for reducing the deficit.

Conservative group to start running ads tonight targeting Dayton

Posted at 2:43 PM on August 26, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Minnesota's Future, a group headed by several conservatives, is scheduled to start running TV ads tonight. The Independent Expenditure group is headed by GOP political consultant Chris Tiedeman and FLS Connect's Jeff Larson. Both Tiedeman and Larson declined to talk specifics on the ad but a source with knowledge of the media buy said $686,490 worth of ads will run on TV stations in the Twin Cities, Mankato and Rochester. The ads will start running today through September 9th. (See update below).

Larson, a close confidante to former GOP Sen. Norm Coleman, confirmed the ads will start running this week but declined to offer any more detail.

"I don't have to much to say on it. The ads are going up today and we'll see them later tonight but I'm not going to preview them or really talk about them until they air."

Larson told the Associated Press last week that the group would help "pro-business" candidates.

It isn't certain who is funding Minnesota's Future. The group filed a campaign finance report on July 20th that said it had $820.45 in the bank. That means the group received most of the money for the ads after the August 10th primary. The next reporting deadline for committees to file a campaign finance report is September 21st.

Update:

Tiedeman called me back to say that the ad will focus on Democrat Mark Dayton's tax and spending record. He also said the ad buy will not be $700,000 but a little more than half of that ($350k).

Update: Here's the ad:

Here's a little analysis:

The ad summarizes Dayton's plan to increase income taxes but fails to mention that it would only hit Minnesota's top earners (for singles an after tax income of $130,000, for couples an after tax income of $150,000). The ad cites this MPR story saying Dayton wants to raise taxes $5 million, which he said.

The ad is a bit misleading by saying Dayton wants to increase property taxes and the so-called e-mail tax.

Dayton has been proposing a higher income tax on Minnesota's top earners because he complained that additional cuts to Local Government Aid would force higher property taxes. Dayton has proposed increasing property taxes on homes that cost more than $1 million.

As far as the e-mail tax, the ad is citing this PC World that says Dayton advanced an e-mail tax as a way to tackle spam. What the ad doesn't mention is that Dayton advanced that proposal in Congress. What is misleading about is the ad suggests Dayton would tax e-mail as a part of his budget balancing plan. That is not included in his budget plan.

Update: Dayton's Deputy Campaign Manager Katie Tinucci issued this statement about the ad:

"This is just lies, lies and more lies from people who won't identify themselves. Mark has made it absolutely clear that his plan to close Minnesota's budget hole and to invest in education will raise taxes only on the richest Minnesotans. This attack is especially ironic since it's Mark's plan that will prevent property tax increases. And Mark promised in 2003 to vote against any email tax in the U.S. Senate and has never suggested it in this campaign. Mark is determined to put an end to the middle class carrying the tax burden in Minnesota--it's time everyone paid their fair share."

Gov Debate focuses on past statements and public employees

Posted at 12:38 PM on August 26, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The three candidates for governor debated compensation for public sector employees today at a debate in Golden Valley. Independence Party candidate Tom Horner also worked to suggest that his DFL and Republican opponents are shifting positions.

When asked for ways to solve projected deficit in the state's public pensions, Republican Tom Emmer said he thought the state needed to shift state employees to a 401k style retirement package. He also complained that public employees are making too much than their counterparts in the private sector.

"This is where the imbalance comes in. Not only do our public employees make on average thirty to forty percent more than private sector employees in the same positions but then they have health care insurance that's gold plated health care while people in the private sector are lucky to keep theirs..."

Emmer was citing studies by two conservative groups and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Democrat Mark Dayton said he didn't think it was fair for Emmer to denigrate public employees.

"People who work their entire careers in the public sector don't make a lot of money in total and they don't have a lot of retirement income but they have secure income. They bargain for those retirement benefits as they bargain for their health insurance and the school districts in this state buy their insurance in the private market."

Independence Party candidate Tom Horner said he would work to fix the state's public pension system through benefit cuts, higher employee contributions and more public money. He also said Democrat Mark Dayton has repeatedly criticized him for extending the state's sales tax to some services but pushed to extend the sales tax to legal services when he ran for governor in 1998. He also criticized Republican Tom Emmer for repeatedly voting no on bonding bills during his six years in the Legislature but now telling voters he supports a bonding bill.

