Bluestem Prairie

The Ghost of Town Halls Future? Chip Cravaack to hold meeting in Royalton Tuesday night

In today's post at Minnesota Brown, The map is dead; long live the map the dean of Minnesota's progressive bloggers writes:

The last two redistricting efforts, in 1992 and 2002 have reflected this demographic change. This year, 2012, will bring the largest changes to date.

The biggest effects will be seen in the legislative map. Here on the Iron Range, the last two redistricting efforts have endeavored to protect incumbents to the degree possible. However, the continued loss of population on the Range has pushed this approach to a breaking point. Lake Superior to the east, Canada to the north, and the even more population-starved plains counties to the west mean there is nowhere else for district lines to go but south. [emphasis added]

. . .Congressional redistricting could also be dramatic. For all the drama over potential DFL challengers and the prospects of incumbent freshman Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN8), this simple little map could turn the race upside down.

Already, the race for Congress in Minnesota’s 8th District will be unlike any seen before. Between the vast amount of outside spending, the shifting population and political dynamic of the region and the grind of a nation going through large changes, we can’t predict what will happen. Tuesday will be a big day in the story.

Ah, poor Chip Cravaack. Where will he end up? Bluestem suspects the retired pilot and his career will be heading south along with redistricting. Or east, as it were, and he's very, very sad about the potential loss of friends on Minnesota's Iron Range.

Back on Groundhog's Day, the Grand Rapids Herald Review's online edition reported in Cravaack rebuffs one GOP plan for redistricting:

- A new Republican redistricting proposal that would carve the Iron Range out of the 8th Congressional District is vehemently opposed by the congressman representing that district.

"Some say it's advantageous for me to be drawn out of the Range. I disagree. I'm completely committed to fighting for Range workers and their families," U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack said regarding the proposal that triggered several calls to his Washington office, many of them from Range residents.

The Iron Range has a tradition of a strong DFL majority representation for the past several decades. But Cravaack bucked that history with a stunning defeat of 18-term Democratic Rep. Jim Oberstar in 2010. Even though Oberstar won most precincts on the Range, Cravaack sliced deeply into the DFL stronghold.

"There was a lot of chatter toward the end of last week and then this week. It's not a formal plan, but it's out there and the congressman wants people to know he's not supportive of it," said Ben Golnik, an advisor for Cravaack's re-election campaign.

Chip Cravaack does so love the Range and North East Minnesota. Ben Golnik says so.

People in North East Minnesota want a piece of Cravaack's heart as well. On Wednesday, the Northland News Center reported that others were wondering that in Labor Council Calling on Cravaack to Hold Another Town Hall Meeting:

The North East Area Labor Council is calling on Representative Chip Cravaack to hold more town hall meetings during the President's Day congressional recess.

Members of the Labor Council want Cravaack to come back to his district between February 21st to the 26th to hold town halls and an open meeti ng in Duluth.

As good as gold, two days later, Cravaack's crack communications team kindly emailed Bluestem this helpful notice all the way from the Beltway that the first term congressman is indeed holding a town hall on Tuesday evening:

Cravaack Announces Royalton Town Hall

Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, February 21, U.S. Representative Chip Cravaack (MN-8) will host a town hall meeting in Royalton, Minnesota. All town hall meetings are open to the public.

“These town hall meetings are a great opportunity for me to hear directly from my constituents in the Eighth District about the issues that matter to them,” said Rep. Cravaack. “I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say, as well as sharing with them what I have been working on as their representative to Washington.”

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Royalton Town Hall Meeting
Royalton American Legion
103 North Maple Street
Royalton, MN
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Nestled beside the placid lanes of Highway 10, and home to the famous pirate's den and souvenir shop of Treasure City, the quaint hamlet of Royalton straddles Morrison and Benton Counties, placing it in both CD 6 and CD 8.

While Cravaack might push farther south in his district or farther west, it's difficult to see him having a Town Hall meeting any more southwest without incurring the wrath of Congresswoman Bachmann. Or much more distant from Duluth.

It's possible that the location could be an accidential stroke of planning genius after the judges release the map of the new congressional district. Under Republican plans, Royalton might gain a far more central place in Chip Cravaack's geography of power.

As Minnpost columnist Doug Grow noted in GOP's congressional redistricting plan reshapes northern districts back in May, Republican geography guru Sarah Anderson had redrawn the map to put Cravaack in the new Seventh, while those lonely fellows at the North East Area Labor Council would have to schedule a play date with Blue Dog Collin Peterson (now the incumbent in the present Seventh).

Royalton would be more centrally located in Cravaack's new turf and his new constituents could get to know him better Tuesday night, should the judges stick close to Anderson's inspired work.

Not that Chip Cravaack likes Anderson's plan or any other that takes him away from all of his dear friends on the Range. Of course not.

And at least he'll be in the district where he lives--be it numbered Seven or Eight-- on Tuesday, rather than with his family in their second home in New Hampshire.

