Last year's Farm Bill stalled in the House when Tea Party Republicans decided not feeding the poor was a winning meal ticket in the 2012 elections. That worked well for folks like Allen Quist, sent him back to his rural Nicollet County farm instead of the big hotdish contest in the Beltway.
. . .Some House Republicans, often from the rural Midwest, began proposing
putting food stamps—which make up more than 70 percent of the
Agriculture Department budget—into a separate bill. This would be a way
to reduce food-stamp spending or get the program turned over to the
states. These members seem to have forgotten that Congress created food
stamps as part of the farm bill in the 1960s, when the declining rural
population translated into fewer rural representatives in the House and
fewer votes for the farm bill, and that the number of rural
representatives continues to decline. . . .
. . . The participation in food stamps appears to remain higher than
anticipated, however, because wage rates are so low. Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack has suggested that the way to resolve the problem
is to help food-stamp beneficiaries improve their skills and get better
jobs.
Meanwhile, House Republicans press for cuts and most
Democrats resist. House Agriculture Committee ranking member Collin
Peterson, D-Minn., said he has told his panel’s chairman, Rep. Frank
Lucas, R-Okla., that he wants to be part of any decision-making on
food-stamp cuts. Peterson also defended food stamps with a statement
that is sure to raise hackles in farm circles: “There is less fraud in
food stamps than in any government program. There is five times as much
fraud in crop insurance than in food stamps.”
Even an old Blue Dog can stay on point when the scent's strong even.
Leaders of congressional ag committees from both parties
seem optimistic that there will be a farm bill this year, but tough negotiating
remains, especially if committees have to trim spending even more than they did
when putting together bills in 2012. . . .
The House ag committee's ranking Democrat, Collin Peterson of Minnesota,
seems to be a strong supporter as well. But he is hearing complaints
from some of his farmer constituents about insurance not being limited
for very large farms. . . .
Just as a year ago, negotiating changes to the commodity
title of the farm bill and the spending level for the nutrition title remain
difficult.
Peterson said that more money
could be saved from SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, if the
federal government and not states, determined the income level for eligibility
for what used to be called food stamps.
The federal threshold for food stamp eligibility is 130% of
the poverty level, Peterson said, but in red states, it's actually higher--200%
in North Dakota, 165% in Texas and 185% in Arizona, versus 130% in Peterson's
state of Minnesota.
"The states that you would think would use this (the
lower, federal level) are not," he said.
Peterson said he's urging his committee colleagues "we
should be looking at policy here, instead of a number."
A good point, dawg.
Photo: Minnesota Seventh District Congressman Collin Peterson.
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Oh snap! The hep title of the program--borrowing as it does from pop culutre--will so help the Republican Party rebrand itself as not the scary party of stuffy old men.
Sadly, the notion that "The Hunger Games" is analogy for Agenda 21 isn't original to the spry gentlemen leading the discussion on Tuesday night. No sirree, Bob; cultural scholar Alex Jones first posited last year that the movie was something to make us get used to human sacrifice and the other goals of Agenda 21.
Here's the video:
Can't wait until Earth Day? On Monday, April 8, the SW Metro Tea Party will screen "Runaway Slave," a movie about black conservatives. Memphis reviewer John Beifuss noted in 'Runaway Slave' - A Review: Black Like Tea:
What Memphians will find is a movie that wastes only three minutes
before linking Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Glenn Beck, via footage of
Beck's 2010 "Restoring Honor" celebration at the Lincoln Memorial.
Okay then.
Photo: Rollie Neve.
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Quist received 1801 votes, or 36.08 percent, while Independence Party candidate Tim Gieseke collected 511 votes for 10.24 percent of the vote.
The Republican's 2013 percentage of the vote in the state house district dipped slightly from the 37.05 percentage he received of the 2012 congressional election votes cast in the same house district. This suggests that the conservative Republican base that produces an Allen Quist in Nicollet County is fairly stable, with Gieseke capturing small-i independent voters.
Whatever the explanation, creationist Quist was defeated on Charles Darwin's birthday (as well as that of the Original Republican, Abraham Lincoln, although the Grand Old Party has--dare we say--evolved from the days of the Great Emancipator).
In today's other special election, Republican small business woman Tama Thies won with 55.08 percent of the vote with 15 of 16 precincts reporting when we posted at 10:30 p.m. Just as the 19A seat stayed in DFL hands, this traditionally Republican district in St. Cloud stayed Republican.
The results in both districts leave the party counts in the Minnesota House exactly as they were on the morning of November 7, 2012.
. . .Quist didn't talk much -- if at all -- about abortion, gay marriage or
other social issues during the campaign, but [North Mankato voter Jared] Glaser checked some of
Quist's former words and actions online. He saw videos that referenced
Quist's attempts in the 1980s to reduce the amount of anonymous gay sex
in Minnesota and his doubts about the theory of evolution, including
statements that dinosaurs and humans co-existed on earth.
"He just sounds like a lunatic," Glaser said. . . .
Cartoon: Allen Quist can still fly to the state capitol for gun hearings and such. Cartoon by Ken Avidor.
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On the eve of the special election in Minnesota House District 19A, the Allen Quist campaign is claiming the all-important Gustavus Adolphus vote.
Not the friendly ELCA-affiliated private college nestled on the west bank of the Minnesota River valley in St. Peter. Not that.
Instead, literature being distributed on campus depicts a dashing young Swedish king at the Battle of Breitenfeld (near present day Leipzig), an encounter widely viewed as the prelude to the Swedish phase of the Thirty Years War.
And as sure as Bluestem is that Adolphus isn't eligible to vote in Minnesota, even if he holds a valid GAC student ID (he's been dead since 1632 and there's that citizenship thingie), we're sure Thirty Years War is about as long as Mr. Quist has been campaigning, though without the original Gustie's success.
Right century though for Quist's beliefs, even though the stead might better be a dinosaur.
We remind voters in HD 19A to get out and vote on Tuesday, February 12, 2013, since he'd have to get permission to bring that horse to the capitol
Photo: Quist's college outreach literature, beyond camp.
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With the Legislature proposing several new gun control bills, Quist
has stepped forward to present himself as a strong opponent of the
bills, even traveling to one of the hearings as a show of support. He
said research by John Lott shows that control measures have no impact on
violence. Lott's research since publication has been discredited by
several scientific journals and it has even been accused of fabricating
its facts. He said attention needs to instead be focused on other areas,
such as the correlation between school shooters and violent video
games.
"We really need to see if we can do something about violent video games," said Quist, "They are a serious concern."
People don't kill people, video games do.
