Saturday, October 28, 2006
Vote Vets Throws Down in Four Races
Posted by James L.By now you may have seen one of these new ads by VoteVets PAC, running against Republican congressmen Jon Porter (NV-03), John Doolittle (CA-04), Gil Gutknecht (MN-01) and John Sweeney (NY-20):
In terms of advertising effectiveness, VoteVets is giving more bang for the buck than any other PAC or party committee this year. Their much-hyped body armor ads against Senators Talent, Burns, Allen and Santorum were impaired only by their limited budgets: a $30k-$50k media buy doesn't exactly dominate the airwaves, especially in a state as large as Pennsylvania or Virginia. For this new series of ads, however, VoteVets has scored the funding to make big, serious buys that will have an impact in each of these districts:
• $98k against Gutknecht (MN-01)
• $136k against Sweeney (NY-20)
• $237k against Porter (NV-03)
As I understand it, the John Doolittle ad will be a narrower cable buy, but even still, it should penetrate deeper in a House race than the body armor ads did with limited statewide purchases in the Senate races.
Posted at 03:25 AM in 2006 Elections - House, California, Minnesota, Nevada, New York | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Monday, October 16, 2006
AZ-05, CA-50, MN-02, NM-01: SUSA Shows Huge Movement for Democratic Challengers
Posted by James L.Survey USA has four hot new polls out today, each showing a signficant bump for Democratic challengers:
AZ-05: Mitchell (D) 45, Hayworth (R) 48
CA-50: Busby (D) 46, Bilbray (R) 49
MN-02: Rowley (DFL) 42, Kline (R) 50
NM-01: Madrid (D) 53, Wilson (R) 45
I'd put up trendlines, etc, but I'm pressed for time. Here's the money quote, though:
In all four of these districts, we observe significant movement away from the Republican incumbent and towards the Democratic challenger, with the Republican's lead decreasing by between 9 and 13 points. Furthermore, all four districts show a shift in the party distribution of likely voters, with the Republican-Democrat difference changing towards Democrats by between 4 and 11 points. Two possible explanations for this shift are:1) Republicans are becoming less likely to vote, and Democrats are becoming more likely to vote;
2) Some "weak Republicans" are now identifying themselves as Independent, while some left-leaning Independents are now identifying themselves as Democrats.
It is unclear at this time which of these explanations is more significant, or how persistent the shift will be. But the consistency of the pattern suggests that the movement in these 4 contests may be driven by a nationwide trend affecting all House races, rather than by factors specific to the individual districts.
How crazy would it be if an underfunded, unnoticed Busby managed to knock out Bilbray the second time around? While I still think it's quite unlikely, with numbers like these, it all depends on base motivation. You go, girl!
Posted at 09:05 PM in 2006 Elections - House, Arizona, California, Minnesota, New Mexico | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Netroots Candidates Poll Round-up
Posted by James L.There are a lot of good reasons to be proud of the netroots candidates this year: 10 of 14 House candidates have been targeted for DCCC support, and polling continues to improve virtually across the board, including for our candidates in WA, MN, and NH.
SurveyUSA released a new poll today showing Darcy Burner running neck-and-neck with freshman incumbent Republican Dave Reichert in Washington's 8th (likely voters):
Darcy Burner (D): 48
Dave Reichert (R-Inc): 50
MoE: ±4.3%
Now, I'd normally put trendlines in here, as SUSA has polled this race before in August and showed Dave Reichert with a comfy 13-point lead. The only problem, though, was that SUSA's August poll was of registered voters, not likely voters (I have no idea why they were casting such a wide net the first time around), so a trend in Burner's favor could very well be less pronounced if she has a natural advantage among likely WA-08 voters. Reichert has a very strong profile in this district, so if we're ever going to knock him off, this has to be our year.
Over in the North Star state, MN Publius has a partially leaked MN-01 poll commissioned by the SEIU:
Tim Walz (D): 46
Gil Gutknecht (R-Inc): 40
Undecided: 14Re-elect Gutknecht: 38
Whoaaa. Maybe this is optimistic, or maybe the MoE is 15%, but you never know. MN-01 is a true swing district at R+0.9, and up until the last national "wave" election in 1994, a Democrat held this seat. The demographics are there for a potential upset, and Walz has been raising more money and bringing more noise to this district than any challenger Gutknecht has faced in recent memory. The DFL is revved up statewide by the Senatorial and Gubernatorial contests, which will be a plus for Walz, too.
And finally, over in David's favorite district, the University of New Hampshire has another poll on the Hodes-Bass battle in NH-02 (likely voters, July in parens):
Hodes (D): 36 (25)
Bass (R-Inc.): 46 (53)
Undecided: 17 (22)
(MoE: ±6.2%)
Now, UNH's polling has been all over the map this year, and it has been noted previously that their methodology is pretty fugly (although their partisan samples are much more reasonable this time), so I have no doubt that the truth is somewhat closer to the DCCC's polls on the race. I say that not only because I trust the Mellman Group more than I trust UNH, but also because the DCCC used this poll in determining whether or not to add Hodes to the Red to Blue program (which they did). Essentially, the D-trip was looking for a good picture on the race, not a stacked deck in Hodes' favor, and what they found was a surprisingly tight contest.
Great movement all around, but let's not rest on our laurels. In case you haven't been following, we need just over 600 more donors to meet our goal of 10,000 by the end of the fundraising cycle this Saturday at midnight. I know we can get there with a bang. If you haven't contributed to one of the netroots candidates this cycle, please consider doing so now--this is our last best chance to give an extra boost to strong Democrats waging uncompromising campaigns nationwide.
Posted at 12:13 AM in 2006 Elections - House, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Washington | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Saturday, September 09, 2006
9/12 Primary Races Round-Up
Posted by James L.So it's primary day this Tuesday, with elections being held in AZ, DC, DE, MD, MN, NH, NY, RI, VT, and WI. Here's a round-up of everything you should be keeping your eye on.
• AZ-08 (Open, Kolbe): Boy, do I ever feel good about the Democratic chances in this district. Jim Kolbe, the district's Republican incumbent, is retiring. Kolbe, one of those elusive gay Republicans, cultivated a moderate reputation (whatever that means in the Republican Party these days), but received a slight scare in 2004 when conservative firebrand Randy Graf ran on a hard-right platform and scored 43% of the vote in the Republican primary of that year. That's a pretty impressive showing, given the traditional resource gap between a no-name challenger and an entrenched incumbent (admittedly, Graf's a state legislator, so he did start off with base of support). Now, Graf, an anti-immigration advocate, is leading the charge to clinch the Republican nomination for this open seat, and the most recent polling puts him ahead of primary opponent Steve Huffman (33-25, with 14% dispersed among three other minor candidates, and 29% undecided). However, Graf's in-your-face conservatism isn't exactly the best fit for a district that only tilts ever so slightly to the Republicans (Cook rates it as R+1.4), and the NRCC is in panic mode, spending $100k in a last-ditch effort to drag Huffman across the finish line. Clearly, we should be rooting for Graf in the primary if the NRCC is willing to spend coin to stop him. That said, even if Huffman is the winner, Hotline On Call notes that Huffman has plenty of weaknesses of his own:
But there are signs that Huffman is running a lackluster campaign. Despite a big fundraising advantage and Kolbe's endorsement, he remains down in polls. His treasurer was snooping around his challenger's ex-wife's home, prompting the Tucson Weekly to revoke their endorsement of him. And unlike ex-state Sen. Gabrielle Giffords (D) and Graf, he kept his seat in the legislature during the campaign - allowing the DCCC to hammer him for missing recent votes on border security.