Will that be enough to satisfy everyone? Sadly no. The Brainerd Dispatch reports in Occupy Brainerd event to target Cravaack that dirty hippies are upset about the time he spends in New Hampshire with his family:

The theme of the event, according to organizer Terry Sluss of Baxter, is “Congressman Cravaack: New Hampshire is still not in the 8th District.”

Sluss said the boundaries for redistricting will be released for Minnesota late Tuesday.

Michael Bars, a spokesman for Cravaack, said Cravaack’s home is in North Branch. When his wife was promoted and transferred she tried to commute, but it was too difficult a strain on the family since Cravaack was commuting to and from Washington, Bars said.

The family has a second home in New Hampshire.

 Earlier this year, MPR noted the relocation in Cravaack plans to spend more time with his family...in New Hampshire. While New Hampshire is unlikely to be in the Eighth or Seventh after Tuesday, both the Occupiers and Bar will likely continue the thumb-wrestling over quarrelsome definitions of residency.

The Seventh and the Eighth maybe inverted, Royalton may take a central place in the state's landscape, and the triumph of Representative Sarah Anderson's mad skillz with her own private GPS may finally be complete.

Images (top to bottom) Screenshot of Royalton press notice; Noted MNGOP cartographer Sarah Anderson; Royalton on county and state maps; Treasure City; Representative Anderson's awesome congressional redistricting map.

Related posts: Geography lesson: MNGOP House redistricting guru totally worries about Rochester

Teabagger turns carpetbagger: left off Patriot Program, Cravaack moves family to NH

Emo Senator: Amnesia plot twist thickened as Mike Parry forgot which office he was running for

The screenwriter furrowed her brow as she read the end-of-year campaign finance reports from The Emo Senator's state and federal races.  Could it be as she feared? Had the Belle of Waseca County, Mike Parry, R-ALEC, suffered yet another bout of his famous amnesia? 

The malady strikes our hero so often when it comes to money and holding office. Just last year, he defended taking full per diem because he had no other income during the session--forgetting that he owns and operates a Godfather's Pizza in sunny Waseca, Minnesota.

What office did Mike Parry campaign for once he declared himself a candidate for Congress?  Judging by his congressional committee's spending, he didn't put out for mileage to drive around the sprawling First Congressional District, which extends across southern Minnesota from Wisconsin to South Dakota.

Other congressional campaigns in Minnesota's rural areas, like Republican Lee Byberg's race against Blue Dog Collin Peterson in the Seventh, are ponying up for gas. Several staffers are reimbursed for gas in incumbent Tim Walz's report.

How does our hero travel these distances without spending money on gas? Astro-projection? Teleportation? A sprinkle of former senator Dick Day's famous foo-foo dust? A sudden burst of charity on the part of campaign volunteer Ben Golnik, who accompanied him on a two-day from Winona to Worthington? 

The screenwriter doesn't know, but did find that in Mike Parry's other campaign, he was filling up at local gas stations quite regularly. There's the state campaign finance reporting of gas purchases: $48.50 on November 15; $73 on November 18; $71 on November 25th,  $48.65 on December 2; $64.06 (including a car wash) on December 12; $68 on December 16. 

For that much gas, Mike Parry must have doorknocked much of his district for the state senate campaign in November and December.

Indeed, the state report shows a great devotion to the state bid. Mike Parry purchased and activated a phone on September 3--the first phone for the state level campaign in 2011--and began paying Verizon for phone service on October 7, with a charge of $123.52, followed by payments in November of $153.44 and December of $148.03.  There are no phone or cell expenses in the Congressional campaign report to the FEC.

Parry also purchased other equipment for the senate campaign. On November  28, he visited the Owatonna Office Max and purchased card scan equipment for $182.94. Radio Shack supplied a power strip and USB cable on October 1 for $34.18 and there's the Ipad purchased a few days later from the Apple Store in Bloomington for $688.32, a better way to tweet spiteful remarks about the staff at the governor's residence perhaps--though maybe not Walz.

Then there's the dedication of Senator Parry's state campaign workers, who drove all the way to The Cities (or was it Duluth?) to attend a campaign meeting on October 6 at Pizza Luce, where they ordered $76.03 worth of food and beverages.  Persumably, they forgot--like Parry himself back in early summer--that The Belle of Waseca County owns a Godfather's Pizza.  Certainly, it's more forgettable fare than Pizza Luce.

Another indication that Parry may be carrying on a state senate campaign: using that campaign committee's dollars--reported as campaign expenses--for 2012 dues and county fair registrations. There's the $185 going toward 2012 dues for the Faribault Chamber of Commerce, for instance.

And residents of Steele County can look forward Mike Parry's appearance at the Free Fair as a state senate candidate, since the state-level committee shelled out early for a $500 SCFF sponsorship on November 16, 2011. (All earlier fair sponsorships had been paid at the time of the fair, held each year in August).

Forgetful as our hero is, certainly he'd never forget that state campaign funds can't be spent on federal campaigns.

Indeed, Emo Senator was so intent on campaigning for the state senate, that he closed the year with only $42.95 in his committee's account.  Now that he's back on track for campaigning for congress--having only spent $3402.14 last year, while banking $29,182.86--we'll no doubt see more spending from that account. Tune in again!