Quist certainly hasn't lost his touch since the days when he proposed instituting abstinence-based sex ed as a plan to lower crime. In the December 22, 1993, Star Tribune article, "Quist twist on crime mixes liberal tenets with conservative," Dane Smith reported:
The biggest causes behind the rising crime
rate, Quist emphasized, is "promiscuity" and a resulting explosion in
single-family parents over the past 10 years. One of his key proposals
is an "abstinence-based" sex education program in the schools. . . .(Nexis All-News, accessed 2/10/2013)
Bluestem's readers of coarse sensibilities can write their own jokes about the effects of video-game withdrawal in joyless young boys. We simply couldn't comment.
. . .Past studies have failed to demonstrate a link between violent games
and real violence, said Christopher Ferguson, an associate professor of
psychology and communications at Texas A&M International University
in Laredo, Texas. Policy makers should focus on more important issues
including gun control and mental health, he said in an interview.
“We can’t find any evidence to support
this idea that exposure to video-game violence contributes in any way
to support the idea that these types of games or movies or TV shows are a
contributing factor,” Ferguson said. “It doesn’t need to be studied
again.”
Other news venues filed more nuanced accounts. On January 17, Suzy Khimm of the Washington Post WonkBlog wrote in POW! CRACK! What we know about video games and violence that Ferguson pointed out that "“video games have become more popular and more violent, while youth violence has declined.”
There's more:
But though there’s been a wide range of academic research on the
subject, there’s little to no conclusive evidence that playing video
games results in real-life violence, much less criminal acts. In 2011,
the Supreme Court struck down a California law restricting the sale and rental of violent video games to minors in a 7-2 ruling. The majority cited the state of existing research in its opinion:
Psychological studies purporting to show a connection
between exposure to violent video games and harmful effects on children
do not prove that such exposure causes minors to act aggressively. Any
demonstrated effects are both small and indistinguishable from effects
produced by other media…California also cannot show that the Act’s
restrictions meet the alleged substantial need of parents who wish to
restrict their children’s access to violent videos.
. . .In one 2012 article
for the Journal of Psychiatric Research, Ferguson and his co-authors
examined 165 participants over three years and found that playing
violent video games was not linked to youth aggression or dating
violence. Instead, they found that “depression, antisocial personality
traits, exposure to family violence and peer influences were the best
predictors of aggression-related outcomes.”
That said, there is evidence that violent video games may have a
tendency to make children who are already aggressive more hostile and
more aggressive — at least in the context of playing a video game,
Ferguson explains. “Openly aggressive children tend to intensify their
preference for games with a brutal and bloody plot over time,”
researchers wrote in a 2011 article for Media Psychology that examined 324 German grade-schoolers over one year. Ferguson points to another 2011 study
from the American Psychological Association that found that video games
were linked to aggression but not for the reasons you might expect. “It
appears that competition, not violence, may be the video game
characteristic that has the greatest influence on aggressive behavior,”
the researchers conclude. .. .
And there's this, also from January from MSN Video game makers urge Biden not to blame games for real violence:
The letters from the International Game Developers Association and the Entertainment Consumers Associationpointed
out that numerous studies have already been done showing that there
is no causal link between game violence and real violence.
"In
2011, video game sales increased to over $27 billion dollars and
violent crimes nationwide decreased 3.8 percent from 2010," Mercurio
wrote, pointing to the FBI's own statistics. "Since
2002, violent crime has decreased 15.5 percent. This is all during the
time when games like 'Call of Duty' and 'Halo' have dominated sales."
But
the letter from Greenberg, of the International Game
Developers Association, supported the idea of additional studies
about video games.
"Unlike some industry groups, the IGDA
does not seek to impede more scientific study about our members’
products. We welcome more evidence-based research into the effects of
our work," he wrote, but added: "We ask that any new government
research look at the totality of imaginary violence. Instead of simply
trying to find negative effects, we ask that any new research explore
the benefits of violent video games, too."
So perhaps we could violate the Constitution when it comes to video games. Bluestem suspects that our gamer friends would no more part with their "Call of Duty" games than Representative Cornish would surrender his coyote rifle.
Read the rest of Moniz's article at the New Ulm Journal.
The Minnesota House District 19A special election is Tuesday, February 12; the district in
Photo: Found on the Facebook page of Minnesota State University -- Mankato political science professor Joe Kunkel, these two literature pieces appear to be time travelers from the campaigns of Quist and DFL candidate Clark Johnson from the 1980s (they ran for different seats under earlier districting and never faced off against each other before). Bluestem is unable to verify the historical veracity of the facial hair on either gentleman. The lit pieces--and the beards--are for real and featured in Mankato Free Press political reporter Mark Fischenich's Campaign Notebook: Special election hits the home stretch. Much wonderfulness in the article. Go read it.
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With the special election to fill former state representative Terry Morrow's seat in Minnesota House District 19A just over a week away, the pace is picking up.
To view side-by-side comparisons of the candidates' unedited answers to thoughtful questions developed by GMG, click on the link above, then check the boxses beside the candidates' names. To view a candidate's biographic information, click on the "bio" link to the right of their name.
DFLer Clark Johnson, IP candidate Tim Gieseke and Republican nominee Allen Quist will meet for a forum in St. Peter on Tuesday, February 5, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Treaty Site History Center, 1851 North Minnesota Ave (Highway 169). The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Greater Mankato Growth, the St. Peter Chamber of Commerce and the St. Peter League of Women Voters.
. . .Our two-day candidate forum will be held during Talk of the Town at 1:05pm on Thursday and Friday Febuary 7 and 8. . . .
We welcome your questions.
You can email your candidate questions to news@ktoe.com ... be sure to
include your name... and we will select several listener questions for
each of the three candidates. . .
While it's been difficult for voters to find detailed answers from the candidates, that problem should be solved by the questionnaires and forums. Show up or listen if you want to witness Allen Quist release the Lion of Free Enterprise or whatever it's call these days.
Photo: Clark Johnson and supporters in St. Peter. Former state rep. Ruth Johnson is the woman wearing the fabulous scarf (first left).
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The ever-sharpeyed MNA New Journalist of the Year Josh Moniz just tweeted a curious observation about a press release that the Republican Party of Minnesota sent out scolding DFL voters for selecting endorsed Democratic candidate Clark Johnson in yesterday's primary for the February 12 HD 19A special election.
The Republicans didn't mention the name of their own candidate, Allen Quist.
The candidate whose campaign has had the benefit of not just one, but two fundraising emails from the extreme Gentlewoman from Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District, Michele Bachmann.
Jan 29, 2013Voters in House District 19A Deserve More Than a Rubber Stamp for the Dayton Agenda
St. Paul - Republican
Party of Minnesota Chairman Pat Shortridge issued the following
statement regarding the DFL primary win by Clark Johnson in House
District 19A:
“Governor Dayton and the Twin Cities’ liberals who run the
Minnesota House of Representatives have proposed huge new taxes hikes to
pay for big increases in government spending. They are proposing new
environmental regulations that will severely hamper Minnesota
agriculture. They have already begun putting into place the ObamaCare
health insurance exchange.