"I'm impressed that it took Senator Dayton a decade to change some of his core positions. Representative Emmer seems to do it from debate to debate and that's not what Minnesota needs. We need a clear vision. We need a clear focus on where we are going."

Dayton said he is older and wiser than he was in 1998. Emmer said he opposed the bonding bills during his time in the Legislature because it didn't include the right priorities.

You can listen to the entire debate, sponsored by the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce, here: Listen

Planned Parenthood backs Dayton

Posted at 2:47 PM on August 25, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund has endorsed DFL candidate Mark Dayton in the race for governor.

In a news release today, PPAF president Sarah Stoesz said that Minnesotans have embraced Dayton's vision for the state, including his commitment to affordable and accessible health care for all.

"As our U.S. Senator, Mark Dayton demonstrated his dedication to Minnesota women and families." Stoesz said. "He has a long history of fighting for what's right: access to affordable and high quality health care, including family planning, and protecting the health and safety of women. He has always been a true champion for women's health."

Stoesz also praised Dayton's selection of state Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon as his lieutenant governor running mate. She said Solon is a proven advocate for women and families.

Gov candidates talk infrastructure

Posted at 2:29 PM on August 25, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

At their latest debate, Republican Tom Emmer, Democrat Mark Dayton and Tom Horner from the Independence party talked transportation issues during a 90 minutes debate this morning sponsored by a variety of transportation interests.

Dayton is proposing a one billion dollar bonding bill, which he says could create nearly 30,000 jobs. He said it makes sense to borrow because the need for road work comes when interest rates are low.

"There's both the short term benefit of a $1 billion bonding bill in a state that has a gross state product of $263 billion, I mean that's not going to tip the scales But in terms of the economic recovery, it's going to make a significant contribution. 28,500 jobs through a $1 billion of public investment is a good deal for the people of Minnesota."

Horner would spend less than half of that. Horner used the debate to rip Dayton's spending plans and his income tax increase on the top ten percent of wage earners.

"That's not nearly enough to pay for the billions and billions and billions of dollars that you're promising in new spending and there aren't enough bonding bills in the world that are going to help small businesses if they're not in business because they're having to pay rates that are at the top of the nation."

Dayton defended his tax proposal, saying more than 90 percent of small business owners don't report enough income to get hit by the higher rate.

Republican Emmer has never voted for a bonding bill as a state legislator. He said the bills should be used only for long-term projects and that they are instead used for political purposes.

"They should not be used to pass policies like a policy on greenhouse has emissions that would not otherwise not get through the legislative process. They should not be used to give out a Christmas tree full of gifts to convince career politicians to give their votes in other areas where they might not otherwise provide them."

You can listen to the full debate here: Listen

The three candidates are scheduled to take part in another debate tomorrow. The TwinWest Chamber will host that debate in the morning.

MPR's Mark Zdechlik wrote the story and gathered the audio for this blog post.

PoliGraph: Horner's small businesses claim cuts both ways

Posted at 12:00 PM on August 26, 2010 by Catharine Richert (7 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

In a recent gubernatorial debate in Winona, Tom Horner and Mark Dayton traded barbs over taxes.

Horner, the Independence Party's candidate, said Dayton's plan to raise taxes on the wealthiest Minnesotans would hurt small businesses.

"What Senator Dayton is proposing is not just a tax on success, it is a tax on job creators," he said on Aug. 19. "When we have most small businesses in Minnesota paying taxes at the individual income tax rate, we're now robbing their ability to make investments to retain some of their earnings and make investments in new jobs, new equipment, new technologies."

It's a claim that's often made about Dayton's tax proposal, and it falls into a gray area.

The Evidence
Defining small businesses is a sticky wicket, but for this investigation, there are two definitions that matter.

The federal Small Business Administration identifies them as operations with less than 500 employees, and counts roughly 500,000 such businesses in Minnesota. These businesses can include farms, sole proprietorships or partnerships, and about 90 percent of them report income through the individual tax return.

