Does Brian Davis endorse part-time representation?

Sounds like it in a statement made to the 2007 First District RPM convention.

While we didn't find any references to the Farm Bill on Brian Davis's site in our research for our last post, we did find this tidbit in a PDF of an excerpt from his speech to the First District convention in 2007. Davis said:

"Senator Coburn still manages to practice medicine and spends time in Washington only when necessary. Both of which I strongly endorse!"

Does this mean that Southern Minnesota will get a part-time congressman if Davis is elected? That would certainly be a switch from Walz, who holds dozens of open public meetings in the district, seeks out his constituents in local grocery stores, and serves on three committees in Washington? Will voters in the Republican primary consider the question as well, given that Day, a retired IBM sales representative, has a track record of working solely in the Minnesota Senate?

This may answer Minnesota Central's question about why a doctor earning $411,720 a year would swap that for one brining in $169,300 (having turned down a pay raise because Congress hasn't balanced the budget, Walz learns less than this). Back in June, MC wondered:

And a sidebar comment about Dr. Davis. 
Voters, such as me, must wonder why someone would want take a pay cut of over $240,000?   

In 2007, Davis apparently didn't think it's important to work full-time for the people who would send him to Washington. We suspect many Southern Minnesotans would think that nearly $170 grand is fulltime pay, given that the 2006 American Community Survey* unofficially put the median family income in the First at $ 60,401, with the median per capita income at $24,320.

Perhaps Davis should clarify whether he's still endorsing the idea of working part-time on public policy if elected.

*Accessed today. We chose the ACS over the 2000 Census figures for the district because they are somewhat higher. They are, however, not official estimates. In 1999 dollars, the 2000 Census gives the median family income in the First as $50,143, while the individual per capita income clocked at $19,889. For sake of fairness, we have used the unofficial figures.

Comments

[MinnesotaCentral]

How comfortable can his constituents be if Dr. Davis had reduced his commitment to be Olmsted County Republican Party treasurer after three months ? How could he not have the time to be a parttime Treasurer and fulltime doctor but think that he can be a parttime legislator and parttime doctor ?
By the way, how did he do in that Treasurer position ?
Have any print media reviewed his performance ?

If it’s a family money issue, I am surprised that Dr. Lori Lillienberg salary wouldn’t be sufficient to keep bread on the family table.

Also, did Dr. Davis take a unpaid leave of absence from his medical practice to campaign for office ? If so, does that mean he needed to concentrate on getting elected so that he could be a parttime legislator and parttime doctor ?

All, I can tell you is if someone suggests I see Dr. Davis for medical service, I’m getting a different doctor.

Ollie Ox replies: Dr. Davis's reputation as a physician is quite high from all reports.