We're not sure what "new environmental regulations that will severely hamper Minnesota agriculture" have been introduced in the Minnesota House. (Instead, the sort of one-sided partisan whining chronicled in House ag chairs put their heads together as Hamilton sour grapes whine tasting continues is going on. Do they mean the new drainage legislation that Rod Hamilton is a co-author of? Or are they just picking empty template out of their--ahem--coffee cups at MNGOP headquarters in St. Paul?
“Now that the field is set for the special election in House
District 19A, the question is: Do voters in Nicollet, Blue Earth and Le
Sueur Counties want a rubber stamp for this extreme agenda? Or do they
want a representative who will try to stop it and offer better solutions
based on tried and true principles?
“Voters in House District 19A have a chance to send St. Paul a loud
and clear message: Focus on economic growth and job creation instead of
passing job-killing tax hikes. Stop trying to have government direct
our economy. Stop rewarding special interest groups. Stop pandering to
liberal environmentalists who would do harm to our agriculture economy.
Yes, kids: instead vote for our extreme agenda and our candidate. But we're so not telling you his name.
Even though, unlike the phantom environmental menace the MNGOP is evoking to scare the tar out of you, he actually has a name, and it's Allen Quist. Voters in 19A may remember rejecting him in 2012 when he ran against Congressman Walz.
Only 37 percent of November's voters in HD19A voted for Quist--and it's his home turf.
“Voters in House District 19A deserve a Representative that
reflects the values of the district - responsible spending, efficient
government, and a focus on job creation. They don’t need a rubber stamp
for an extreme agenda in St Paul. On February 12, they can send a
powerful message to Mark Dayton and Paul Thissen.”
Nope, voters don't need a rubber stamp for an extreme agenda, and they can send a pwoerful message that they're sick of this rhetorical hogwash by voting for local college professor and advisor Clark Johnson.
Cartoon: Allen Quist, the Republican Party of Minnesota's Love That Dare Not Say Its Name.
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During a Debate Minnesota forum with Congressman Tim Walz at Minnesota State--Mankato during last year's campaign, Allen Quist famously repeated (until college students in the audience were lip syncing) that we must "unleash the lion" of free enterprise.
Unleashed from the phrase, "unleash the lion" became a touchstone for mirth in the race. Now that Clark Johnson has won the DFL primary with 66.29 percent of the vote, and thus the field set, Bluestem hopes that Quist will unleash the lion of his catchphrase once more.
Creative friends have drinking games devised.
Here arethe results for the primary today (for a few minutes, it looked as if St. Peter Mayor Tim Strand had scored by in Kasota, but sharp-eyed friends noted that the early totals were an exactly match for Terry Morrow's figures in 2012, and thus a reporting error; this proved to be true and Clark Johnson took the lead):
The seat, which includes all of Nicollet County and Kasota, as well as parts of Mankato, became vacate with the resignation of Terry Morrow to take a job in Chicago. The special election is Tuesday, February 12.
Image: Photoshop of Allen Quist by Ken Avidor.
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It's a cold and overcast day right now in southern Minnesota, although the rain and snow seem to have held off for now. After today's primary, there's a distinct possibility that things might heat up in the St. Peter-area special election.
Powerful organizations and fundraising sources are converging on
Minnesota House District 19A in efforts to win a victory for their party
just as the primary election occurs today and general election on
Tuesday, Feb. 12. . . .
U.S.
Rep. Michele Bachmann sent out two fundraiser e-mails urging her
supporters to donate to Quist's campaign. Bachmann is a long-time friend
of the Quist family.
. . .Quist
also has the newly formed Minnesota Jobs Coalitions, an economic issues
PAC, considering throwing its support behind him. The Coalition has
been active with daily criticism of Gov. Mark Dayton's new tax
proposals, pushing Republican positions and laying some ground work to
criticize Johnson's support of Dayton's proposals. . . .
Meanwhile, former Gustavus Adolphus College
Democrats leader Megan Nelson reported that Gov. Mark Dayton is planning
to rally in support of Johnson at the college the day before the Feb.
12 general election. She said details on the visit are still pending.
Johnson received endorsements from the AFSCME-Council 5 union and the AFL-CIO union on Monday.
Independence
candidate Gieseke will be holding a fundraiser rally today at 6:30
p.m. at the Treaty Site History Center in St. Peter. The 2010
Independence gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner will speak in support of
Gieseke at the event.
Read the rest of Moniz's article at the Journal. We'll keep you posted about the special election throughout the day.
Map: House district 19A
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Because DFL party rules forced the endorsing convention to be held after the date for candidates to withdraw their candidacy, all four names remain on tomorrow's ballot.
Two more letters in today's Free Press support Clark Johnson; a third urges support for Karl Johnson, as a backer decides that he's not taking Karl's word for it that he no longer wants the job. All three letters are from respected area citizens.
I am supporting Clark Johnson for the House of Representatives in
District 19A. Clark Johnson will stop the borrowing from public schools
to balance our state’s budget. He would partner with the majority
seeking reason and rational solutions to a decade’s worth of budget
deficits.
Clark Johnson is committed to a four-lane Highway 14 to New Ulm. Clark Johnson would work with the majority to find solutions.
Join me and support Clark Johnson for the House of Representatives in District 19A Jan. 29 and Feb. 12.
I will vote for my longtime neighbor, Clark Johnson, the DFL-endorsed
candidate for state legislator for District 19A, in the primary Tuesday
and again in the special election Feb. 12.
Clark Johnson’s ability to listen to and connect with people would aid
him greatly in working towards his top priority, a stable economy that
recognizes the importance of agriculture and small business in our area.
His would be an articulate, thoughtful and strong voice for outstate Minnesota. Vote twice for Clark Johnson.
After Terry Morrow resigned, I was very happy to see that Karl Johnson
decided to run as a Democrat for the now open District 19A seat.
As a farmer and a small business owner, Karl Johnson would be a refreshing change for this district in St. Paul.
I was disappointed that Karl Johnson didn’t get the party endorsement. I believe they really missed the boat on this one.
If you want someone who will work to relieve the taxes and
over-regulations on small business and local government and get this
state going in the right direction again, vote for Karl Johnson.
In addition to being a veteran, McLaughlin served on the Mankato City Council in the 1990s and the Blue Earth County board from 1999 through 2010.
Update: MN HD resident and Bluestem contributor Max Hailperin has commented:
It is perhaps worth noting that two of the letter writers live in 19A,
whereas the third does not appear to. (1129 N Broad St., like most of
Mankato, is in 19B.)