So, by this standard, it is correct to say most small businesses in Minnesota pay taxes at the individual income tax rate.

But this definition can be misleading because some very large corporations pay their taxes though individual tax returns and some very small organizations don't. So, to dissect Horner's larger point that Dayton's tax plan would put small businesses in a bind, it's best to look at how many people report what's known in the tax world as "flow-through income," or money that comes from business, on their individual tax returns.
By this definition, the Minnesota Department of Revenue estimates that only 8.7 percent of small businesses would be subject to the new tax rate.

If all this sounds familiar, that's because it is. During the 2010 legislative session, lawmakers debated a tax increase on couples making more than $200,000. Opponents argued that many of Minnesota's wealthiest derive some income from small business operations. They also pointed out that firms affected by the new taxes account for much of the small business income in Minnesota.

The same holds under Dayton's proposal. According to the revenue department, while only a sliver of all Minnesotans reporting flow-through income would be affected by the new tax brackets, those filers account for 64 percent of all such income.

The Verdict
Horner is correct to say that most small businesses report taxes under the individual tax return. But it's misleading to imply that Dayton's plan would hit a lot of small businesses in Minnesota. In fact, only 8.7 percent would be subject to the proposed increase. Nevertheless, that narrow slice of filers does account for a lot of the state's small business income.

This claim is inconclusive.

SOURCES
The UpTake, Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities debate, Aug. 19, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio News, Tax increase would affect 7 percent of small business owners, by Mark Zdechlick, May 13, 2010

The Small Business Administration, Small Business Profile: Minnesota, accessed Aug. 24, 2010

MinnesotaBudgetBites.org, Legislature's tax plan would impact few small business owners, accessed Aug. 24, 2010

Mark Dayton for Governor, Mark's Deficit Solution, accessed Aug. 24, 2010

The Minnesota Department of Revenue, Taxes Paid by Small Business in Minnesota, accessed Aug. 24, 2010

Interview, Tom Hesse, vice president for government affairs, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Aug. 24, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

PoliGraph: MN more like other states under Horner's sales tax plan

Posted at 2:33 PM on August 25, 2010 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

To help reduce the deficit, Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner has proposed revamping the state's sales taxes.

Doing so will "make Minnesota's sales tax consistent with most other states," a press release on his website states.

So, how does Horner's sales tax plan stack up? It's true that his proposal would make Minnesota more like the rest of the nation.

Evidence
Horner's tax plan has several components, but in this instance he's specifically talking about his plan to lower the general sales tax and expand sales taxes to previously exempt products and services.

Currently, Minnesota has the seventh highest sales tax in the country at 6.875 percent. But Horner wants to lower that to 5.875 percent, giving Minnesota the 25th highest sales tax in the country. Doing so would put Minnesota right in the middle of the pack, with a sales tax just above the national average of about 5 percent.

It's important to note that Horner would also allow counties to increase sales taxes by half a percent to offset his proposed reductions in state aid. So, in counties that take this option, the net impact on the consumer would be a half percent reduction in the sales tax.

Unlike most states, Minnesota exempts clothing from sales tax. Horner's plan would change that. (He's also talked about expanding sales tax to other services, but hasn't detailed his ideas.)

The Verdict

Horner's claim is accurate: The sales tax reduction and the expansion of sales tax to clothing would make Minnesota more like other states.

SOURCES
Tom Horner for Governor, Horner-Mulder Release Budget Outline, accessed Aug. 24, 2010

Tom Horner for Governor, Minnesota Works: Horner-Mulder Budget, accessed Aug. 24, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio News, Horner outlines budget plan: Taxes, cuts, delays, by Mark Zdechlik, Aug. 23, 2010

The Federation of Tax Administrators, State Sales Tax Rates and Food & Drug Exemptions, January, 2010

Minnesota Department of Revenue, Minnesota Sales and Use Tax, accessed Aug. 24, 2010

The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Is it time to tax clothing sales?, by Baird Helgeson, March 4, 2010:

Interview, Mark Haveman, executive director, Minnesota Taxpayers Association, Aug. 24, 2010

Voters can now check registration status online

Posted at 12:05 PM on August 25, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010

State officials have unveiled a new online service to help Minnesotans check their voter registration status.