Yikes. Things are looking pretty stressful for the Republicans if Huffman is the best they can come up with in this district. I can already see the negative ads in my head regarding his treasurer's bizarre antics.
The Democratic primary, on the other hand, is pitting two candidates who would either be strong or reasonably strong performers in the general election: ex-State Sen. Gabrielle Giffords and local TV anchor Patty Weiss. Giffords, though, leads Weiss 46-29 in the latest polling, and looks like the likely winner on Tuesday. Giffords is also the only Democrat in the current field who leads Huffman in a hypothetical general election match-up, by 42-39. Additionally, recent generic polling suggests that the district is leaning towards pulling the lever for the Democratic candidate this cycle, by a 50-46 margin. Between the nasty Republican primary pitting the NRCC against the local conservative base, a strong Democratic candidate, and an electorate that's beginning to tilt Democratic in the most recent polls, I'm expecting good things from AZ-08 in November.
• MD-Sen (Open, Sarbanes): A whopper. A late August poll put Rep. Ben Cardin ahead of former NCAAP head Kweisi Mfume by a 43-30 margin in the Democratic primary to succeed retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes, although other polls have shown a tighter contest over the past several months. However, the demographics of Maryland's Democratic electorate would seem to hold more favorables for Mfume than Cardin, at least on the surface. Still, Cardin has outraised Mfume by a wide margin, and has been putting up a far greater amount of resources on air time in this stretch run than Mfume can afford to spend. I'd be surprised if Mfume pulled off this upset.
• MD-04 (Incumbent, Wynn): 2006 has seen a series of surprising primary elections where incumbents have been knocked off their perch--Lieberman, Joe Schwarz in Michigan, and Cynthia McKinney in Georgia. Can Donna Edwards make it four by knocking off entrenched Democratic incumbent Al Wynn? Edwards has made a strong case against Wynn, who has supported the Bush administration on several crucial votes, including the Bankruptcy Bill and the Iraq War. Lemme just chime in and say this: no Democrat has any business voting for the ass-backwards Bankruptcy Bill, but this especially applies to any Democrat who represents a district that delivered 70% of its vote to John Kerry in 2004, like Wynn's. The Club For Growth, even if their choice in candidates is often extremely questionable, has the right philosophy: use primary races in districts with deep partisan favorability to their cause, and push ideological purity there. An Al Wynn-style voting record may be a lot easier to stomach for, say, a Democrat representing a white-majority district in the South, but Maryland's fourth can do a lot better than Al Wynn. Edwards has been picking up momentum in recent weeks, with the impressive achievement of securing the Washington Post's endorsement. If she can't do it this time, Edwards will be well-placed to make an earlier, more well-funded challenge to Wynn in 2008.
• MN-05 (Open, Sabo): I gotta say, I know next to nothing about this hotly-contested open D seat race in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. The field is huge, but the big spenders and movers have been Keith Ellison, Mike Erlandson, and Ember Reichgott Junge. I would invite our resident MN commentators to give us the lowdown in the comments.
• NH-01 (Incumbent, Bradley): This race isn't quite as sexy as NH-02, but there's still a glimmer of hope here. Cook rates this district as a highly competitive R+0.1, and Bush only edged Kerry by 2% here in 2004. One of the Democratic challengers, NH House Minority Leader Jim Craig, is credible, and holds at least some name recognition in the district. But first he'll have to get through a primary with Carol Shea-Porter, who has her share of supporters as well.
• NY-11 (Open, Owens): The most recent polling I've seen in this open seat shows a dead heat between the four would-be Democratic successors to retiring incumbent Major Owens in this central Brooklyn district (and my home away from home): NYC Councilmembers Yvette Clark, David Yassky, State Sen. Carl Andrews, and Owens' son, Chris Owens. Yassky's had the best fundraising, but also the most controversy, with the other candidates criticizing Yassky for running in an African-American majority district. Looks like this one will go down to the wire.
• NY-19 (Incumbent, Kelly): The Democratic field to take on incumbent Republican congresswoman Sue Kelly has been annoyingly huge, but it's been whittled down to four: ex-Republican attorney Judy Aydelott, school principal Ben Schuldiner, political hack Darren Rigger, and Orleans guitarist John Hall. Aydelott had the very early mo' in this district, but Hall's fundraising has really picked up steam, and the endorsements (including one from the NY Democratic Party) followed suit. Cook rates this district R+1.5, but the locals are hoping for some serious coattails from the Spitzer-Clinton bulldozer at the top of the ticket this year, as well as changing demographics as a result of NYC residents moving into the district for more affordable housing.
• RI-Sen (Incumbent, Chafee): The big one! Depending on whether you choose to believe Rhode Island College or the National Republican Senatorial Committee, this primary race is either firmly in conservative challenger Steve Laffey's hands, or will be held safely by incumbent Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee--both organizations put out wildly conflicting polls. The NRSC has made it clear that they're reading to cede the Rhode Island Senate seat to the Democrats if Laffey wins on Tuesday, so... well, you know who to root for.
• RI-02 (Incumbent, Langevin): I don't have much to say about this one, but Jennifer Lawless has been running a primary challenge against Rep. Jim Langevin from the left. Langevin, in my estimation, is a pretty decent Rep, aside from his pro-life/anti-choice record. Lawless has gone so far as to say that Langevin Equals Lieberman, but given Langevin's opposition to the Iraq War, I don't think that passes the sniff test. So whatever.
• WI-08 (Open, Green): No question about it: this is a Republican district. Bush scored nearly 55% of the vote against Kerry's 44% in 2004, yet Democrats are smelling an opportunity this year. Indeed, the most recent RT Strategies/Constituent Dynamics poll has the generic Democrat edging the generic Republican by 48-44 in this open seat race. The DCCC has gone up on the air to soften up likely Republican nominee John Gard's numbers, while the NRCC has done the same against physician Steve Kagen, the big spender in the Democratic primary race (he's put up over $1m of his own funds into this race, the last time I checked). Kagen's primary opponents, former Brown County Executive and De Pere mayor Nancy Nusbaum and business consultant Jamie Wall, have also raised impressive amounts for a crowded field, but Kagen's deep pockets has put the local Republicans on edge. If the NRCC is committing resources to defend this seat, the 2006 field is favorable indeed for Democrats.
Posted at 09:02 PM in 2006 Elections, Arizona, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Wisconsin | Comments (18) | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Friday, July 28, 2006
MN-Sen: You Can't Hide From CQ
Posted by DavidNYCSo Republican Mark Kennedy has his first ad up on TV, which suggests to me that this long-dormant race is about to heat up. Especially with recent polling tilting toward Democrat Amy Klobuchar to a startling degree, Kennedy can't afford to remain quiet any longer. And with the GOP about as appealing as a twenty-pound goiter these days, it's no surprise that Kennedy is touting his "independence."