Or maybe it will be more foo-foo dust renewable energy used for mileage, since the Emo Senator now recalls only congressional campaign stops since October, according to the Owatonna People's Press:

Parry, a Waseca Republican whose district includes all of Steele County, announced in October he was running for the Republican nomination. Since then, he has scheduled many meet and greet events at the crack of dawn.

“Part of the reason is that I’m a seated (state) senator and so I’m working all day long up at the Capitol,” Parry said. “We’re taking Saturdays and Sundays and we are doing meet and greets all over the First District.

Stay tuned.

Photoshop image: the Emo Senator, by Tild.

 

Emo Senator: Mike Parry said he had no goal for fundraising & he meant every word of it

Loyal fans of Emo Senator, southern Minnesota's most beloved telenovela, will remember that Mike Parry's congressional campaign stops are drawing voters like Limburger cheese attracts the ladies. In Emo Senator: lost episode shocks Mike Parry fans, the Austin Herald reported that two men gathered for coffee with the Belle of Waseca County.

It's looks like his campaign checkbook is just as attractive.

Minnesota Public Radio's Brett Neely reports in Congressional fundraising numbers streaming in:

First District Rep. Tim Walz raised $210,000, making 2011 a million dollar fundraising year for the former teacher. His campaign has $617,000 in the bank. Two of Walz's three Republican challenger Allen Quist raised $6,200 for the entire year. A third opponent, Mike Parry, has not yet released his fundraising totals.

Within ten minutes of each other, devoted Emo Senator admirers pointed the screenwriter to Senator Parry's FEC filing:

Covering Period 09/14/2011 Through 12/31/2011:

	Column A This Period	Column B Election Cycle-To-Date
6. Net Contributions (other than loans)
(a) Total Contributions (other than loans)	32585.00	32585.00
(b) Total Contribution Refunds	0.00	0.00
(c) Net Contributions (6(a) - 6(b))	32585.00	32585.00
7. Net Operating Expenditures
(a) Total Operating Expenditures	3402.14	3402.14
(b) Total Offsets to Operating Expenditures	0.00	0.00
(c) Net Operating Expenditures	3402.14	3402.14
8. Cash on Hand at Close of Reporting Period	29182.86
9. Debts and Obligations Owed TO the Committee	0.00
Itemize all on SCHEDULE C or SCHEDULE D
10. Debts and Obligations Owed BY the Committee	0.00
Itemize all on SCHEDULE C or SCHEDULE D

When he entered the congressional race in early October, the Emo Senator told the Mankato Free Press that he didn't have a fundraising plan, but that he felt very good about himself. Veteran political reporter Mark Fischenich wrote in Parry to challenge Walz for Congress:

Parry hasn’t set a goal for campaign donations but said he has strong skills in fundraising.

“I do know that I’m a hard charger. I work from sun-up to sun-down and then some.”

Senator Parry hasn't done much had charging, spending only $3402--including one $600 in-kind contribution for munchies--so Bluestem can't speculate on just how hard it may have been. Such fundraising figures surely could barely cover the copying fees for the  crack public-relations legal team recently hired by Parry's best-known campaign volunteer, Michael Brodkorb.

Curious items in the contributor list suggest that Parry's on-and-off again amnesia has affected his accounting.  Information has been requested about the occupation of one "Gretchen Hoffman" of Vergas, Minnesota. Bluestem has it on good authority that Ms. Hoffman is a state senator. 

Additionally, Parry seems to have forgotten what Dick Day did for a living when he wrote the check.

Most of the rest of the haul is standard issue Republican checks--no surprises there, other than the fly speck quality. 

The contrast with earlier  Walz challengers? Eventual (and spectacularly dismal) 2008 nominee Brian Davis took in close to $55,500 in late 2007. Former Senator Dick Day was also seeking the seat, and raised nearly $53,000. Randy Demmer, who won the nomination in 2010, took in about $35,000 during the same time period in 2007.

Looking at 2010 cycle figures, we learn that the Demmer campaign closed 2009 with a $19200.00 haul, though the campaign remained in debt to the tune of $135,150.00 in loans from the candidate to himself. At the end of 2011, $92,000 of that debt remained on the books. Quist, who lost the endorsement after several rounds of balloting at the 2010 convention, took in $32,853 in late 2009. 

Two other candidates, Jim Engstrand (now running for Congress in Texas) and Mr. Conservative, Jim Hagedorn, who moved to sunny Blue Earth to run, and who is now supporting Newt Gingrich from an undisclosed location.

But all hope is not lost, completely, if we turn our eyes to fundraising in the legendary 2006 election that swept Walz into office. Mostly lost, but not totally.

And the 2005-2006 unknown who challenged six-term representative Gil Gutknecht?  At the beginning of 2006, Walz had $78,103.24 cash in hand, having just experienced a final quarter in which he'd deposited $48,444.39 in the bank. The campaign carried $5755.93 in loans the candidate had borrowed from Wells Fargo.