Voters who visit http://www.sos.state.mn.us/ can now enter their name, birth date and address to see if their registration is current. Links and further instructions are provided to those who need to update their registration. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says the service will make the voting process easier by addressing one of the most frequently asked election questions.

"We know that this service is one that's going to save a lot of voters' time," Ritchie said. "And it's going to save a lot of local elections officials money, because the number of phone calls and just the staff time, they will not have to be devoted to this particular question."

Ritchie says the online tool only verifies registration and does not disclose any information about individual voters. His office staff will demonstrate the new service during the Minnesota State Fair.

Barden calls for eight debates

Posted at 12:01 PM on August 25, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010

Republican Attorney General candidate Chris Barden is calling on Democratic incumbent Lori Swanson to debate his eight times. Barden told reporters that he wants to have eight debates - one in each congressional district in Minnesota - between now and Election Day. Barden says the debate will give the public an opportunity to learn the differences between the two candidates.

Barden said his top priorities are suing to stop the federal health law, working to institute photo identification at the polls and making Minnesota's business climate more friendly. Barden says he would join a lawsuit filed by other attorneys general challenging the constitutionality of the federal health law. He also said he would lobby the Legislature to pass a law that requires photo identification at the polling place. Barden also said he would work to be an advocate for consumers and businesses if he's elected. He argues Swanson has been too focused on consumer issues at the expense of business.

Barden says the only debate that is currently scheduled is a KSTP-TV/League of Women Voters debate on October 16th.

I'm checking to see whether Swanson has agreed to appear at the KSTP-TV debate or any other debates.

Update:
Here's a response from Brian Bergson, with Swanson's campaign:

"AG Swanson is tending to the office's legal work, and hasn't yet seen Dr. Barden's political correspondence. She will participate in a debate sponsored by KSTP 5/League of Women Voters, but details and scheduling still need to be worked out."

Non-union builders group backs Emmer

Posted at 10:12 AM on August 25, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Minnesota Associated Builders and Contractors has announced its support of Republican Tom Emmer in the race for governor.

Associated Builders and Contractors is a national association representing nearly 25,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms in 78 chapters.

Emmer issued the following statement:

"I am humbled by the support of the Associated Builders and Contractors and by the hardworking small businesspeople they represent. They understand that it's not government but businesses which create jobs and opportunities for working Minnesotans. With ABC's support, I know we will make Minnesota a place that's open for business."

Public subsidies for candidates total $3.9 million

Posted at 9:37 AM on August 25, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010

The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board has distributed $3.9 million in public subsidy payments to 365 candidates running for office this fall.

The payments are going to candidates for governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor and the Minnesota Legislature. In the governor's race, Republican Tom Emmer is getting a total of $511,834 in public subsidies. Tom Horner of the Independence Party is getting $346,368. There's no payment for DFL candidate Mark Dayton, who declined to abide by the required spending cap.

Emmer: "Where is the deficit?"

Posted at 3:31 PM on August 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

At today's debate, Republican Tom Emmer questioned those who were challenging him to release specifics on how he intends to plug a $5.8 billion budget gap. Democrat Mark Dayton has called for increasing taxes by $4 billion mostly through income tax increases on Minnesota's top earners, closing corporate loopholes and gambling expansion. Independence Party candidate Tom Horner is calling for a mix of tax hikes on alcohol, cigarettes, clothing and an expansion of gambling. He also wants to cut business taxes.

Emmer has repeatedly said he intends to balance the budget without raising taxes. When challenged to produce his budget, Emmer replied:

"Where is the deficit? We talk about 'You got to raise taxes, government has to invest.' I'll say it again, government in the state of Minnesota is scheduled to get a 7 percent increase in the next biennium. Government will have more money to spend in the next two years than it is spending right now. And yet the folks that want to raise taxes want to talk about a $6 billion deficit which is created on paper because government wants to spend $38 billion instead of the roughly $32 billion that we have." Listen

Emmer is correct that revenues are projected to increase 7 percent, according to documents released by Minnesota Management and Budget (see page 1, Subtotal Current Resources). The document also says spending is set to increase 17 percent in the next two year budget (see page 1, Total Expenditures and Transfers).