But as Pat Kessler of WCCO is quick to point out, you cannot hide from CQ. In fact, it's easier to fight City Hall or make a horse drink water than it is to hide from Congressional Quarterly's presidential support rankings. And Mark Kennedy is no exception:
2005: 87%
2004: 97%
2003: 97%
2002: 97%
2001: 86%
What do these numbers refer to? Well, every time the president takes a "clear position" on a piece of legislation, CQ tracks whether legislators vote for or against it. So over the first five years of his House career, Mark Kennedy voted for George Bush's preferred position 93% of the time.
Kennedy can squawk about his vaunted "independence" as much as he likes. But as the famous line from the Princess Bride goes, I do not think that word means what he thinks it means.
Posted at 03:30 PM in 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Monday, July 24, 2006
MN-Sen: Klobuchar Still Leads Kennedy
Posted by RBHIn a followup to the poll putting Amy Klobuchar up by 19 points, a DSCC poll puts the margin at 16 points.
Amy Klobuchar (D): 50
Mark Kennedy (R): 34
Undecided: 15
(MoE: TBD)
(i'm sure the MOE will be mentioned soon enough, but I haven't seen it yet)
But after the talk from the Kennedy camp that the 19 point margin was proof of "liberalmediabias," I'm sure that they're relieved to hear that the margin is just "very wide" instead of "extremely wide".
MN Publius notes this point about the Minnesota polling in general:
The GOP and the right wingers are going to scream bloody murder over these numbers and their coming from the DSCC. But it is important to remember that this poll was conducted by Bennett, Petts & Blumenthal who only make money as long as they're accurate. It is not in the DSCC's, or any other political orginization or candidate for that matter, interest to collect inaccurate data. Polls are used for formulating strategy and if those polls are wrong, the strategy will be flawed.
Respondants in this survey also prefered "A Senator who challenges Bush" over "A Senator who does what Bush says" by a 61/32 margin.
I sense the best case scenario for Minnesota involves the state becoming "The Land of 10,000 polls showing Amy Klobuchar with a wide lead" around October.
Posted at 03:21 PM in 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
MN-06: Wetterling Won't Run for LG, But Might Run for Congress
Posted by DavidNYCThe St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting that Patty Wetterling has declined to run for Lt. Gov. with AG Mike Hatch. However, she's apparently still considering a run in MN-06 (the seat she tried for in 2004). Current 6th CD Dem candidate El Tinklenberg is claiming that Wetterling said she wouldn't run against him - but was this a "looked him in the eye" or a "go for it"?
Soon enough, we'll see both candidates' 4Q fundraising figures. Remember, through the end of the quarter, Wetterling was running for Senate. If Tinklenberg's House numbers are comparable, then perhaps Wetterling should consider staying out of the race.
Posted at 10:24 AM in 2006 Elections - House, Minnesota | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Friday, January 20, 2006
MN-Sen: Wetterling to Make Annoucement Today - Is She Dropping Out?
Posted by DavidNYCMN's Patty Wetterling is going to make some sort of announcement today about her candidacy for US Senate. I think you only make candidacy announcements in two situations: To tell people that you're running or to tell people that you're dropping out. What I don't get is why she'd scheduled it for a Friday afternoon. If she's gonna drop out and endorse rival Amy Klobuchar, that's newsworthy. And if she's gonna instead run for Congress in MN-06 again, that's also newsworthy. So why try burying the story?
Anyhow, the announcement is schedule for 2pm local time, so it's not for a bit. But the AP is already claiming they know that she'll drop out. Since Wetterling's opponent in 2004 (Mark Kennedy) is now also running for Senate, a race again in MN-06 is particularly attractive because it's now an open seat. The district did go for Bush by 57-42, but Wetterling out-performed that (losing 54-46). She could definitely win this time around. (Though I'll note that there's already a Dem candidate running, Elwyn Tinklenberg.)
In any event, we'll know soon enough.
UPDATE: So Wetterling has indeed dropped out. She endorsed Klobuchar, but refused to discuss possible future plans. Options include MN-06, Lt. Gov. or Secretary of State. Some commenters think the current candidate in MN-06 (Tinklenberg) is strong and that Wetterling ought to run for another office.
Posted at 01:22 PM in 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota | Comments (17) | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
MN: Despite Pawlenty's Games, Dems Win Two State Lege Races
Posted by DavidNYCJerkass Governor Tim Pawlenty, who apparently views participatory democracy as a game, recently scheduled a special election two days before Thanksgiving. In a bid to out-do himself, he then scheduled another special election for two days after Christmas - ie, today. This was all done in an effort to suppress Dem turnout. Guess what? He failed in November, and he failed again in December. From a DLCC press release (no link):
Tonight, Democrats were victorious in two special elections in Minnesota.The decision by Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty to schedule two special elections during the holidays - a move many view as politically motivated - did not stop voters from coming out to support Tarryl Clark (DFL) for State Senate in the 15th District and Larry Haws (DFL) for the Minnesota House election in District 15B.
The win by Clark expanded the Democratic majority in the Minnesota Senate to 38 seats while the GOP holds only 29. Haws' victory in the uncontested election in Minnesota House District, allowed the Democrats to maintain their hold on 66 seats to the Republicans' 68.
Excellent work, MN Dems! By the way, Clark's story shows why even losing can be valuable. She ran twice before and lost, but very narrowly the last time out. This time, with an open seat, she was able to build on her name recognition and experience - and seize the day. As I've said before, it's why guys like Ben Konop really need to think about running again when seats open up.
In any event, it sure would be nice if MN Dems could close that two-seat House gap sometime before 2010, as Minnesota is a state where the legislature is in charge of redistricting.
Posted at 11:30 PM in 2006 Elections - State, Minnesota | Comments (11) | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
St. Paul-Mayor: Democratic Traitor Stomped in Re-Election Bid
Posted by Bob BrighamSt. Paul voters punished Mayor Randy Kelly on Tuesday for standing with President Bush a year ago, denying the Democrat a second term in Minnesota's capital city.Former City Council member Chris Coleman, also a Democrat, routed Kelly by a more than 2-to-1 margin in unofficial returns with most precincts reporting. Ahead of the election, independent polls showed voters were primed to fire Kelly, and most cited his 2004 endorsement of the Republican president as the reason.
No sitting St. Paul mayor had lost a campaign since 1974. Kelly had a personal election streak that spanned just as long, covering his quarter-century in the Legislature and first term as mayor.
"It may sound silly, but Kelly was for Bush and I'm not,'' said retiree Audrey Guith after casting her vote for Coleman.
Not silly, but exactly what Democrats should expect for standing with Bush.
Hat tip to Atrios.
Posted at 09:50 PM in 2005 Elections, Democrats, Minnesota | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Friday, October 28, 2005
Randy Kelly Slammed in Latest Poll
Posted by Bob BrighamIn 2004, St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly made an ass out of himself when he endorsed George Bush. The voters seem to remember:
Former City Council Member Chris Coleman has amassed a commanding lead in the St. Paul mayor's race, opening a 61 percent to 28 percent advantage over incumbent Randy Kelly, according to a poll conducted this week for the Pioneer Press.The numbers represent an even bigger hurdle for Kelly than the results of the Sept. 13 primary election, when Coleman finished a surprisingly strong first with 50 percent of the vote, nearly twice the mayor's total.