Gutknecht, whom Walz would defeat in one of the biggest surprises of 2006, entered that fateful year with $620,101.24 in the kitty, having just raised $144,406.57. 

While the Walz and Gutknecht totals are close, the candidates' approaches are far different. Gutknecht failed to preceive the Walz campaign as a threat until well into 2006, whereas Walz is listed as one of 20 most vulnerable Democrats by his own caucus's campaign wing. 

What will happen?  Tune in again--this is an episode of Emo Senator, after all. Anyone, except for Walz himself, may well be surprisedby what Mike Parry will do or say.

Image: Mike Parry, the Emo Senator. By Tild. With that sort of fundraising, of course he has to wear the parlor drapes from Tara.

Earlier episodes:Emo Senator: lost episode shocks Mike Parry fans

Emo Senator: Amnesia! Mike Parry forgets he's his own boss during MNSCU benefits hearing (a complete list of episodes is found at the end of this post).

 

Emo Senator: lost episode shocks Mike Parry fans

Fans of Emo Senator, southern Minnesota's most beloved telenovela, weren't surprised to learn that Senator Mike Parry's amnesia had returned and the Belle of Waseca had forgotten that he doesn't have a boss who forces him to take vacation time.

More shocking? The lost episode of Emo Senator a reader dug up in the Austin Herald. The day before Parry's grandstanding performance in Emo Senator: Amnesia! Mike Parry forgets he's his own boss during MNSCU benefits hearing, voters in Spamtown seem to have forgotten that Parry is running for office.

In the lost episode, Sen. Parry talks campaign in Austin, the fan called this passage to Bluestem's attention:

Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, spent Wednesday morning drinking coffee and talking politics with two men at the Mower County Senior Center.

The stop was one of many meet-and-greets Parry will hold this month as he campaigns for Democrat Rep. Tim Walz’s congressional seat.

Parry said he has been meeting many new faces on the campaign trail and has been well received.

Two men at a campaign stop?  Stupendous!

Arch rival Tim Walz visited Austin the next day, the paper reports in Walz tours Innovance in Albert Lea:

First District Congressman Tim Walz, D-Minn., looked at Albert Lea’s Innovance Inc. Thursday as a successful business model for creating and maintaining jobs.

The parent company to four businesses — Lou-Rich, Almco, Panels Plus and Exact Manufacturing — Innovance now has 340 full-time employees and 30 temporary or part-timers. It has three facilities in Albert Lea and one in Hayward.

“It’s a powerful story,” Walz said of the company’s growth. “It’s positive to walk around here.”

Meeting with company officials and a few other business leaders, Walz had a roundtable discussion about the company and then took a tour to see how the business operates. . .

. . .After his visit at Innovance, Walz was slated to visit Albert Lea City Hall to meet with some of the city’s leaders.

Tune in tomorrow for more tales of Emo on the campaign trail--and the money trail, as the deadline approaches for Parry and Quist to report on their Q4 2011 fundraising. Walz raised $1 million last year and ended 2011 with $617,000 in the bank.

Image: Emo Senator, by Tild.

For all past episodes, see Emo Senator: Amnesia! Mike Parry forgets he's his own boss during MNSCU benefits hearing

Emo Senator: Parry praises own self for chairing really long Republican senate caucus meeting

As we tune in this morning to another episode of Emo Senator, Southern Minnesota's best loved telenovela, we find the Belle of Waseca County engaging in an inappropriate relationship.

With himself.

The Owatonna People's Press reports in Parry: Senjem is right choice to push GOP agenda:

Parry, whose district includes all of Steele County, called it “a great honor” to be selected by the caucus to lead the headline-grabbing, closed-door session to replace Amy Koch, who resigned amid revelations she had an inappropriate relationship with a Senate staffer.

“I told my colleagues we were going to run this like a committee meeting with the kind of decorum and everything that I like to have,” Parry said in reference to Tuesday’s meeting. “It was a long day. We discussed many things about the last 10 to 15 days that have happened, got through all of that, took a break for lunch and came back and finished up some more discussions and then started up the election process.”

Because everybody knows how decorous our dear Emo Senator is. Not to mention laconic. But he goes on:

“I think most importantly we have a leader who, even when he was in the minority, was a very solid minority leader and he knows a lot of people. He’s a great fundraiser, and he and Sen. Koch worked hand-in-hand to win us the majority in 2010 and he’s planning on making sure that happens again in 2012,” Parry said. “Some people might say, ‘Well gosh, he’s 69 years old.’ Well this guy has got sometimes I think way more energy than I do, and you know, I’ve got a heck of a lot of energy.”

Parry likened Senjem to the Energizer Bunny, saying he “never quits and is on unlimited battery power.”

The scriptwriter has read a lot about Dave Senjem, but has yet to read comments about his age. Perhaps this is an internal Republican debate. The article does mention that four Senators initially put themselves forward for consideration, and after talking a long time, only two remained. They talked more and a vote was held.