Part of the reason for the sharp increase in spending is the reliance on one-time money to balance the state's current two-year budget. Those fixes include a K12 payment delay to schools ($1.4 billion) and the one-time spending cuts ($670 million) initially cut by governor Pawlenty through unallotment and later ratified by the Legislature.

If Rep. Emmer also declines to shift patients currently enrolled in MinnesotaCare and General Assistance Medical Care into the federal Medicaid program (known as MA expansion), it would save the state $360 million. He would also benefit if Gov. Pawlenty opts to take federal money (known as FMAP) allocated through the recently passed Education, Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act ($230 million).

If Emmer declines to pay back the K12 shift, accepts the spending cuts originally made through Gov. Pawlenty's unallotment, declines to take the MA expansion funds and Pawlenty accepts the FMAP funds, the projected budget deficit would be reduced by roughly $2.7 billion. That means Emmer would be facing a $3.1 billion budget deficit if he's elected.

And that is only if there is not a change to the state's current economic position that would be reflected in the November and February budget forecasts.

DFL legislative leaders urge Pawlenty to take FMAP money

Posted at 2:45 PM on August 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, MN Legislature, Tim Pawlenty, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL House Majority Leader Tony Sertich and DFL Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller sent a letter to Governor Pawlenty today urging him to take $263 million in federal funds.

Pawlenty is faced with the choice of accepting funds that he has criticized on the campaign trail. He has repeatedly critiized President Obama and the Democratic controlled Congress for spending too much and increasing the deficit. Pawlenty, who is ramping up a run for president in 2012, accepted federal stimulus money and even booked the FMAP funds in his initial budget plan in January.

Pawlenty's spokesman said lthe governor was still mulling whether to take the funds. He has until September 24th to make a decision.

Today, Kelliher, Sertich and Pogemiller are trying to ramp up the pressure:

"You cannot let political ambition get in the way of doing what is right for Minnesota. We strongly encourage you to seek these federal funds. Failure to do so would be an irresponsible act...hurting Minnesota taxpayers while doing nothing to help the tough economic situation faced by patients and our health care system."

You can read the full letter here.

Gov candidates talk nukes, taxes and budget

Posted at 12:10 PM on August 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The three candidates for governor debated tax policy, the expansion of nuclear power in Minnesota and the state budget at a debate this morning at St. Thomas University's Opus College of Business in Minneapolis. The college, along with The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, sponsored the debate.

Both Republican Tom Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner both say they support lifting the state's ban on building new nuclear plants in Minnesota. Democrat Mark Dayton opposes the measure until issues surrounding nuclear waste storage are addressed.

You can listen to the full debate here: Listen

SEIU officially backs Dayton

Posted at 12:07 PM on August 24, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Service Employees International Union of Minnesota has officially supported Democrat Mark Dayton's bid for governor. The thirty thousand member union announced the endorsement today at a news conference at the State Capitol. SEIU's Javier Morillo Alicea says several of Minnesota's businesses have donated to a political committee that's backing Emmer. He says SEIU is supporting Dayton because he wants to increase taxes on Minnesota's top earners.

"The CEOs and corporations have made their choice here. With the recent Supreme Court decision, they're allowed to spend unlimited amounts. So they're making their choice and so today is about us making our choice because there's only one candidate who is going to make the wealthiest in the state, who can afford it, pay their fair share."

SEIU is the final union to officially get behind Dayton's campaign. The union's leadership decided to not endorse a candidate until after the DFL primary so the union had money to spend in this year's general election. SEIU officials declined to say how much they'll spend on Dayton's behalf but finance reports show the union gave $60,000 through July 21st to the DFL Party and a group working to elect Dayton.

Meanwhile, former State Epidemiologist Michael Osterholm announced that he was supporting Independence Party candidate Tom Horner.

SEIU to back Dayton

Posted at 6:27 PM on August 23, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Service Employees International Union will officially back Democrat Mark Dayton's bid for governor on Tuesday morning. The 30,000 member union will announce it's supporting Dayton at a news conference at the State Capitol.

