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8th District: Rod Grams


SNAPSHOT
Grams floated a trial balloon about a run for Senate that went nowhere and he decided not to pursue the seat he once held, thus avoiding an intra-party squabble with Rep. Mark Kennedy. In May 2006, however, he announced he would seek the 8th Congressional District seat held by Rep. James Oberstar. . After first being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Rod Grams gained the distinction of being the first freshman in the 103rd Congress to get legislation enacted into law: a bill to provide regulatory relief for loans for those devastated by the 1993 Midwest flood. He also pushed a $500 per child tax credit. But much of his focus during his Senate term was revamping Social Security, an issue that really didn't come into its own in Congress until President Bush proposed in 2005 what Grams was proposing in the late '90s. Grams says he was motivated to run for Senate because of the issues that have surfaced in Congress now are the issues he was trying to spearhead then.

Candidate Bio

Rod Grams
Political affiliation:
Republican Party
Born:
February 4, 1948
Princeton, MN
Personal:
Married, four children from previous marriage. Resides in Crown. Lutheran.
Occupation:
Owns three radio stations in Little Falls. Homebuilder. Was anchorman for KMSP-TV in the Twin Cities.
Education:
Carroll College, Helena, MT
Major political experience:
Grams ran and won a U.S. House seat in the 6th Congressional District. He defeated 10-year incumbent Democratic Rep. Gerry Sikorski in 1992. He was elected to the U.S. Senate, replacing the retiring Dave Durenberger in 1996.

Campaign Finances

Total contributions
$335,143
Total disbursements
$241,489
Cash on hand
$93,654
Source: Federal Election Commission. October 2006

Links and Resources

Open Secrets
Document Rod Grams

Candidate Pages

When Rep. Martin Sabo announced his retirement last month, about a dozen DFL candidates started lining up to replace him. They range from a Dairy Queen owner to a university professor. At a forum on Sunday, they touted their political chops. (04/23/2006)
Three of four candidates for the 6th District seat signed a pledge to honor the party endorsement process. But a fourth refused to sign, although he says he'll abide by it. (04/21/2006)
The common campaign theme among the Republican challengers is that Congress doesn't just need more Republicans, it needs more conservative Republicans. (04/17/2006)
Just ahead of a due date for property tax payments - and just weeks before the fall election - rebate checks averaging $205 would begin arriving in the mailboxes of homeowners if House Republican lawmakers get their way. (04/10/2006)
There's always some politics in every policy debate at the Legislature. Republican Reps. Phil Krinkie and Jim Knoblach are taking that to a higher level at the Capitol, because they're running against each other for the same Congressional seat. Some say they're trying to "out-conservatize" each other. (04/07/2006)
Even though the Legislature doesn't have a budget to balance this year, there are a number of tax-related proposals on the table, including eliminating the so-called marriage penalty, raising the state sales tax and the increasing the income tax. (Midday, 04/06/2006)
As part of the Minnesota Chamber's Business Day at the Capitol on April 6, 2006, Rep. Jeff Johnson and Rep. Matt Entenza debated issues in their race for attorney general. (04/06/2006)
The Iraq war has lost lots of support among Americans. What do the members of the Minnesota delegation think we should do now? (04/05/2006)
Ending more than a year of gridlock, a Senate committee today finally held a hearing on -- and then voted down -- a controversial bill that would put the definition of marriage on November's ballot as an amendment to the state constitution. (04/04/2006)
Democratic state Sen. Sharon Marko withdrew Wednesday from Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District race, making a fall matchup between FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley and Republican Rep. John Kline a near certainty. (03/29/2006)
U.S. Rep. Martin Sabo, DFL-Minn., announced Saturday that he won't seek a 15th term in Congress. (Midday, 03/20/2006)
"In my gut I know the time is right," the Minneapolis DFLer said on Saturday as he announced the end of his political career. (03/18/2006)
University of Minnesota political scientist Larry Jacobs says Martin Sabo's decision to retire is "momentous," and the time of the announcement is "strange." (03/17/2006)
Martin Sabo is holding a press conference Saturday to announce he's not seeking re-election. The 5th District Democrat has been a member of Congress representing Minneapolis for 28 years. (03/17/2006)
Jacob Wetterling Foundation officials say they've been considering the name change for several years, but one board member says Patty Wetterling's political campaign is also playing a role in the possible change. (03/10/2006)
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