The poll, conducted Tuesday and Wednesday by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, consisted of telephone interviews of 400 registered St. Paul voters who say they plan to cast a ballot in the Nov. 8 general election. The survey has a margin of error of 5 percentage points.
Although respondents expressed general satisfaction with the way the city is being run, they clearly were swayed by Kelly's endorsement of Republican President Bush in August 2004. Nearly three in five — 57 percent — said it made them less likely to vote for Kelly. Only 10 percent said it would make them more likely to vote for the incumbent mayor.
Go help out Chris Coleman.
Posted at 04:45 PM in Minnesota | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
Sunday, April 17, 2005
MN-Sen: Klobuchar Announcement Speech
Posted by Tim TagarisHere is the full text of Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar's official announcement speech made earlier today. Klobuchar has raised, at last report, $580,000 since Senator Dayton (D-MN) made it official that he would not seek re-election. Her campaign website can be found HERE.
SNIP:To learn a little bit about responsibility, we need to listen to the everyday heroes of our state--- people like the nurses who watched over my baby daughter when she was sick in the hospital, the police officer who stayed out all night to get that final piece of evidence we needed to solve a murder case, the reservists who leave their families behind to protect our nation abroad, the small business owner who goes the extra mile to provide health care benefits to a pregnant employee, and the farmer who struggles to keep his land and send his kids to college at the same time.Full speech in the extended copy.
Good afternoon. Welcome to the house I grew up in. It's where my Mom, Rose Klobuchar, still lives. And this morning she gave me one piece of important advice that she wanted me to share with all of you: don’t step on her tulips.I’m proud to have my family here with me today. I first want to introduce the two most important people in my life: my husband John and my daughter Abigail.
John grew up in Mankato, and his parents are here with us today. John is the third of six children – all boys. Let me tell you, my in-laws were never so happy with me than the day our daughter Abigail was born. And we’ve all been happy ever since.
My mom was a second grade teacher until she was 70. Her students still stop me on the street to tell me about how, with commitment and love, she shaped their lives just as she shaped mine, by teaching me to value education and curiosity and good humor.
My dad, Jim Klobuchar, is also here with us today. He’s also retired, or sort of retired. I say that because he continues to write books and still organizes adventure trips. As a newspaperman he brought life to the stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. He taught me that with faith in God we can meet our biggest challenges. He taught me to be leery of those with too much power, to take on the tough fights and to follow my dreams.
This house, this driveway, have marked the beginning of many journeys for me. My first day of kindergarten, and all through elementary school, my sister and I would walk across the street there, through the Bezenar’s backyard, and up the hill to what was then called Beacon Heights School.
It was here on this driveway where I started many a bike trip with my dad, including the one that took us all the way to Jackson Hole, Wyoming: 1100 miles in 10 days with all our gear on our bikes and our backs, 3 flat tires, 5 angry farm dogs and 1 tornado. Compared to that trip, this journey is going to be simple.
This journey started two months ago when our friend Mark Dayton announced that he would not seek another term in the United States Senate. Since then, I’ve received a generous outpouring of support and encouragement from people throughout Minnesota, many of whom I’ve worked with over the years.
As the chief prosecutor for Minnesota’s largest county, in which I represent nearly one-quarter of the people of this state, I’ve fought to make our communities even better, safer places to live. I’ve fought to protect the most vulnerable among us. I’ve fought to make government more accountable and efficient. I have a proven record of making a difference and producing positive results for the people I represent.
I’ve listened to them. I’ve listened to my family. I’ve thought long and hard about what I can do for our state. I’ve listened to our everyday heroes: farmers in Clay County, workers in Duluth, small business owners in Rochester, and veterans from across the state.
And so, today, where so many of my own journeys have begun, and with a commitment to the everyday heroes across Minnesota, I announce my candidacy for the United States Senate.
I run for the United States Senate so that I can make a difference for the people of Minnesota. I am a public servant who will put the greater good of the many in front of the interests of the few. Just as I have done as a prosecutor, I will stand up for what’s right without fear or favor. I will devote myself to solutions that improve people’s lives instead of fixating on issues that divide. I will bring Minnesota common sense to the halls of Congress.
I love this state. I’ve gotten to know Minnesota pretty well in the past 44 years--on the back of a bike, through my work as President of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, and through John’s and my families’ roots on the river banks of southern Minnesota to the forests and lakes of the north.
As Minnesotans, we share so much in common. We believe in hard work and fair play. We believe in a secure nation and safe communities. We believe in personal integrity and responsibility.
I believe in hard work and fair play. My grandpa was a miner, working 1500 feet underground in the iron ore mines in Ely. He didn’t even finish high school, but he and my grandma saved money in a coffee can in the basement, and they saved enough to send my dad to Ely Junior College. From there he went to the University of Minnesota. He married my mom. They moved here to this house where I grew up.
I remember my mom driving me in her red comet car to piano lessons. After the lessons during Christmas time we’d drive around town looking at all the Christmas lights in the big houses. And when I looked at those houses and imagined the lives inside them, never once did I think that I couldn’t achieve everything that those kids could achieve. It would take work. It would take student loans. I worked as a car hop and typed student papers in college to get there, but I did it.
That’s because Minnesota has always stood for opportunity through hard work -- the idea that no matter where you come from, if you work hard, you can give the uplifting gift of education to your children, you can have security in your later years, you can achieve your dreams.
That’s why we in Minnesota are horrified by the way Washington has turned a $200 billion dollar budget surplus into a $400 billion dollar deficit. Every baby born in Minnesota is now saddled with a $26,000 “birth tax” – their share of the burgeoning federal debt. That’s a lot more than you can fit in a coffee can.
As a Senator, my philosophy will be: “pay-as-you-go.” You want to do some more spending, fine, but show how you’re going to pay for it. You want an additional tax cut, ok, but show how you’re going to pay for it. During the Clinton administration Congress used this rule to balance the budget and produce surpluses. We need to do it again.
As a public servant I go to work every day with a mission that we treat people the same no matter where they come from. That’s fair play. Whenever we prosecute a well-connected wealthy person, like a pilot or a CEO, the courtroom is packed with friends and we receive dozens of letters asking for leniency. When we prosecute a poor person, she’s lucky if her mom can take time off to attend.
When we prosecuted a judge for stealing $400,000 from a mentally disabled woman, it was standing room only at his sentencing. The room was filled with movers and shakers, all there to say this man shouldn’t go to prison. Even the former Miss America testified, but that didn’t bother me; hey, I was Ms. Skyway News of March of 1988.
But what I remember most about that case is the two African American men that came to watch. They had been in the courthouse for their cases and, except for the court reporter, they were the only African Americans in that room. They told me that since they had once gone to jail to pay for their crimes, they thought the judge should go to jail to pay for his. And they said, “you know, we think you need us here.” And we did. They were our guardian angels: the judge got four years. They were there to say, by their presence alone, that we can’t have two systems of justice, one for the rich and powerful and one for everyone else. We can’t have two health care systems, we can’t have two economic systems.