Fleming and Solo live in the district, while Mclaughlin does not. [end update]
The dueling letters do not appear to be hijinks on the part of Republican or Independence Party agitators. Solo's daughter Leah was instrumental in the election of Tim Walz in 2006 and has since become a bright light in the state DFL. McLaughlin's son Mike, an Iraq War veteran, was featured in a Walz television ad last year.
The dueling letters represent an honest split on the part of their authors, however much both Johnsons want voters to pick Clark Johnson in tomorrow's primary.
A scattered wintry mix, followed by dropping temperatures, is predicted for tomorrow's primary, so turnout is likely to be light. Stay tuned.
The special election, set for February 12, was triggered by the resignation of former state representative Terry Morrow to take a job in Chicago. Morrow had run without opposition in the 2012 election.
Photo: Clark Johnson supporters prevailed at the endorsing convention; will they prevail tomorrow?
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In case there were any doubt about the unity of the DFL in Tuesday's primary for the special election in Minnesota House District 19A, the three candidates who didn't get the endorsement make it clear in a letter to the Mankato Free Press: Other DFL candidates: Vote for Clark Johnson:
On Jan. 19, DFL House District 19A endorsed candidate Clark Johnson for
state representative. After a contested endorsing convention, Clark
Johnson won the endorsement from DFL convention delegates enthusiastic
and energized.
We, Karl Johnson, Tim Strand and Robin Courrier, are suspending our
campaigns and throwing our full support behind our DFL-endorsed
candidate, Clark Johnson.
We ask you to vote for Clark Johnson in the Jan. 29 primary and in the special election Feb. 12.
Clark Johnson will work hard to find a balanced approach to our state's
budgetary deficits. Clark Johnson is committed to construction of a
four-lane Highway 14 to New Ulm. Clark Johnson will work hard for
property tax reform in our state. Clark Johnson is committed to full
funding for education.
Because DFL party rules required a ten-day notice for the call for an endorsing convention, the convention had to be held after the deadline for a candidate to withdraw from the race and all four candidates' names remain on Tuesday's ballot.
The winner will face IP candidate Tim Gieseke and Republican Allen Quist in the February 12 primary.
Photo: Clark Johnson supporters.
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The reports cover the period from January 8 through January 15, 2013, and notices of contributions of $400 or more received after the deadline must be filed with the board, according to a letter to the candidates from the CFPDB.
DFL: Johnson and Johnson reports
Second-place DFL candidate Karl Johnson, who has suspended his campaign following Saturday's convention that endorsed fellow Democrat Clark Johnson on the fourth ballot, lead the pack. Karl Johnson, a successful pork producer from rural North Mankato, raised $7,745 by January 15, and filed one 24-hour notice of a large contribution received on January 16 for $500. Most of Karl Johnson's large contributors are area farmers or individuals working in Southern Minnesota's flourishing ag sector.
No spending was reported.
DFL endorsed candidate Clark Johnson raised $1780 by the January 15 deadline, including a $500 check from the MnSCU professors' union, the IFO. Following the deadline, the Clark Johnson campaign received $500 from the Nicollet County DFL on January 19 and $500 from Evelyn Solo of North Mankato on January 20. The Clark Johnson campaign reported spending $301.87, largely for costs related to a mailing and setting up a bank account.
No reports are available online for the Robin Courrier and Tim Strand campaigns.
IP: Gieseke gives and spend $100
Independence Party candidate Tim Gieseke contributed $100 to his campaign, which was spent on a single non-campaign disbursement, presumably filing for office. He has told media that he does not intend to spend a great deal of time fundraising; his report reveals that he is a man of his word.
By January 22, however, Gieseke had raised the $1500 in small contributions required to receive the available public subsidy, filing the required Affidavit of Contributions.
Republican: Allen Quist's vendor provided window into smaller contributions
Endorsed Republican Allen Quist reports receiving total contributions of $3469.98 by January 15; $2969.98 of the total came from individual contributions, with a $500 check from Michele Bachmann's MICHELE PAC topping off the till.
Quist gave $500 to his own campaign, as did John Roise of North Mankato. Emily Gruenhagen, spouse of Minnesota state representative Glenn Gruenhagen (R-Glencoe), gave $150; the Quists and Gruenhagens are old friends and allies. New Ulm Republican Joshua Wilkening gave $250.
The Quist campaign spent $962.98 by January 15, with $725.11 going toward printing and postage for a mailing.
The rest of the spending was non-campaign disbursements to Election Mall, a vendor in Washington, D.C., for credit card processing fees incurred mostly on January 15. Since each fee lists a contributor, the expenses provide a glimpse into the individuals giving money to the Quist campaign, presumably via the fundraising email Bachmann sent out on Allen Quist's behalf on January 15.
On January 14, Robert Wehrwein, Bruce Harpel, and Connie Takala each gave to the Quist campaign, with credit card processing fees ranging from $2.23 to $9.48 being billed to the committee. Presumably these are contributions of $100 or under received by January 15, or larger contributions of less than $400 received after the January 15 deadline (presuming that the money itself did not reach the campaign by the deadline). The Quist campaign has not filed any 24-hour notices of large contributions received after the filing deadline.
It's an interesting snapshot of the Bachmann fundraising machine, and fair warning to the DFL that it simply can't coast in a Democratic-leaning district. Voter contact and turnout will be key to this special election, and Democrats can't be certain that Quist's name recognition will drive citizens to the polls on February 12 to vote for Clark Johnson.
The Minnesota House District 19A special election on February 12 will fill an open seat created by the resignation of Terry Morrow to take a job in Chicago. Since there is no primary in the special election in House District 14A, prompted by the resignation of Steve Gottwalt to become a lobbyist, no pre-primary reports were required in that race.
Yesterday, Governor Dayton released his budget proposal; New Ulm Journal reporter Josh Moniz interviewed the three endorsed candidates in the Minnesota House 19A special election for their reactions.
Republican candidate Allen Quist objected to the proposal. He joked that
because several Democrats objected to the proposal he may find DFL
legislators actually willing agree with him on legislation if he is
elected. He considers the proposal "dead in the water." He opposes
reducing the sale tax rates while broadening it because the rate has a
history of creeping back up, leading to a net tax increase.
Readers may recall that Quist engaged in a tax policy squabble during the Republican primary with Mike Parry during the Republican primary last summer. Mark Fischenish summed it up in Quist, Parry engage in tax spat at the Mankato Free Press.
The Journal article next moved on to DFL-endorsed candidate Clark Johnson's views:
DFL candidate Clark Johnson said he is completely open to Dayton's
proposal, though he wants a more polished proposal with data about what
the tax will impact by the time the legislation is brought to a vote.
He is only interested in any kind of tax increase that will create
long-term sustainability to the state budget.
Clark Johnson seems to have taken Dayton's notion that the "first word isn't the last word" to heart.