The union's endorsement isn't a surprise and SEIU's Luchelle Stevens said the union's PAC Board decided before the August 10th primary to back whoever won the primary. Stevens said the union wanted to hit the ground running to support Dayton, Margaret Anderson Kelliher or Matt Entenza.

The union did not endorse a candidate before the primary.

Horner releases budget plan

Posted at 4:42 PM on August 23, 2010 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

(NOTE: more video below)

Independence Party gubernatorial hopeful Tom Horner is proposing a mix of tax cuts for businesses and tax increases for consumers in a budget balancing plan he released today.

Horner wants to increase taxes on tobacco ($1.50 a pack hike on a pack of cigarettes) and alcohol (10 cents a drink), extend the sales tax to clothing and some services and allow for slot machines at the state's two horse tracks. Horner is also proposing to lower the sales tax rate by one percent.

He also proposing a plan to cut the state's corporate tax rate and increase the research and development tax credit for businesses.

"What we need this year, more than any other year, is a campaign in which we're honest with Minnesotans," Horner said. "In which we say to Minnesota that Democrats and Republicans have dug the hole so deep, it's going to take a while for us to climb out of it. Here's a way to climb out of it."

Minnesota is facing a $5.8 billion projected budget deficit in the next two year budget.

In addition to the changes to the tax system, Horner also wants to freeze state hiring, cut state mandates on local governments, eliminate some tax breaks (like JOBZ and ethanol) and eliminate state aid to counties. In exchange, Horner would authorize counties to increase the county sales tax by a half a percent. He said he would also delay a school payment delay that was passed into law in the past legislative session.

Democrat Mark Dayton says Horner doesn't want to hike income taxes on the state's top earners but is willing to tax the entire state. Dayton is proposing an income tax increase on the state's top earners.

Republican Tom Emmer hasn't released a budget plan yet to fix the state's $5.8 billion budget deficit but has said he won't raise taxes.

You can read the full budget plan here.

Bachmann hits the road

Posted at 1:13 PM on August 23, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann is hitting the road this week on the first of a series of bus tours throughout Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District. On Wednesday and Thursday, Bachmann will make stops in Woodbury, Ham Lake, Forest Lake, Hugo, Stillwater, Anoka and St. Cloud. Bachmann is being challenged by Democrat Tarryl Clark.

Update: The Bachmann release says there will be a stop in Stillwater but it isn't on the schedule.

Here's the full schedule:

Wednesday
Dorothy Ann Bakery Wednesday,
8:45AM - 9:40AM
710 Commerce Dr., Suite 100, Woodbury, MN

Western Spring Manufacturing
10:30AM - 11:50AM
5118 130th St. N., Hugo, MN

Blue Heron Grille
12:00PM - 1:00PM
14725 Victor Hugo Blvd,
Hugo, MN

C&L Distributors
4:00PM - 5:00PM
1020 Industrial Drive South,
Sauk Rapids, MN

Bachmann for Congress Office Opening Wednesday
5:15PM - 6:30PM
138 Second Street South, Waite Park, MN

Thursday

Marshall Ready Mix Time: TBD
14141 Unity St. N.W., Ramsey, MN

Federal Ammunition Time: 10:30AM - 11:45AM
900 Bob Ehlen Dr., Anoka,

Update: Clark's campaign manager issued a statement criticizing Bachmann for visiting other states during the August recess but failing to hold a public meeting with her constituents.

Debates!

Posted at 11:07 AM on August 23, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The three candidates for governor will be taking part in three debates this week.

Democrat Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner will square off in forums on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

On Tuesday, the candidates will be on the University of St. Thomas campus for "The University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business in conjunction with the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Gubernatorial Breakfast Panel." The focus of the debate, which starts at 8:30am, will "focus exclusively on issues affecting business in Minnesota." The forum will be moderated by University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business Dean Chirstopher Puto.

On Wednesday, the three candidates will take part in a debate focusing on "jobs, Economic Development and Infrastructure. The debate is sponsored by several construction contractors and transportation related groups. That debate will be held at 8:30AM at the Northland Inn in Brooklyn Park.