Minnesotans deserve fair play.
That’s why I’m so concerned about the way Washington has shifted the tax burden in this country so that an outsized share of the tax cuts have gone to the wealthiest among us. In Minnesota, we’d rather give them to the many, not the few.
I have always been proud to live in a state and country where we wrap our arms around the most vulnerable – our kids, our elderly, our disabled. It’s what we do. We take care of our kids, our parents and grandparents. That’s why we know that you can’t protect Social Security by diverting money out of the system. We need a Social Security system that’s a guarantee, not a gamble.
In Minnesota we know that farmers deserve fair trade agreements that let them compete on an even playing field. And in Minnesota we know that consumers get better prices when big drug companies face competition. When I go to Washington I will focus on real health care reform by insisting that we negotiate lower prices with the pharmaceutical companies and I will target spiraling health care costs.
That’s fair play.
I also believe in a secure country built on a strong military and safe communities. No political party has a monopoly on patriotism or the fight against terrorism. I am proud of the men and women who serve our country on the front lines everyday – many from rural areas of our state. In Minnesota we all agree that we must fully equip our troops before we send them to fight. And we must all share in the cost of protecting our country from terrorists and hostile nations.
But security begins at home with safe communities. I’ve seen this with the work we do in the neighborhoods. Block clubs, neighbors watching out for each other, coupled with strong, smart law enforcement have made a difference. We’ve cut crime. We’ve assigned prosecutors to each school to work hand-in-hand with school officials and police to intervene early in kids’ lives. We’ve targeted sex offenders, gangsters, and felons with guns.
In Minnesota, we need to be relentless in our approach to the newest crime challenge -- the highly addictive drug methamphetamine -- as we move forward. The best way to attack this drug is not only to be tough on dealers and stop it at its source, but also to invest in effective treatment.
Safe communities also mean maintaining Minnesota’s proud heritage of conservation, clean water and clean air. In a state that depends on clean water for our citizens, our economy and our tourism, we should be able to eat the fish that we catch. I will insist on rules that keep mercury at safe levels so our lakes, rivers and streams can sustain our Minnesota way of life.
I also believe in responsibility and personal integrity. We are all responsible for our own actions and our own priorities, and in Minnesota we know that there is a difference between right and wrong.
We know that it’s wrong for the people in Washington to make closed-door, back-room deals to change the ethics rules to protect powerful partisans. And it’s right to put integrity and our country’s interests first.
To learn a little bit about responsibility, we need to listen to the everyday heroes of our state--- people like the nurses who watched over my baby daughter when she was sick in the hospital, the police officer who stayed out all night to get that final piece of evidence we needed to solve a murder case, the reservists who leave their families behind to protect our nation abroad, the small business owner who goes the extra mile to provide health care benefits to a pregnant employee, and the farmer who struggles to keep his land and send his kids to college at the same time.
The 2006 election should be their election, not an endless 24-hour-a-day T.V. shoutfest about what’s right and what’s left. This election should be about what’s right and what’s wrong.
I also believe that government must be more than just about talk. If you’re going to serve, if you’re going to meet the needs you see every day, in the schools, on the streets, you can’t duck responsibility. Taking responsibility means putting your principles into action to get results. Leading an office of nearly 400 people, I've balanced budgets and set priorities. I offer a record of hard work, innovation, and results in protecting people’s safety. During my service as chief prosecutor, serious crime has gone down significantly in Hennepin County. We have worked for justice without regard to partisanship, wealth or privilege, and we’ve earned the respect of Democrats, Republicans and Independents.
From the moment I took office I said that I would measure our success by results. To get results you must take on the tough fights and you must win them. As a new mom who was pushed out of the hospital after 24 hours with my sick baby in intensive care, I took on the HMOs and the insurance industry lobbyists and fought to get one of the first laws in the country to guarantee 48-hour hospital stays for new moms and their babies. And we won.
As a lawyer in private practice, I took on a big telephone monopoly to get more competition in the telephone industry, and we won.
As a prosecutor, I saw how many people were killed and severely injured by drunk drivers -- I saw that people with 22 DWIs were never going to prison and I went to the Legislature with a felony DWI bill with tougher penalties for chronic drunk drivers. It took us two years but we got it passed, and we won.
When I became County Attorney I said that I would make our office more accountable to the citizens we serve and measure our success by results. We’ve taken on the tough cases and we’ve won.
Cynics say you can’t bring this philosophy of responsibility and results to Washington -- that it’s too big for one senator from Minnesota to make a difference. I don’t buy it. Minnesotans send their senators to Washington because they want them to make a difference.
It’s humbling to think of some of the great people we’ve sent to represent us in the Senate: Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, Dave Durenberger, Mark Dayton, and Paul Wellstone.
Inspired by these heroes, but even more by the everyday heroes whose names have never been headlined, I am ready to take this fight for Minnesota to our nation’s capital.
I am the daughter of a teacher and a newspaperman.
I am a wife and a mother.
I am a prosecutor.
I am an advocate.
I am a Minnesotan.
And with the help and support of the people of Minnesota, I will be your United States Senator.
Posted at 11:44 PM in 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota, Minnesota | Technorati
MN-Sen: Klobuchar Announcement Speech
Posted by Tim TagarisHere is the full text of Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar's official announcement speech made earlier today. Klobuchar has raised, at last report, $580,000 since Senator Dayton (D-MN) made it official that he would not seek re-election. Her campaign website can be found HERE.
SNIP:To learn a little bit about responsibility, we need to listen to the everyday heroes of our state--- people like the nurses who watched over my baby daughter when she was sick in the hospital, the police officer who stayed out all night to get that final piece of evidence we needed to solve a murder case, the reservists who leave their families behind to protect our nation abroad, the small business owner who goes the extra mile to provide health care benefits to a pregnant employee, and the farmer who struggles to keep his land and send his kids to college at the same time.Full speech in the extended copy.
Good afternoon. Welcome to the house I grew up in. It's where my Mom, Rose Klobuchar, still lives. And this morning she gave me one piece of important advice that she wanted me to share with all of you: don’t step on her tulips.I’m proud to have my family here with me today. I first want to introduce the two most important people in my life: my husband John and my daughter Abigail.
John grew up in Mankato, and his parents are here with us today. John is the third of six children – all boys. Let me tell you, my in-laws were never so happy with me than the day our daughter Abigail was born. And we’ve all been happy ever since.
My mom was a second grade teacher until she was 70. Her students still stop me on the street to tell me about how, with commitment and love, she shaped their lives just as she shaped mine, by teaching me to value education and curiosity and good humor.
My dad, Jim Klobuchar, is also here with us today. He’s also retired, or sort of retired. I say that because he continues to write books and still organizes adventure trips. As a newspaperman he brought life to the stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. He taught me that with faith in God we can meet our biggest challenges. He taught me to be leery of those with too much power, to take on the tough fights and to follow my dreams.
This house, this driveway, have marked the beginning of many journeys for me. My first day of kindergarten, and all through elementary school, my sister and I would walk across the street there, through the Bezenar’s backyard, and up the hill to what was then called Beacon Heights School.