Our hero wouldn't name the names of the other candidates, but Gary Dahms did tell the New Ulm Journal in Dahms praises Senjem election:

Dahms said he though both candidates, Senjem and Sen. David Hann, would have been excellent for the position. He said that he hopes that Senjem will better fit for helping to meet rural Minnesota's needs. . . .

He said Senjem is very good at being able to reach across the aisle, which he said will be very useful this next legislative session.

Take that, Owatonna headline! Other newspapers also stress Senjem's ability to compromise, rather than push a "GOP agenda."  The Mankato Free Press editorial board writes inOur View: A good choice for Senate GOP:

Senjem doesn’t see compromise as a dirty word, and the leaders of the Republican Party who were advocating such with virility are now gone.

While the Emo Senator may miss Micheal Brodkorb's virility, he still has Ben Golnik. And then there's Mike Parry's own high sense of self-regard.

The editors of Senjem's hometown paper note:

We don't know what went on during that lengthy meeting, but it's the conclusion that matters, and in this case, we couldn't be more pleased. Senjem is a uniter, not a divider, and that bodes well for the upcoming legislative session.

Furthermore, we applaud Senate Republicans' decision to do what we'll call an "extreme makeover" of their leadership. The GOP badly bungled its handling of the scandals that embroiled Sen. Amy Koch and communications director Michael Brodkorb. . . .

Will Senjem keep Mike Parry in as high profile as Brodkorb positioned him?

Will a struggling caucus pour as much attention on a one-term senator who will be leaving office to run for congress as the former Senate majority communications director (and volunteer de facto congressional campaign manager did)?

At least Emo still has Ben Golnik to love him.

Tune in to future episodes!

 Image: Mike Parry as envisioned by the divine Tild.

A modest proposal for Allen Quist, who wants to defeat Walz in order to reform franking system

Over on his website, Allen Quist has the fainting fantods over Congressional Democrat Tim Walz's use of congressional franking. Not that that condition is surprising, given that he was bewailing the lack of character of failed MNGOP leadership over on his Facebook page just before Christmas.

In Congressman Walz: Stop mailing campaign materials at taxpayer expense, whomever is writing Quist's material fumes:

. . .“It is difficult to find any concern for taxpayer expense in these mailings,” Quist said. He noted that the mailings are four-color, on high quality glossy paper and printed in union shops. “No expense is spared in these mailings,” Quist stated. He also said this wrongful use of taxpayer money is especially outrageous when huge federal deficits are the order of the day.

According to Quist, Members of Congress hide behind two excuses in this improper use of taxpayer money. The first, he said, is to say that Members of Congress from both parties engage in the practice. Quist’s response is: “Even if ‘everybody is doing it,’ that doesn’t make it right.”

The second excuse, according to Quist, is that Members of Congress say the Franking Commission approves the mailings. Quist’s response is that the Franking Commission needs to be reformed as well.

Quist said the abuse of the franking privilege typifies what is wrong with Washington. The Congressional franking procedures are structured to give the appearance of propriety, while the real issue of whether a piece is informational or political is overlooked, he stated.

Quist said that if he is elected to Congress, he will refuse to send out political mailings at taxpayer expense, and he will also work to reform the system so the abusive practice is stopped.

Bluestem was curious about just how much Congressman Walz was spending on franking so we visited the U.S. House of Representatives Statement of Disbursement webpage, where Congressional office costs are published in search PDFs.

There we learned that Walz's franking expenses, found here on page 2288 (397 of 957) are $4,663.10 for the year-to-date (the YTD figure in the last quarterly report covered the period from January through September).

Since Quist accuses Walz of abusing the system, while implying that he's spending big bucks on the mailing--though never actually bringing up a dollar figure--we checked out the rest of Minnesota's federal representatives' franking to see how the Mankato teacher and retired soldier compares to his colleagues.

And indeed, Walz is spending the most of any United State Representative--if all one looks at are the records for the four DFLers in the House.

Bottom of the heap? Fifth District Congressman Keith Ellison, who used only $1055.04 for franking YTD (PDF here, p. 758). Next up in the pack, Blue Dog Seventh CD Congressman Collin Peterson follows with $2907.98 (PDF here, p.1741 [800 of 959])  Closely at his heels, Fourth CD Congresswoman Betty McCollum spent $2,982.22 in franking dollars YTD (PDF here, p.1484, [543 of 959]).

That's a total of $11,608.34 use of the franking privilege YTD by Minnesota's Democratic U.S. Representatives.

Since we've seen that Quist isn't afraid to criticize his own party nor abuse of the franking system by both parties (and he brought this up), it's only fair to check out spend by the Republican half of the state's delegation.

Chip Cravaack is the piker in the bunch, spending a mere $10,693.97 for franking YTD (PDF here, p. 607).  Next up? The office for which Quist's own wife once worked: Michele Bachmann spent $16,447.16 YTD. (PDF here, p. 212).