Finally, IP candidate Tim Gieseke is lukewarm:
Independence Party candidate Tim Gieseke said he was also open to
Dayton's proposal. However, he was skeptical on several items. He thinks
a sales tax on clothing for only above a certain amount is impractical
given that people and businesses will find a way around it. He might
support it as part of an overall tax plan, but he would want to first
thoroughly hear the business community's viewpoint.
He was also skeptical about raising spending, though he would support it for paying back the state's school funding shift
February 5 Forum Update
The St. Peter Herald has more information about the Tuesday, February 5, 2013 candidate forum at the Nicollet County Historical Society’s Treaty Site in St. Peter in Minnesota House District 19A candidate forum:
Following the primary is a candidate forum planned for Tuesday, Feb.
5. The forum will be held at the Nicollet County Historical Society’s
Treaty Site at 7:30 p.m. The Saint Peter Chamber of Commerce, Greater
Mankato Growth and the Saint Peter League of Women Voters are
co-sponsoring the event.
The public is invited to submit issue-related
questions for the forum by Jan. 30, preferably by email, to the Saint
Peter Chamber of Commerce — spchamb@hickorytech.net — and there will also be an opportunity to submit questions in writing at the forum.
All questions will be screened by co-moderators from the Chamber, Greater Mankato Growth and the League of Women Voters.
Greater Mankato Growth will invite the final slate of
candidates to complete an online questionnaire, with their responses
appearing on the webpage exactly as they are submitted by the
candidates.
The questionnaire includes biographic, as well as
profile questions generated from a list of characteristics that Greater
Mankato Growth’s Public Affairs Steering Committee agreed will represent
the area well in areas impacting business and the overall vitality of
the marketplace. Candidate responses to the questionnaire will be
available at greatermankatoelections.com.
None of the completed questionnaires are posted as of yet.
Clark Johnson's primary challenge
Before the February 12 special election, Clark Johnson has to win the January 29 primary, which was triggered by the DFL convening to endorse after the deadline for candidates to withdraw. Four DFLers' names remain on the primary ballot, although the three candidates who did not receive the party's nod have suspended their campaigns.
Nonetheless, a few threads of support are slipping through the cracks, including a letter the editor in the Mankato Free Press from a supporter of Karl Johnson, the longtime DFL activist and pork producer who Clark Johnson defeated on the fourth ballot.
Photos: Clark Johnson supporters (above); Clark Johnson (below).
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Former state representative Ruth Johnson is asking the readers of the St. Peter Herald to vote for Clark Johnson for the open seat in Minnesota House District 19A, as is past Bluestem contributor Max Hailperin.
Both are asking for support for Clark Johnson in the January 29 DFL primary and the February 12 special election.
Clark Johnson was endorsed as our candidate for the Minnesota House by area Democrats on Saturday. Clark is a long-time neighbor who knows this area well. I've known Clark for years, and I know he will work hard to build a bright future for us. He will be a strong voice for a stable state budget, fair taxes, and our high quality of life in Minnesota. I invite Democrats to vote for Clark Johnson in the primary election on Tuesday, Jan. 29. Vote Clark Johnson for the Minnesota House!
Hailperin's letter brings up a logistical problem the DFL faces in the January 29 primary: the presence of four DFL candidates on the ballot, one of whom shares the last name of Johnson.
While the three have suspended their campaign and rallied around Clark Johnson following the endorsing convention, the gathering was held after the last day to withdraw from the race. Party rules required a ten-day notice, thus forcing the primary.
Our legislature is poised to set aside the divisive politics of fear and to get to work on our shared priorities. We need a budget that balances without short-term gimmicks. We need a transportation network that speeds goods to market without risking lives. And we need an educational system that prepares us for opportunities without limit. Our area needs a voice in this work, but not just any voice---a thoughtful voice. For that reason, I will vote twice for Clark Johnson and urge others to do the same.
First, we need to vote for Clark in the Jan. 29 primary. Two of the four candidates on that ballot will be Johnsons. Remind yourself to vote for the Johnson with a C by humming a few bars of "America the Beautiful," focusing on the line "from sea to shining sea." That way, the primary will produce the same result as the endorsing convention, where 67 of us grilled all four candidates at length and picked the best of the bunch.
Second, we need to vote for Clark in the Feb. 12 special election. That election will let us send to Saint Paul a representative who understands the importance of listening to others, confronting challenges in their full complexity, and collaborating broadly to craft solutions. If you want a candidate who is sure he already knows all the answers, you'll have to vote for someone else. But if you want a candidate who wants to get to work by engaging in a constructive process, then join me in voting for Clark Johnson.
No letters supporting endorsed Republican Allen Quist or IP candidate Tim Gieseke have appeared in the online version of the St. Peter Herald. The special election is February 12.
Photo: Supporters of DFL-endorsed candidate Clark Johnson (above); Clark Johnson (below).
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Indeed, Golnik's hard work revived memories of Quist's underdevelopment in the minds of House District 19A in particular, where Quist drew only 37.05 percent of the vote in the general election as opposed to 42.33 percent throughout the First as a whole.
And 19A is, obviously, Quist's home house district.
With just weeks before the August primary election that will decide
who gets to take on DFL Rep. Tim Walz this fall, Parry, a state senator
from Waseca, kicked off a week-long media barrage with an email blast
pointing to a few eyebrow-raising remarks made by Quist about two
decades ago. In particular, Parry pointed to a 1994 comment from Quist
comparing a center for gays to a center for the Ku Klux Klan, a comment
about men’s “genetic predisposition” to be the heads of households, and
Quist’s comments about visiting adult bookstores (to assess the public
health conditions, he said) during his time in the House.
Quist countered that Parry was making it all up and was attacking out
of desperation, but before long Twin Cities media reporter David Brauer
jumped into the mix, digging up the tape of the interview in which
Quist made his remark about men’s leadership DNA. . . .
Team Parry is hitting the anti-Quist message hard, also criticizing
his conservative credentials for past legislative votes in favor of a
gas tax and light rail projects, Parry spokesman Ben Golnik said.
That’s not going to change in the next few weeks. “Republicans are
united around replacing elected officials,” Golnik said. “We don’t want
voters to have buyer’s remorse if Allen Quist is a candidate. If Parry
is the candidate, this race will be a referendum on Tim Walz.”
Parry says people are asking him about what Quist has said in the
past. “People are very concerned that if Allen Quist is the general
election candidate, knowing the DFL campaign machine, they will go in
for television ads and radio ads showing Allen Quist at a triple-X porn
shop, and point out the gas tax,” he said. “It will be all on him, and
he will have to respond to that.”
At least Golnik won't have to make pitches to potential fund contributors based on party purity. Bluestem will grant him that.