It was here on this driveway where I started many a bike trip with my dad, including the one that took us all the way to Jackson Hole, Wyoming: 1100 miles in 10 days with all our gear on our bikes and our backs, 3 flat tires, 5 angry farm dogs and 1 tornado. Compared to that trip, this journey is going to be simple.
This journey started two months ago when our friend Mark Dayton announced that he would not seek another term in the United States Senate. Since then, I’ve received a generous outpouring of support and encouragement from people throughout Minnesota, many of whom I’ve worked with over the years.
As the chief prosecutor for Minnesota’s largest county, in which I represent nearly one-quarter of the people of this state, I’ve fought to make our communities even better, safer places to live. I’ve fought to protect the most vulnerable among us. I’ve fought to make government more accountable and efficient. I have a proven record of making a difference and producing positive results for the people I represent.
I’ve listened to them. I’ve listened to my family. I’ve thought long and hard about what I can do for our state. I’ve listened to our everyday heroes: farmers in Clay County, workers in Duluth, small business owners in Rochester, and veterans from across the state.
And so, today, where so many of my own journeys have begun, and with a commitment to the everyday heroes across Minnesota, I announce my candidacy for the United States Senate.
I run for the United States Senate so that I can make a difference for the people of Minnesota. I am a public servant who will put the greater good of the many in front of the interests of the few. Just as I have done as a prosecutor, I will stand up for what’s right without fear or favor. I will devote myself to solutions that improve people’s lives instead of fixating on issues that divide. I will bring Minnesota common sense to the halls of Congress.
I love this state. I’ve gotten to know Minnesota pretty well in the past 44 years--on the back of a bike, through my work as President of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, and through John’s and my families’ roots on the river banks of southern Minnesota to the forests and lakes of the north.
As Minnesotans, we share so much in common. We believe in hard work and fair play. We believe in a secure nation and safe communities. We believe in personal integrity and responsibility.
I believe in hard work and fair play. My grandpa was a miner, working 1500 feet underground in the iron ore mines in Ely. He didn’t even finish high school, but he and my grandma saved money in a coffee can in the basement, and they saved enough to send my dad to Ely Junior College. From there he went to the University of Minnesota. He married my mom. They moved here to this house where I grew up.
I remember my mom driving me in her red comet car to piano lessons. After the lessons during Christmas time we’d drive around town looking at all the Christmas lights in the big houses. And when I looked at those houses and imagined the lives inside them, never once did I think that I couldn’t achieve everything that those kids could achieve. It would take work. It would take student loans. I worked as a car hop and typed student papers in college to get there, but I did it.
That’s because Minnesota has always stood for opportunity through hard work -- the idea that no matter where you come from, if you work hard, you can give the uplifting gift of education to your children, you can have security in your later years, you can achieve your dreams.
That’s why we in Minnesota are horrified by the way Washington has turned a $200 billion dollar budget surplus into a $400 billion dollar deficit. Every baby born in Minnesota is now saddled with a $26,000 “birth tax” – their share of the burgeoning federal debt. That’s a lot more than you can fit in a coffee can.
As a Senator, my philosophy will be: “pay-as-you-go.” You want to do some more spending, fine, but show how you’re going to pay for it. You want an additional tax cut, ok, but show how you’re going to pay for it. During the Clinton administration Congress used this rule to balance the budget and produce surpluses. We need to do it again.
As a public servant I go to work every day with a mission that we treat people the same no matter where they come from. That’s fair play. Whenever we prosecute a well-connected wealthy person, like a pilot or a CEO, the courtroom is packed with friends and we receive dozens of letters asking for leniency. When we prosecute a poor person, she’s lucky if her mom can take time off to attend.
When we prosecuted a judge for stealing $400,000 from a mentally disabled woman, it was standing room only at his sentencing. The room was filled with movers and shakers, all there to say this man shouldn’t go to prison. Even the former Miss America testified, but that didn’t bother me; hey, I was Ms. Skyway News of March of 1988.
But what I remember most about that case is the two African American men that came to watch. They had been in the courthouse for their cases and, except for the court reporter, they were the only African Americans in that room. They told me that since they had once gone to jail to pay for their crimes, they thought the judge should go to jail to pay for his. And they said, “you know, we think you need us here.” And we did. They were our guardian angels: the judge got four years. They were there to say, by their presence alone, that we can’t have two systems of justice, one for the rich and powerful and one for everyone else. We can’t have two health care systems, we can’t have two economic systems.
Minnesotans deserve fair play.
That’s why I’m so concerned about the way Washington has shifted the tax burden in this country so that an outsized share of the tax cuts have gone to the wealthiest among us. In Minnesota, we’d rather give them to the many, not the few.
I have always been proud to live in a state and country where we wrap our arms around the most vulnerable – our kids, our elderly, our disabled. It’s what we do. We take care of our kids, our parents and grandparents. That’s why we know that you can’t protect Social Security by diverting money out of the system. We need a Social Security system that’s a guarantee, not a gamble.
In Minnesota we know that farmers deserve fair trade agreements that let them compete on an even playing field. And in Minnesota we know that consumers get better prices when big drug companies face competition. When I go to Washington I will focus on real health care reform by insisting that we negotiate lower prices with the pharmaceutical companies and I will target spiraling health care costs.
That’s fair play.
I also believe in a secure country built on a strong military and safe communities. No political party has a monopoly on patriotism or the fight against terrorism. I am proud of the men and women who serve our country on the front lines everyday – many from rural areas of our state. In Minnesota we all agree that we must fully equip our troops before we send them to fight. And we must all share in the cost of protecting our country from terrorists and hostile nations.
But security begins at home with safe communities. I’ve seen this with the work we do in the neighborhoods. Block clubs, neighbors watching out for each other, coupled with strong, smart law enforcement have made a difference. We’ve cut crime. We’ve assigned prosecutors to each school to work hand-in-hand with school officials and police to intervene early in kids’ lives. We’ve targeted sex offenders, gangsters, and felons with guns.
In Minnesota, we need to be relentless in our approach to the newest crime challenge -- the highly addictive drug methamphetamine -- as we move forward. The best way to attack this drug is not only to be tough on dealers and stop it at its source, but also to invest in effective treatment.
Safe communities also mean maintaining Minnesota’s proud heritage of conservation, clean water and clean air. In a state that depends on clean water for our citizens, our economy and our tourism, we should be able to eat the fish that we catch. I will insist on rules that keep mercury at safe levels so our lakes, rivers and streams can sustain our Minnesota way of life.
I also believe in responsibility and personal integrity. We are all responsible for our own actions and our own priorities, and in Minnesota we know that there is a difference between right and wrong.
We know that it’s wrong for the people in Washington to make closed-door, back-room deals to change the ethics rules to protect powerful partisans. And it’s right to put integrity and our country’s interests first.
To learn a little bit about responsibility, we need to listen to the everyday heroes of our state--- people like the nurses who watched over my baby daughter when she was sick in the hospital, the police officer who stayed out all night to get that final piece of evidence we needed to solve a murder case, the reservists who leave their families behind to protect our nation abroad, the small business owner who goes the extra mile to provide health care benefits to a pregnant employee, and the farmer who struggles to keep his land and send his kids to college at the same time.
