Rochester Post Bulletin: Draz doesn't share his conversion with local reporter

Update: Joe Bodell at MNCR looks at today's special election.

Today's Rochester Post Bulletin reports that Voters go to the polls today in state House District 28B. Reporter Matthew Stolle seems to have interviewed the candidates yesterday:

With the trauma of the I-35W collapse casting a shadow over the state, voters are heading to the polls today in a special election to decide the next state representative for House District 28B.

Republican candidate Steve Drazkowski and Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate Linda Pfeilsticker said they planned to use the waning hours of their campaigns in a sprint of door-knocking and phone calls.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, except in some townships where it's 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The 28B seat was held for the past 29 years by GOP Rep. Steve Sviggum, who was House speaker for eight of those years before being appointed commissioner of labor and industry by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

With turnout expected to be low, both candidates appeared focused on getting their base supporters and party activists to the polls.

"That's exactly what it's about. It's getting the supporters out to vote," Drazkowski said.

While Drazkowski told the Strib's reporter that he's open to raising the gas tax:

During the legislative campaign, Drazkowski had remained adamantly opposed to increasing the gas tax, saying it would cripple the economy of the district.

But on Monday, the last full day of the campaign, Drazkowski said he would leave open the idea of supporting a gas-tax increase.

he doesn't seem to have shared that new insight with Stolle:

Even before the collapse of the I-35W bridge, the condition of the district's and the state's roads and bridges had been a key campaign issue.

Both Pfeilsticker and Drazkowski have emphasized the need to update the state's road and bridge network, but they support different funding approaches. Pfeilsticker says she is open to a gas tax increase, while Drazkowski opposes one, preferring bonding or borrowing money, instead.

Other than wanting to get elected, does The Draz know where he stands?