With a local television station, a number of local radio outlets, two daily newspapers (Mankato and New Ulm) and a weekly paper with a lively website (St. Peter Herald), there's more media for this market than most Greater Minnesota districts. Both sides' dollars are certainly welcome for rural development.
Clark Johnson campaign hits the ground at GAC
DFLer Clark Johnson was endorsed today on the fourth ballot, beating nearest rival Karl H. Johnson on a 62--38 percent split.
When the local DFL party was preparing for Saturday's nomination convention, they should have selected a bigger room.
One organizer said, "Wow, we thought there was more snow birds in our group than there are"
Special elections don't usually get a lot of attention.
Candidate Karl Johnson said, "I was very concerned we wouldn't have more than 30–40 people here."
But with long–time DFL legislator Terry Morrow leaving, and
republican candidate Allen Quist, fresh off his defeat in November's
1st–District congressional race, the DFL needs a solid candidate to keep
the seat.
Representative Kathy Brynaert said, "I think you see democracy at work here."
Minnesota state professor Clark Johnson won the popularity contest
with signs....and after 3 hours and 4 rounds of voting, he won over the
delegates too.
...Clark Johnson received 32 votes for 61 percent.
Johnson defeated North Mankato Farmer Karl Johnson, educator and union activist Robin Courrier, and St. Peter Mayor Tim Strand.
Johnson said, "We're going to make this campaign happen, you saw the
energy in this room today, people backing me and we are going to make
this happen fast by marshaling the supporters we got."
And fast he will have to be the special election will be held on
February 12th, less than a month away. Johnson said he would start
fundraising and campaigning immediately.
From the reports Bluestem is getting from the endorsing convention (we kept our sniffles at home), Clark Johnson charging ahead with an on-the-ground campaign and will be on the Gustavus Adolphus College campus on Monday.
GAC College Democrat organizer Megan Nelson posted on Facebook:
I'm excited to start campaigning for the 19A DFL endorsed candidate Clark Johnson! If you're at Gustavus on Monday for the MLK service, stop by the College Dems table outside the caf at 11:30 to meet Clark.
The February 12, 2013 special election in Minnesota House District 19A was triggered by the resignation of Representative Terry Morrow to take a job in Chicago. Morrow was unopposed in the November 2012 election. In addition to Allen Quist, endorsed IP candidate Tim Gieseke will appear on the February 12 ballot.
Because party rule cause the DFL endorsing convention to take place after the deadline for candidates to withdraw, all four DFL candidates' names will appear on the ballot in a January 29 primary. All of the other DFL candidates have agreed to suspend their campaigns in favor Clark Johnson, the endorsed candidate.
Here's KEYC-TV's coverage:
Images: Clark Johnson supporters via Facebook; Quist Crazy Quilt, by Ken Avidor; a packed house (twitpic by Eric Nelson)
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Quist swept the district with 653 versus Parry's 465 votes, or 58.41 percent to 41.59 percent. Will the Republicans who supported Parry vote for Quist in the special election, or will there be lingering resentment? Would they form an important swing group?
Here's where the Parry Republicans live:
NORTH MANKATO
155
33%
ST PETER
93
20%
LAKE PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP
34
7%
CITY OF NICOLLET
26
6%
NEW SWEDEN TOWNSHIP
24
5%
MANKATO
23
5%
LIME TWP
16
3%
LAFAYETTE TOWNSHIP
12
3%
OSHAWA TOWNSHIP
11
2%
BELGRADE TOWNSHIP
9
2%
BERNADOTTE TOWNSHIP
9
2%
GRANBY TOWNSHIP
7
2%
KASOTA
7
2%
CITY OF LAFAYETTE
7
2%
BRIGHTON TOWNSHIP
5
1%
CITY OF COURTLAND
5
1%
COURTLAND TOWNSHIP
5
1%
TRAVERSE TOWNSHIP
5
1%
NICOLLET TOWNSHIP
4
1%
WEST NEWTON TOWNSHIP
4
1%
MANKATO TWP
2
0%
RIDGELY TOWNSHIP
2
0%
KASOTA TWP.
0
0%
Total
465
While one third of the Parry Republicans live in North Mankato, Quist still took all but one precinct (P4) in the town. Nor did he win a single precinct in St. Peter, although he took Nicollet and New Sweden Township. Despite the low vote totals, these towns might be the places that Independence Party candidate Tim Gieseke (and possibly even the right DFLer to be determined on Saturday) might peel off votes.
It's worth remembering, however, that since both Parry and Quist ran without party endorsement, neither was able to bring any party resource to the primary contest. In February's special election, both candidates will be able to access their respective party's tools and volunteers. Quist was thumped in the Congressional race, with Walz taking 62.76 percent of the vote versus Quist's 37.05 percent. The local Republicans did not field candidates in the state senate and house races.
Given the dominance of the DFL in the State Senate District--and the need for the Republican Party to fight to retain St. Cloud's House District 14A now that a conservative IP candidate has jumped in, odds grow longer for the Quist candidacy.
The special election in House District 19A was called following the resignation of Terry Morrow to take a job in Chicago. The Republican Party has endorsed Allen Quist; the IP, Tim Gieseke.
Four Democratic candidates (Robin Courrier, Clark Johnson, Karl H. Johnson and Tim Strand) will abide by the DFL endorsing convention's decision on Saturday, with the unsuccessful candidates suspending their campaigns since the convention is scheduled after today's deadline for withdrawing from the ballot. The DFL primary will take place on January 29 and the special election will be held on Tuesday, February 12, 2013.
Map: HD19A
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MPR and City Pages have published an excerpt of a fundraising email sent out from U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann on behalf of the Quist for House District 19A campaign committee. The email carries a "Paid for by Friends of Quist" disclaimer as a footer.
Bluestem posts the entire document below, although we retract the name of the recipient and the hot links to Quist's fundraising page. We're not volunteering for that task.
We're struck by the hyperpartisan tone, accusing Democrats of planning all sorts of horrible things that only the election of Allen Quist can prevent. Quist, on the other hand and other places, has been touting his mad bipartisan skillz.
From his January 4, 2013 press release announcing his bid for Republican endorsement in the February 12 special election to fill the vacancy created by Terry Morrow's resignation:
. . . Quist also said that his record of being bi-partisan is a significant
asset in promoting good government. “Good legislation is almost always
bipartisan,” he said. Quist was chief author of the bill that created
what was then called Minnesota’s Department of Jobs and Training. Quist
said he worked closely with then DFL Governor Rudy Perpich in drafting
and passing that bill. . . .
Bachmann, however, shares a more strident vision. Take the establishment of health insurance exchanges:
. . .The Star
Tribune reported Democrats are "rushing" to institute Obamacare health
exchanges.
As you can see, Republicans in St. Paul need Allen
Quist, and Allen Quist needs your help today to win this race . . .