[Bonus update: Dump Bachmann notes in Bachmann & Her Abuse of her Franking Privilege that in 2009--while Quist's own wife Julie was district director for the Sixth CD Congresswoman--Bachmann's office spent a lot more money:

Bachmann reported spending $217,197 on franked communications and made 4,102,827 contacts with constituents during 2009. That ranked her 57th in the House in terms of money spent and 12th in the number of communications sent.

Not a peep about that during Allen Quist's 2010 bid for endorsement in the First]

But while Cravaack's office spent nearly as much for franking as all the Minnesota Democrats combined, and Bachmann bested the collective figure by several grand, they're almost spending like Democrats when it comes to John Kline and Erik Paulsen, who must never, ever use the phone or email to converse with constituents.

John Kline's office has spent $36,115.96 for franking YTD  (PDF here p. 1276 [335 of 959]), while Erik Paulsen sits on the top of the heap by virtue of having spent $38,707.12 YTD  (PDF here  p.1703 [762 of 959]).

That's a total of $101,964.21 of franking YTD by Minnesotan's Republican Representatives. Perhaps none of those pieces would look like campaign literature to Mr. Quist. It's a judgment call, after all, but those dollar amounts are what they are.

Given Quist's outrage at the franking system and a potential dilemma posed by redistricting, Bluestem Prairie offers the Nicollet County farmer and former state legislator a modest proposal that could resolve both outrage and residency issues. 

Under Republican redistricting plans, Nicollet County will be moved from the First to the Second. MPR reports that Quist is renting an apartment in Byron in order to live in the First and battle Walz should the MNGOP get its way in redrawing the borders for the First.

Bluestem recommends that he save his money,  stay put on the farm, and primary the free-franking John Kline instead.

Photo: Allen Quist,furious about franking.

Highway to hell: why Emo Senator's adviser Golnik shouldn't recycle some old MDE posts

One of the evergreen anti-Walz complaints that Minnesota Democrats Exposed used to drag out in election years was a reckless driving rap from when Walz lived in another state, in another century.

It's never gotten much traction, but while MDE founder Michael Brodkorb was running Mike Parry's 2010 campaign, Republican friends warned us to expect yet another retread of that lore.  Now that Brodkorb is back to being the Twin Cities' media's favorite anonymous source for political dirt (this time on his fellow Republicans), facts suggest that Parry's campaign is best to avoid this talking point.

Parry's campaign now seems to be Parry and former RPM executive director and current public affairs flack Ben Golnik.  As it happens, Golnik's own brother Jon is seeking to unseat Representative Niki Tsongas in the new MA-03.

During the Republican primary in 2010, news reports emerged close to primary election day that Jon Golnik, who had then-presidential contender Tim Pawlenty's endorsed via the Minnesota Republican brother, had been picked up in 2001 as he drove home from an AC/DC concert and charged with driving while drinking and smoking pot:

[Jon] Golnik’s license was suspended. The driving under the influence of alcohol charge was continued without a finding, which allows defendants to avoid jail if they stay out of trouble. A marijuana charge was eventually dismissed.

In an interview yesterday, [Jon] Golnik acknowledged drinking and driving, but said he had not smoked marijuana and did not have rolling papers, as police said in their report. [Jon] Golnik said he was on his way home from an AC/DC concert at the FleetCenter when he was pulled over.

the news didn't seem to stick: Jon Golnik won the primary but lost the general to his Democratic opponent in the general.

Let's hope that Ben Golnik and Mike Parry won't use the sort of material in Minnesota that would be stoked to disqualify the former's own brother out East. 

Photo: Jon Golnik, who got stopped driving on the highway to hell and thereafter drove carefully, to the point that he abstained from driving to his polling place in most elections.

Emo Senator: Golnik & Parry bear alternate tales of STB's departure to So. MN newspapers

As we rejoin the Emo Senator, Southern Minnesota's most beloved online telenovela, the fickle Belle of Waseca County has told the County News that Parry has no plans at bid for Senate Majority seat, while a GOP source told Fox News 9 reporter Jeff Goldberg that Parry is considering a bid for the seat.

Fans of the Emo Senator have long savored the whiplash joys of following the impetuous beauty and novice senator.

But the scriptwriter frowns her forehead at discovering yet another wrinkle in the plot, one that neither Olay sales at Walmart nor Christmas bonus boxes at Herbergers' cosmetics counters might solve.  Current Parry congressional spokester and Vikings stadium lackey Ben Golnik delivers one narrative about the Dark Lord's departure from the Emo Senator's congressional vision quest, while our hero tells a different tale about the waning affections of STB (Spawn of Turd Blossom).

Brodkorb left the congressional campaign after being dismissed from his positions as senate majority comm director and executive assistant Amy Koch. Koch resigned after being confronted about her affair with a male senate staffer. The two events have been linked in rumors and the City Pages.

Golnik told Josh Moniz at the New Ulm Journal:

Ben Golnik, an adviser to Parry's campaign, said Brodkorb's departure was his own decision. Golnik said that the campaign had collectively sat down and discussed the troubles at the Capitol when Brodkorb made the decision. [emphasis added]

Golnik did not provide any explanation on why Brodkorb chose to resign.