The 2006 election should be their election, not an endless 24-hour-a-day T.V. shoutfest about what’s right and what’s left. This election should be about what’s right and what’s wrong.
I also believe that government must be more than just about talk. If you’re going to serve, if you’re going to meet the needs you see every day, in the schools, on the streets, you can’t duck responsibility. Taking responsibility means putting your principles into action to get results. Leading an office of nearly 400 people, I've balanced budgets and set priorities. I offer a record of hard work, innovation, and results in protecting people’s safety. During my service as chief prosecutor, serious crime has gone down significantly in Hennepin County. We have worked for justice without regard to partisanship, wealth or privilege, and we’ve earned the respect of Democrats, Republicans and Independents.
From the moment I took office I said that I would measure our success by results. To get results you must take on the tough fights and you must win them. As a new mom who was pushed out of the hospital after 24 hours with my sick baby in intensive care, I took on the HMOs and the insurance industry lobbyists and fought to get one of the first laws in the country to guarantee 48-hour hospital stays for new moms and their babies. And we won.
As a lawyer in private practice, I took on a big telephone monopoly to get more competition in the telephone industry, and we won.
As a prosecutor, I saw how many people were killed and severely injured by drunk drivers -- I saw that people with 22 DWIs were never going to prison and I went to the Legislature with a felony DWI bill with tougher penalties for chronic drunk drivers. It took us two years but we got it passed, and we won.
When I became County Attorney I said that I would make our office more accountable to the citizens we serve and measure our success by results. We’ve taken on the tough cases and we’ve won.
Cynics say you can’t bring this philosophy of responsibility and results to Washington -- that it’s too big for one senator from Minnesota to make a difference. I don’t buy it. Minnesotans send their senators to Washington because they want them to make a difference.
It’s humbling to think of some of the great people we’ve sent to represent us in the Senate: Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, Dave Durenberger, Mark Dayton, and Paul Wellstone.
Inspired by these heroes, but even more by the everyday heroes whose names have never been headlined, I am ready to take this fight for Minnesota to our nation’s capital.
I am the daughter of a teacher and a newspaperman.
I am a wife and a mother.
I am a prosecutor.
I am an advocate.
I am a Minnesotan.
And with the help and support of the people of Minnesota, I will be your United States Senator.
Posted at 11:44 PM in 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota, Minnesota | Technorati
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
2006 Minnesota Senate: Amy Klobuchar
Posted by Bob BrighamFrom a press release:
Amy Klobuchar, who has yet to formally announce her candidacy for U.S. Senate, has raised $580,000 in the month and a half since Sen. Mark Dayton announced he would not seek re-election, her campaign committee reported today."I'm very pleased and humbled by both the financial and volunteer support that our campaign has received over the past few weeks," Amy Klobuchar said. "This support will allow me to stand up for the people of Minnesota and champion ideas that will make a difference in their lives."
A substantial number of Klobuchar's contributions were received through her website, amyklobuchar.com, and many of them were raised personally by Klobuchar who called people from her kitchen table.
Posted at 01:53 PM in 2006 Elections, 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota | Technorati
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota: Republicans
Posted by Tim TagarisMight as well cover the spectrum today.
Congressman Mark Kennedy is expected to make an announcement tomorrow regarding his intention to run as the Republican nominee to replace Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN).
Former U.S. Sen Rod Grams who lost to Dayton in 2000 has already declared he will attempt to reclaim the seat he once held. Other possible Republicans include Congressman Gil Gutknecht and Mary Kiffmeyer, Minnesota Secretary of State.
If Kennedy runs, that means Gutknecht will not, as he indicated when he originally expressed his interest in the seat:
Gutknecht, who represents Rochester, said he didn't envision a primary battle with Kennedy. Instead, switching on a "Godfather" voice, Gutknecht said he hoped it would be settled "by a meeting of all the families" - state party leaders and Minnesota Republicans in Congress.
If nothing else, Dayton dropping out has made the senate race in Minnesota a lot more interesting.
Posted at 07:44 PM in 2006 Elections, 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota | Technorati
Franken will not run for Senate
Posted by Tim TagarisAl Franken kept his listeners on edge until minutes before the conclusion of his show, when he finally said:
"Anyway, I'm not running for Senate in 2006. Minnesotans are very serious about their politics; it would be silly for me to run, I don't live there."
Before the official decision, he played around with the audience for hours, hanging on until the last moment to release his decision. In the segement prior to the final commercial break, the radio host claimed that he "didn't know" whether or not he was going to run, and would get the advice of Norm Ornstein during the break and then make his decision on the other side.
When they came back Al talked about his career as an author and talk show host and acknolwedged that he has always thought about "being involved in politics in a different way." Then he talked about the proud progressive history in Minnesota, from Hubert Humphrey to Paul Wellstone. He honored those two by saying anything that he has accomplished in politics is in no small part because of them.
He then talked about believing in honoring his committments. That included his two-year contract with Air America Radio. That was the first solid clue his answer to the question tossed around all day would be, "no."
Right before making his decision not to run official, Franken and Ornstein discussed the need for people like Franken in radio to "push back" against a Right Wing Noise Machine. They mentioned Britt Hume, Bill Bennett, and Rush Limbaugh who they "debunk" on a daily basis because, "it is fun, and it is easy."
He concluded by saying that if he did decide to take on Norm Coleman in 2008, he would move the show to Minnesota and live inside the state while running.
Then he promoted tomorrow's show, and signed off.
Posted at 02:59 PM in 2006 Elections, 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota | Comments (3) | Technorati
Alan Page: Minnesota Senate 2006
Posted by Tim TagarisWhen David suggests a candidate, I am inclined to learn more about him--such is the case with Alan Page. The more and more I learn about potential candidates to square off against Mark Kennedy, the more and more I think Dayton dropping out was a blessing in disguise.
So far we have a full slate of interesting candidates: Air America radio show host Al Franken, Minnesota Public Radio host and author Garrison Keillor, Minneapolis lawyer Mike Ciresi, and State Senator Steve Kelley. Ciresi and Kelley were both vanquished by Dayton in the 2000 primary. The St. Paul Pioneer Press has a full report on a large handful of potential successors.
But as I read about Alan Page, I really began to appreciate the man and his accomplishments. Page is the state's first African-American Supreme Court Justice. Others might know him as a Hall of Fame football player, part of the vaunted "Purple People Eaters."
Much of Page's activism has centered around providing educational opportunities for underprivileged children. His outreach includes establishing foundations to provide tuition for down-trodden students and co-sponsorship of a national essay writing contest to promote literacy.
In 2004, Page won re-election to the State Supreme Court in overwhelming fashion:
Alan Page 72%
Tim Tingelstad 28%
For more information:
Page Education Foundation Scholarship
Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Profile Page
Posted at 11:34 AM in 2006 Elections, 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota | Comments (2) | Technorati
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Al Franken to Run in Minnesota? Tune in Tomorrow...