On Thursday, the candidates will take part in a TwinWest Chamber of Commerce debate at the headquarters of General Mills. That debate starts at 8am.

Emmer releases first TV ad

Posted at 9:07 PM on August 22, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer released his first TV ad today. The ad features his family talking about job creation. It's not a surprise since most polling shows that's the number one issue on the minds of voters is jobs and economy.

You can watch it here.

Emmer's campaign manager, Cullen Sheehan, says the campaign is spending $300,000 on the ad buy, which will run through early September. He also says the ad will run on broadcast and cable.

Horner releases first TV ad

Posted at 5:29 PM on August 20, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Tom Horner's Independence Party campaign for governor released its first TV ad this afternoon.

The 30-second spot features a tight shot on a face with one blue and one red eye, each pointing and moving in opposite directions. Horner narrates saying Democrats and Republicans have been looking too far to the right and left.

Horner was not on hand for the ad unveiling. His campaign manager Stephen Imholte told reporters the ad will start airing Sunday throughout Minnesota with an emphasis on the Twin Cities metro-area. He says two variations of the ad will follow and that the entire ad buy is costing more than $100,000. Imholte declined to say exactly how much the campaign is spending. He said the ads will run through mid-September.

Minneapolitans supported Reed, not Clark or Bachmann

Posted at 11:29 AM on August 20, 2010 by Annie Baxter (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. House

U of M researcher Eric Ostermeier has crunched some numbers on the Congressional candidate who pulled in the most money in Minneapolis in the first 567 days of the election cycle.

It's not Keith Ellison, who represents Minneapolis as Congressman in the fifth district. Ellison was handily re-elected to his seat in 2008. Ostermeier suggests Minneapolis denizens may think he doesn't need their fundraising help, given his last big win.

Instead, Ostermeier notes that Minneapolitans are giving the most to the sixth district--but not to incumbent Congresswoman Michele Bachmann or her DFL opponent, State Senator Tarryl Clark.

Instead, Maureen Reed, who lost the DFL nomination to Clark and who dropped out of the race, pulled in the most fundraising dollars from Minneapolitans--about $200,000.

What does that mean? Maybe not that much. Keep in mind that that $200,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to what Bachmann and Clark have raised overall. And of course, it is just Minneapolis Ostermeier's talking about. But for stats lovers, it could be interesting.

I sent Reed's flak an email to ask what she's going to do with the money. Haven't heard back yet.

Pawlenty fundraiser for Emmer in Shorewood

Posted at 6:27 PM on August 19, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor released more information on where Gov. Pawlenty's fundraiser for the Emmer campaign will be held.

The Emmer campaign says Pawlenty will host the fundraiser (along with Norm Coleman, John Kline, Michele Bachmann and Erik Paulsen) at the home of Marty & Anne Davis in Shorewood.

Campaign finance reports show that Marty Davis, an executive with Davisco Foods, has given mostly to Norm Coleman's campaign between 2006 and 2010. He also donated to the MNGOP, Texas Congressman Ted Poe, Phil Krinkie's failed campaign for Congress and Republican Brian Davis' failed campaign for Congress in 2008.

Emmer's campaign says the event will be closed to the press.

Here's the info from the fundraising invite:

Please join Governor Tim Pawlenty, Sen. Norm Coleman, Rep. John Kline, Rep. Michele Bachmann and Rep. Erik Paulsen for an exclusive event for Tom Emmer

Monday, August 23

General Reception 5:30 - 7 pm $500 per person / $1,000 per couple

VIP "Max-Out' Dinner with Hosts 7- 8:30 pm

Co-Hosts George & Barbara Anderson · Doug & Julie Baker Tim & Emily Berkness · Steve & Barbara Cossack Mark & Mary Davis · Marty & Anne Davis Ken & Midge Dean · Dennis & Megan Doyle Bob & Mary Fayfield · David & Sandra Frauenshuh Stan & Karen Hubbard · Doug & Julie Huseby Steve & Jennifer Knuth · Jack & Annette Meeks Greg & Cindy Page · Andrew & Leslie Parker Bernadette Perryman · Brad & Melanie Rixmann Dan & Jodi Rosen · Ron & Janet Schutz Denny & Amanda Walsh

The Home of Marty & Anne Davis
Shorewood, MN

(Note: I intentionally left off the address of the fundraiser)

PoliGraph: Alliance right about Emmer's missed votes

Posted at 3:08 PM on August 19, 2010 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota, a labor-backed organization, has a new ad knocking Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer for missing votes during the most recent legislative session.