He said nobody has yet been slated to fill Brodkorb's place in the campaign, but he said Parry has plenty of friends and confidants to assist him.

"We'll continue the campaign as usual. We'll continue to draw contrast between Parry and [incumbent Congressman] Tim Walz," said Golnik.

The Emo Senator shared a different story--a cad's break-up via email--with the newspapers in his own senate district. The Owatonna Peoples' Press and Waseca County News  published the same story:

Parry said he received an email from Brodkorb that stated he was withdrawing from the senator’s congressional campaign, but Parry would not comment on the scandal allegations.

Perhaps Golnik was only thinking of the sensitive senator's feelings when he gave that spin to the young reporter in New Ulm. After all, it's difficult to believe that the campaign sat down together, given the timeline of STB's dismissal by the Senate. (See MPR's post here and Jon Tevlin's column here).

The jilting might have been worse, however, had Brodkorb tweeted the break-up, sandwiching the news between his incisive movie reviews. Those who think that the Dark Lord has no honor need look no further than his twitter stream to see the true delicacy of his nature.

UPDATED! Emo Senator: A good man (and Senate budget documents) is hard to find: or, Parry won't say if he'll run for Majority Leader

As we tune in this morning to another episode of Emo Senator, Mike Parry isn't telling his adoring fans in the political press whether he'll consider running for Senate Majority leader.

The Star Tribune reports in Secret GOP meetings spelled Koch’s end as majority leader:

Senate bylaws set a 14-day limit to appoint a new leader, which means the caucus will have to meet by Dec. 29. No date has yet been set. Michel, Hann and Sen. Mike Parry, who met Monday to discuss scheduling, would not say whether they will be candidates.

"A lot has happened very quickly,'' Michel said.

Indeed. Both titular leader Amy Koch and de facto Majority Leader are gone from the top post, and the Dark Lord Brodkorb cleaned of his office at midnight and abandoned the Emo Senator's bid for congress. While loyal followers of Southern Minnesota's most beloved telenovela may believe that Parry's close association with Brodkorb  are clear signs of leadership ability, for once the Belle of Waseca County isn't talking.

Perhaps he has taken the words of a local newspaper to heart. The Waseca County News opined in Some things are better unsaid:

Whether you agree with him or not, Parry’s candidness is commendable. In today’s political climate you may even say it’s “refreshing.” But there is a difference between speaking your mind and just plain being disrespectful.

Parry obviously got under Gov. Dayton’s skin, who to that point had been quite tolerant of Parry’s brash political tone, on Friday.

Parry is currently vying for the Republican nomination to run against Rep. Tim Walz for the U.S. Congressional District 1 seat. While honesty is something we desire in a politician, offending people and going “over the line” is not.

If Parry hopes to make a run at Walz, he should think about some of the things he says, tweets or e-mails before he becomes his own undoing.

Or perhaps his heart is still broken at the news of Mike's wandering affections.  As Flannery O'Connor once modeled in A Good Man is Hard To Find,  some words, after all, are better off the page.

Not everything however. While most media outlets are going with Temporary Leader Michel's "Notihng to See Here Folks" approach to the Senate's own budget, the Pioneer Press delves into matters in Amid leadership tumult, Minnesota Senate faces $2.2 million budget cut:

On top of losing their leader and top spokesman last week, Senate Republicans are also facing the challenge of cutting about $2 million from the budget.

The Senate took a 5 percent cut as part of the budget adopted in July for the 2012-13 biennium, which amounts to about $2.2 million over the two years, officials said.

To date, a budget specifying where that money would come from has not been adopted, said Wendy Dwyer, deputy secretary of the Senate.

A meeting of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration has been scheduled for Wednesday morning that lists the Senate budget on the agenda, but attempts to get materials related to that agenda item have not been successful. ...

Choosing one's companions: Gil goes from John Wayne Gacy to outing Bixby fraudsters

Former First District Congressman Gil Gutknecht never was exactly one to discern character flaws in his running buddies. From John Wayne Gacy, his chicken shack boss in Gil's teen years and friendship with teen family killer David Brom to golf outings with page-molesting colleague Mark Foley, Gutknecht remained clueless, if not competely oblivious, to the character flaws of his companions.

He's getting a little better at it.

As BSP noted last spring, leaving office in 2007 did little for his ability to form first impressions, though it looks like he's learning to clean up after his companions. Gil hooked up with Bixby Energy, first as an investor and now a director. On December 14, the Department of Justice issued the press release, Bixby Energy Systems admits responsibility for securities fraud committed by its officers and agents.

According to the Pioneer Press, Gutknecht is one of two new company directors who is cooperating with federal authorities after ousting the fraudsters. 

Bluestem hails Gutknecht's character development.

Photo: Former congressman Gil Gutknecht.

Quist to moderates: drop dead

Last week, Allen Quist entered the race for the Republican endorsement as a candidate in Minnesota's First Congressional District. Should he gained this honor, he'll challenge Tim Walz, a task that has humbled other men in the last three elections.