What neither of these Republican retreads is sharing: the details about bipartisanship in the creation of the "health exchanges. The Star Tribune's Jennifer Brooks reported in Work begins on Minnesota health insurance exchange:
Minnesota is taking the first step toward sweeping changes in the way
more than a million of its residents and businesses buy health
insurance.
A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers gathered at the
Capitol on Wednesday to introduce long-delayed legislation that will set
the groundwork for Minnesota's new health insurance exchanges. The
system, a cornerstone of the federal Affordable Care Act, will allow
consumers to shop online for their health coverage and choose the plans
with the best coverage at the best price. . . .
And one of the sponsors? Former ALEC Minnesota state co-chair, Preston Republican Greg Davids:
"When someone needs help, I would much rather be calling the area
code of 651 rather than the [Washington, D.C.,] area code of 202," said
Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, who is co-sponsoring the bill despite what
he said are "major concerns" about parts of the legislation.
Lawmakers will have less than three months to sign off on
the exchange before a March 31 federal deadline. The legislation
introduced Wednesday lays the groundwork for how the online health
insurance marketplace will operate. It will be governed by a
seven-member board that will decide which plans will be offered to the
public. Among the million-plus Minnesotans expected to use the exchange
are 300,000 who are now uninsured.
The bipartisan show of support is an abrupt shift from
the tensions that marked the health care debate last year. The
Republican-controlled Legislature refused to even bring a health
exchange bill up for debate. . . .
Rather, Davids and Jim Abeler might be able to help you out with HF5, the health insurance exchange bill.
Here's fundraising email:
From: Michele Bachmann [redacted] Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 11:31 AM To: [redacted] Subject: This email is about Minnesota
Dear [redacted],
It's
not every day we get a second chance to vote a conservative into
office. But that's exactly the chance we'll have on February 12th in
Minnesota. My dear friend Allen Quist has been endorsed by his neighbors
to run in a special election for the Minnesota House.
I'm asking you to support Allen Quist with a special contribution immediately
to help ensure a conservative victory- $10, $20, $35 or even $50 can do
amazing work in these special elections, and there is no time to spare.
Allen only has a few weeks to organize and win his campaign.
I
know in Minnesota-- the land of Mark Dayton and Al Franken-- Allen
Quist will be a necessary check on the balance of power in St. Paul.
With Democrats controlling the House, the Senate and the Governor's
office in Minnesota, good conservatives like you, me and Allen will need to stand together to end the tax-more and spend-more policies of the left.
Democrats
in St. Paul are already working on their agenda, the first week of
session revealed their priorities: -- New and unprecedented sales taxes
on clothing items -- Governor Dayton is planning higher taxes on
business owners to create a so-called "fairer" tax system -- The Star
Tribune reported Democrats are "rushing" to institute Obamacare health
exchanges.
As you can see, Republicans in St. Paul need Allen
Quist, and Allen Quist needs your help today to win this race. There is
literally no time to waste, we have less than a month to contact several
thousand voters and e can't do it without your immediate contribution of $10, $20, $35 or $50 to start their efforts.
Friend,
I want you to know that Allen and his family are personal friends of
mine, no one will represent our conservative values better than he will
in St. Paul. Will you help him today, right away, with $10, $20, $35 or a $50 donation to prepare him for victory?
Sincerely,
Michele Bachmann
P.S.
Democrats in St. Paul are already planning to issue new taxes on
essential needs (like clothing!) and businesses in Minnesota, and
install Obamacare health exchanges and regulations-- carte blanche!
Allen will be the best chance to stop taxes and regulations on
hard-working Minnesota families, , we need your help now more than ever.
Paid for by Friends of Quist PO Box 355, Mankato, MN 56002
Cartoon: Allen Quist, who believes the dinosaurs and people co-existed, flies back for a second chance at public office in 2013. Cartoon by Ken Avidor.
While we won't raise money for Allen Quist, Bluestem will accept any contribution you care to make below:
When Tim Gieseke found out about Representative Terry
Morrow's resignation, the first thing he did was call the Independence
Party. With unanimous approval, he's now running to represent District
19A under the Independence party. Gieseke says, "Change is the game on
how the people feel public policy is written and I can bring that up
there."
Read about Gieseke's positions at KEYC-TV. The CD1 party chair believes the biggest challenge for Gieseke and the IP will be turnout:
Independence Party Chair Mark Meyer says the party's number one hurdle
for this election is voter turnout. Meyer says, "We know based on our
research that people are ready and want change, but the only way to make
that change happen is to care enough to go and vote."
Readers may recognize former Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial School Board member Meyer from the 2008 contest for the Republican endorsement to run against Congressman Tim Walz. Meyer jumped in the race in January, 2007, but garnered little support.
Will Gieseke's entry make a difference in the 19A special election? Will he draw disaffected Republicans more moderate than Quist? Swing voters? Democrats? Stay tuned.
Photo: Tim Gieseke.
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Headlines during the bruising 2012 Republican Minnesota Congressional primary
contest between Allen Quist and Mike Parry revealed the rancor between
the two candidates.
Now Quist plans to bring a little ugly to tonight's Republican
endorsing contest for the open seat in Minnesota House District 19A.
Jim Golgart is a veteran and long-time officer with the Veterans
Affairs Office. He ran for the Nicollet County District 1 seat last
fall, but came in third.
He said he feels competitive because he is a common sense leader who wants to get the state's budget under control.
While working with veterans, Golgart also has an opportunity to make himself seen as a leader on veteran issues.
However,
Quist said he plans to bring up that Golgart's previous praise of 1st
District Rep. Tim Walz, the DFL congressman who defeated Quist in
2012. Golgart said he was unconcerned and was only praising Walz as a
function of his position as president of the Minnesota Association of
County Veteran Service Officers, which was awarding Walz the "Legislator
of the Year."
The award was actually from the National Association of
County Veteran Service Officers and Golgart was speaking as the state
president of the group. Bluestem had gotten a bland comment from a rader
about this in a post about Golgart's remarks This time, Quist himself
is bringing it up in the worst possible way.
Even as an old country blogger who has written a lot about Allen
Quist, we're dismayed by the Norseland farmer's lack of grace and
surfeit of partisanship about a relatively nonpartisan area of policy.
Good county veteran service officers are some of the most respected
members of rural committees, as they should be. They make sure that men
and women who served this country receive the services promised to
them.
And by all accounts, Golgart's been one of the best of them, untiring
in helping LeSueur County's veterans and speaking out to state and
federal legislators about what our country can do better. Golgart has
done this in a way that former congressional and senate staff for Walz
and Franken said they had no inkling of what his personal politics were.
Today at Soldier’s Field Veterans Memorial, Congressman Walz received
the Legislator of the Year Award from the National Association of
County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO). . . .