Posted by Tim TagarisWe learned earlier today that incumbent Democrat Mark Dayton (MN) will not seek re-election to the United States Senate in 2006. In the past few hours, a number of names have been tossed around. Bob mentioned public radio host and author Garrison Keillor as one possibility.
Toss another radio personality into the mix. Air America Radio's Al Franken is set to make an announcement on his radio show tomorrow.
Possible candidates range from Minneapolis lawyer Mike Ciresi, who ran against Dayton in the 2000 primary, to radio show host Al Franken, who told The Associated Press he would make an announcement on his show Thursday.
For the Republicans, Congressman Mark Kennedy (Rep. MN-6) still appears to be the frontrunner. Even still, our friends at Dayton v. Kennedy now need to get a new blog--which is funny to me.
UPDATE (by David): Looks like Franken is indeed in.
Posted at 06:46 PM in 2006 Elections, 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota | Comments (4) | Technorati
Dayton calls no joy
Posted by Bob BrighamSenator Dayton, thanks for your service, we'll miss you.
Garrison Keillor, where do I send a check?
Posted at 02:41 PM in 2006 Elections, 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota | Technorati
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Better get a new URL
Posted by Tim TagarisMinnesota Senate 2006
Republicans have afixed a target on the back of US Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN). Dayton is a target in large part because he spent almost all of his personal wealth getting elected for the first time in 2000 and cannot afford to fund his own race again.
Until today, every indication was Congressman Mark Kennedy would do the honors.
Rep. Gil Gutknecht said Thursday he is considering running for U.S. Senate next year, putting his name on a list of potential Republican candidates that already includes fellow Minnesota Rep. Mark Kennedy. [...]Gutknecht, who represents Rochester, said he didn't envision a primary battle with Kennedy. Instead, switching on a "Godfather" voice, Gutknecht said he hoped it would be settled "by a meeting of all the families" - state party leaders and Minnesota Republicans in Congress.
In any case, our friends over at Dayton v. Kennedy better consider getting a new URL. I just checked, it's available -- but I don't know how user friendly daytonvGutknecht.com is.
Didn't we just have this discussion?
Posted at 10:46 PM in 2006 Elections, 2006 Elections - Senate, Minnesota | Comments (1) | Technorati
Sunday, September 05, 2004
Rasmussen: Tie in MN
Posted by DavidNYCThe first quasi-post RNC swing state poll - for Minnesota - is out, courtesy of Scott Rasmussen. This is not one of Rasmussen's weird month-long polls, though it did take them a week to collect their sample. This means that part of the survey was taken before the Republican convention and part was taken after. Without further ado (likely voters, August in parens):
Kerry: 46 (48)
Bush: 46 (44)
Other/Undecided: 8 (9)
(MoE: ��5%)
I don't know how much stock you can put into the trendline numbers because those are from one of those bizarre all-month polls. The MoE is also pretty hefty. And given the enormous scrutiny being applied lately to likely voter models, I suggest a liberal application of salt before digesting this poll.
I'm not a Rasmussen subscriber, so I don't have access to the full internals, but we do know that Kerry (54%) & Bush (52%) are pretty evenly matched in favorability. I do wonder what the unfavorable numbers look like, though.
P.S. Rasmussen's national tracking poll has Bush up 48-46. I may not be so fond of his firm, but Rasmussen and Time/Newsweek can't both be right. Ralph in comments below has more on this.
(Thanks to rimjob.)
Posted at 09:18 PM in Minnesota | Comments (11) | Technorati
Monday, July 12, 2004
Rasmussen: Hefty Kerry Lead in MN
Posted by DavidNYCRasmussen has a new poll out in MN:
Kerry: 50 (48)
Bush: 41 (43)
Other: 3 (4)
Undecided: 5 (5)
(MoE: ��5%)
And Bush's job approval ticked down one point, from 48% to 47%.
Only one real point to make here: The reliability of many pollsters - perhaps Rasmussen's most of all - is often questioned. I share that skepticism, by which I mean to say that I don't think, for instance, that Kerry will win Minnesota by such a huge margin. However, the valuable thing you can glean is the delta - ie, the poll-to-poll change. Moving from a five-point lead to a nine-point lead suggests that Kerry has at least some positive momentum in the state.
(Thanks to FrenchSocialist.)
Posted at 04:19 PM in Minnesota | Comments (4) | Technorati
Sunday, June 06, 2004
Rasmussen Roundup Redux
Posted by DavidNYCSpeaking of Rasmussen, he's got a bunch more polls out this weekend. DemFromCT over at Kos has the roundup once again.
Kerry's up 5 in MN and 6 in MI. He's down 5 in AR. Oh, he's also (still) up 12 in NJ, for those of you who might be fretting over Quinnipiac's last showing. And here's an interesting detail: In the first poll of South Carolina this year, Kerry's back only 10 points. This is a state Bush won by 16 in 2000. We aren't going to win here, but if Bush remains this far back from his 2000 numbers here, SC could be a sort of canary in the coalmine for what's going to happen to Dubya in other closer states.
Posted at 05:46 PM in Arkansas, Michigan, Minnesota | Technorati
Monday, May 31, 2004
MN: Slight Kerry Lead
Posted by DavidNYCIt's been a while since we've seen any polling out of Minnesota, a state which the Bushies allegedly are trying very hard to capture. So the St. Paul Pioneer Press brings some good news (no trendlines, registration required):
Kerry: 44
Bush: 41
Nader: 2
Undecided: 13
(MOE: ��4%)
Bush's approval-dissaproval stands at a dismal 44-56. (But be warned: This poll uses a "poor or fair vs. good or excellent" scheme for computing these figures, so these numbers might be a bit different - and in my guess, a bit more favorable for Bush - if they had asked a simple approve vs. disapprove.) Kerry, meanwhile, has a 43-25 approval-disapproval rating, which suggests that Bush's much-ballyhooed spending spree to drive up Kerry's negatives hasn't really taken hold, at least in MN.
(Thanks to sane democrat.)
Posted at 03:52 PM in Minnesota | Comments (1) | Technorati
Monday, April 05, 2004
Kerry Ahead 50-38 in MN
Posted by DavidNYCI've been fretting a lot about Minnesota, but a new Strib poll shows Kerry with a big lead:
Kerry: 50
Bush: 38
Nader: 2
I realize I haven't been reporting the MOE for most of the polls I've been highlighting, but the Strib article unfortunately doesn't tell us what it is here.
While I'm glad to see numbers like this, this poll does seem to be a bit of an outlier. Rasmussen last had it as Kerry 47, Bush 44. I do like the Strib poll's low Nader number, but it's not comparable with anything in Rasmussen, which only reports "Other" getting 4%.
At the very least, Karl Rove can't be happy with these results. I presume Bush is running ads in Minnesota - can anyone confirm for sure? If so, then it's nice to see that (at least based on one poll), these ads haven't had much of an effect.
(Thanks to jonner.)
Posted at 12:01 PM in Minnesota | Comments (5) | Technorati
Saturday, January 24, 2004
Up Next: Minnesota
Posted by DavidNYCNext stop on the SSP tour is Minnesota. If you have any thoughts on the Democrats' chances there, please share `em.
Posted at 04:23 PM in Minnesota | Comments (3) | Technorati