As an invisible red pen marks days on a calendar, the voice over asks, "What would happen if you missed one out of every five days of work for a year?"

"I wouldn't have a job," says one woman.

"My boss would kill me," says another.

"Tom Emmer missed one out of every five votes in the state legislature," the voice-over says. That's "142 missed votes in 2010 alone. Votes on education, veterans' affairs, and jobs."

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota gets its numbers right. But viewers beware: Understanding this ad requires some context.

The Evidence

Election season was already heating up when the legislature met for its 2010 session. And that means several lawmakers, including the Democratic candidate for governor, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, and state Rep. Randy Demmer, R-Hayfield, a congressional candidate, also missed votes to campaign.

Emmer, of Delano, was among those missing in action. In 2010, House legislators cast 621 votes, including votes on big ticket issues, such as education funding, as well as non-controversial resolutions and procedural moves. Emmer missed 142 of those votes, about 20 percent - or one in five votes - during the session.

It's also true that Emmer missed votes on education issues, such as a bill to fund K-12 schools, veterans' affairs, and two votes on an employment and economic development policy bill.

So, the Alliance for a Better Minnesota is on the mark with Emmer's missed votes.

But it's still important to put this ad in context. Here's how Emmer's absences break down:

This year's session lasted a little over 14 weeks, and Emmer missed votes on 15 of those days. So, that's roughly equivalent to one day for every week the legislature met. However, he was present for some votes on eight of those days.

Furthermore, Emmer missed most of those votes on a few days clustered at the end of the session; he did not take one day off every week for the entire session as the ad implies. Emmer's campaign manager Cullen Sheehan didn't say where he was on those days, only that he takes his job "very seriously."

The Verdict

Though the Alliance for a Better Minnesota omits some context from its ad, the claim is essentially accurate. The group correctly points out that Emmer missed one out of every five votes this session. And most of those votes were indeed on significant issues facing the state, including education funding, taxes and the environment.

SOURCES

Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Really?, accessed Aug. 17, 2010
Minnesota Public Radio News, Some legislators skip votes to campaign, by Tom Scheck, April 22, 2010
Minnesota Public Radio News, Where's Emmer? DFL questions missed votes, by Tim Pugmire, May 13, 2010
Minnesota Public Radio News, House GOP hits back on Kelliher's missed votes, by Tom Scheck, May 13, 2010
Minnesota State Legislature, Recorded Roll Call Floor Votes By Date, 2009-2010 Regular Session, accessed Aug. 17, 2010
Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Tom Emmer's Missed Votes in 2010, accessed Aug. 17, 2010
Interview, Xavier Lopez-Ayala, spokesman, Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Aug. 17, 2010
Interview, Cullen Sheehan, campaign manager, Emmer for Governor, Aug. 17, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

MSNBC rejects MoveOn ad

Posted at 11:52 AM on August 19, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

MSNBC announced today that it's rejecting a MoveOn.org ad that's criticizing Target Corporation for giving $150,000 to MN Forward, which is supporting Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor. MSNBC's spokeswoman tells the AP that they aren't airing the ad because it specifically attacks one company.

MoveOn's executive director Justin Ruben criticized MSNBC's decision in a news release.

"According to MSNBC and GE it is alright for corporations, like Target, to attack candidates and buy elections, but it is not OK for citizen organizations, like MoveOn, to fight back. This is the height of hypocrisy," said Justin Ruben, Executive Director of MoveOn.org. "Target Corporation decided to use the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision to try to buy the Minnesota Governor's election and now GE and MSNBC are protecting them from deserved consumer backlash. It's good to know that cronyism is alive and well in the corporate takeover of America."

Horner to release budget plan, TV ads next week