. . . Rep. Walz received the award in recognition of his outstanding
record in Congress working on veterans’ legislation. Walz enlisted in
the Army National Guard at the young age of 17, and retired 24 years
later as Command Sergeant Major. He is the highest ranking enlisted
soldier ever to serve in Congress and a member of the House Committee on
Veterans’ Affairs.
“Congressman Walz is a soldier’s soldier,” said Jim Golgart,
President of the Minnesota Association of County Veteran Service
Officers. “Whether he is fighting for a new GI bill, fighting to make
sure that MN National Guard gets the benefits they had been promised, or
fighting to increase the mileage rate for veterans traveling long
distances to VA hospitals, Congressman Walz’s passion for helping
veterans has been unwavering.”
“This award was established about 15 years ago to honor the
Congressman or woman who the National Association of County Veterans
Service Officers felt had worked the hardest for veterans. There have
been years where no award was given because we didn’t feel it was
merited,” said James Young, President of NACVSO. “However, this year
Congressman Walz’s work clearly deserved recognition as it will help us
fulfill the obligation proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln; ‘to care
for him, who shall have borne the battle and for his widows and
orphans.’”
Golgart was doing his job as the Minnesota state president for a
national association. Walz was doing his job--working with Republicans,
Democrats, independents and a host of veterans' groups--to get veterans
what they need. Did Quist expect Golgart to say at that moment, "Jeepers, this award means nothing because I'm a Republican, and Walz stinks"?
Imagine what it would be like if conservative bono fides were
challenged nationwide when Republican members of the House Veteran
Affairs committee went to home and heard remarks from ideologues--ala
Quist--scolding them for working with that Walz fellow in that swing
district the GOP so deserves to get back?
You don't hear that. Veterans thank Representatives for working together.
Back in the 1980s, Quist peeked into a Mankato bookstore, looking for
glory holes. Now he's taking on the reputation of a devoted public
servant. And this after proclaiming his own bipartisan abilities in his press release announcing his bid for endorsement in the 19A special election.
Let's hope that the Republican delegates have enough sense to retire this clown. Enough. Quist is unfit for duty.
Cartoon: Quist is trying to return to the state capitol. His
hyper-partisan remarks about a Republican opponent's conduct as leader
of a veterans services officers organization are unacceptable. Cartoon by Ken Avidor.
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Today's New Ulm Journal and Mankato Free Press both carry news of Allen Quist's entry into the contest for Republican endorsement in the special election for Minnesota House District 19A.
His platform will focus on small business and agriculture in southern
Minnesota. He said he opposes tax increase as a solution and believes
regulations reform could have big benefit for the district and region.
He said a four-lane expansion of Hwy 14 would be important in many of
his proposals, but would not be a main platform focus.
"The irony of it is I was working on trying to get Hwy 14 funded back in the 1980s," said Quist.
He
declined to say how he would vote on a gas tax increase, but said a
fully funded state transportation system is essential to his small
business and agriculture focus.
Quist said he will also focus on the state's welfare programs and the state's education standards. . . .
. . .Quist admitted it was unusual that he was running for state office
again. He said he had thought he would retire after last year's
unsuccessful congressional race, but found he could not spend retirement
simply doing something like golfing.
Read the rest at the Journal. In a companion fact box, Moniz outlines the endorsing convention process:
The Nicollet County Republican Party has scheduled an endorsement
convention for Republican candidates in the 19A special election race
for next Thursday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m.
The convention will follow
traditional endorsement convention procedures and is open the public.
There are 160 delegates and alternates in the Republican's 19A district,
which will consist of approximately 120 primary delegates.
So
far, the only two announced Republican candidates, Allen Quist and Jim
Golgart, have said they would abide by the convention's decision.
Republican leaders in the first district have indicated they expect the
two candidates to be the only ones seeking endorsement.
In Mark Fischenich's article in the Mankato Free Press, Quist confirms he'll run for St. Peter House seat, the Norseland farmer and retired college professor notes that he may have some of an advantage at the convention, given the pool of delegates who will attend:
One thing will be constant between the Republican conventions -- a
fraction of the delegates who will do the endorsing. Quist and Parry
were actively trying to get their supporters elected during precinct
caucuses last February, and some of those Quist supporters were elected
to the county level and will be making the decision Thursday night at
the endorsing convention in Mankato Place.
He estimated about 10 percent of the 100-plus delegates Thursday will
be supporters who were also elected to the 1st District convention last
April. A much larger number will be people he's worked with in previous
campaigns for state House in the 1980s -- where he won three and lost
two -- and for governor in the 1990s.
"The endorsement, I'm quite optimistic, partly because I'm pretty well known," Quist said.
Fischenich also notes some of the downsides for Quist:
On the flip side, there's a certain degree of notoriety surrounding
Quist, who was heavily involved in social issues during his legislative
career, including leading efforts to crack down on anonymous gay sex.
Quist is also deeply conservative -- he characterized himself as "a
far-right conservative" during the April endorsing convention -- running
in a legislative district that leans Democratic.
Read the entire article at the Free Press. Bluestem also believes that if the Republicans pick Quist, Julie Quist's blaming GOP losses on college students may work to motivate students to head to the polls in a special election.
While much of the real estate in the Greater Minnesota district is beautiful farmland, the bulk of the voters live in St. Peter, North Mankato and Mankato, home to a state university, a four-year private college and a comprehensive public community college.
In this fall's congressional race against Representative Tim Walz, Quist received 37.05 percent of the votes cast, with
Walz receiving 62.76 percent. While that doesn't exactly make Quist Mr.
Popular in a presidential year, it does give him something of a base; Quist took 58.41 percent of the vote in the Republican primary against Mike Parry in August.
Governor Dayton has yet to set the date for the special election in MN HD 19A
prompted by the resignation of Rep. Terry Morrow, who ran unopposed in
the 2012 election. Morrow has taken a job with the Uniform Law Commission in Chicago.
Robin Courrier, Clark Johnson and Karl Johnson are competing for the
DFL endorsement, Tim
Gieseke plans an Independence Party bid and Jim Golgart will battle Quist
for the Republican nod. The winner will represent Nicollet County,
Kasota, and parts of Mankato.
Cartoon: Drawing by Ken Avidor. Allen Quist returns yet again to politics, using academic standards for Minnesota's K12 schools as a campaign issue. He has edited a series of teaching modules for homeschoolers that includes a unit on dinosaurs living at the same time as people.
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All of the statements, opinions, and views expressed on this site by Sally Jo Sorensen are solely her own, save when she attributes them to other sources.
The opinions, statements, and views of contributing writers are their own.
Sorensen, editor and proprietor of Bluestem Prairie, served as a New Media training and strategy consultant for the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party from October 2009 through mid-April 2010. She now serves clients in the business and nonprofit sectors.
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