Quist's talk points aren't much different from the last turn in 2010,when he lost the endorsement to Hayfield's Randy Demmer.  Austerity, anti-Obamaism, the usual GOP toolkit. But there are a few special new wrinkles this year.

"Walz is part of the problem," he told the Albert Lea Tribune, and  rival Mike Parry should stay in the Minnesota Senate because the Republican Party must hold the body. That's odd logic, given the fact that a Republican held that seat before Parry, and logic that offers little to those who aren't Republicans for supporting Quist.

And Quist is a-okay with that, as he intends to run as a "hardline Republican." The New Ulm Journal reports in Quist makes campaign declaration in New Ulm:

He also said he doesn't believe reaching out to moderates and Democrat voters is as important as it was in previous elections.

"I think there has been a paradigm shift. The old Republican and moderate distinction isn't as relevant anymore. I've listened to residents [of the First District] and that's not how they view the world. They view it in terms of the candidate making a difference and whether the candidate can solve problems," said Quist. "They also want somebody that's willing to buck leadership to accomplish what needs to be accomplished."

Apparently, Gutknecht, Davis and Demmer just weren't hard enough.

Photo: Allen Quist, getting his GOP mojo on.

 

 

Emo Senator: recycling 2010 slogan, Quist makes it a GOP gopher twofer in Minnesota's First

As we rejoin the Emo Senator after Southern Minnesota's most beloved beloved telenovela returns from its holiday hiatus, we find Senator Mike Parry's volunteer congressional staff bitterly contemplating hitting the delete key.

With MPR's report that Allen Quist is jumping into the race for the Republican endorsement in Minnesota's First Congressional District, the campaign will no longer be able to claim that Parry is the only Republican candidate in the swing district held for three terms by the happy warrior Tim Walz.

Walz is currently riding high in his campaign to outlaw insider trading by members of Congress.

Tom Scheck reports in Quist making another run for Congress:

Allen Quist is making another run for Congress in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. He is scheduled to formally announce his intentions on December 1, according to a letter he sent to GOP activists. The letter, obtained by MPR News, has a banner that says "Allen Quist for Congress, 'Restoring the American Dream."

"I am announcing to you that I will become a candidate for First District Congress," Quist's letter to activists said. "I intend to announce on December 1."

The letter said Quist will be making campaign stops in Winona, Rochester, Austin, Albert Lea and Owatonna on Thursday. He'll campaign in Mankato, New Ulm, Fairmont and Worthington on Friday. Quist's wife, Julie Quist, declined to answer questions about the letter when contacted by MPR News. . . .

In his letter, Quist said he's making another run for Congress because "grassroots Republicans have encouraged him to run." He also said the country needed "leaders who understand that our country is being taken over a cliff." . . .

Loyal fans still infer that despite this new development, Senate Majority Leader Michael Brodkorb has no regrets abandoning his role as deputy chair of the state Republican Party, given the impecunious way of the Failed Burrito Baron has gathered his rosebuds at the top.

No one can accuse Quist of spendthrift ways. The evangelical Christian is recycling his campaign slogan from his 2009-2010 campaign: Restoring the American Dream.

Last cycle, Quist's website went live on Halloween; this time, he's waiting to announce until after Thanksgiving. Perhaps the tough old bird knows his internecine rival too well--the Emo Senator won't be getting a chance to tweet that this bid is a turkey. For himself, Quist insists that Emo shouldn't ditch Senator as his last name.

Meanhwhile, our hero is due for another bout of amnesia, as the southeastern Wisconsin BizNews reports Wisconsin had more October job losses than any other state. Surely, Mike Parry will forget the ambitions he nurtured last spring, when the City Pages mentioned the Belle of Waseca County in its report, Minnesota Republicans want to be like Wisconsin.

Photoshop image: Now what was it that Flouncette was saying about Wisconsin being open for business? Bluestem thanks the great Tild for the new image, updated with the parlor curtains.

Earlier episodes of Emo Senator below the fold.

Walz bill takes on Congressional insider trading; opponent to get all legal on governor

Today's headlines illustrate the difference between Congressman Walz and his presumptive opponent, Emo Senator Mike Parry.

The Mankato Free Press reports in Insider trading report puts focus on Walz’s STOCK Act:

On Sunday, Congressman Tim Walz had just four colleagues among the 535 members of the House and Senate who had signed on to his bill prohibiting insider trading on Capitol Hill.

By Tuesday night, the number was approaching 35 and growing.

Walz hadn’t become suddenly more persuasive over the weekend. The difference was a Sunday night broadcast by 60 Minutes about Congress being exempt from the insider trading laws that apply to other Americans who use non-public information to enrich themselves in the stock market.

“... the people who make the rules are the political class in Washington,” said Hoover Institution Fellow Peter Schweizer in the 60 Minutes story. “And they’ve conveniently written them in such a way that they don’t apply to themselves.”

Schweizer has studied trades made by members of Congress and believes some lawmakers use the special access to information provided by their positions to enrich themselves in a way that would be illegal in the corporate world.

“We know that during the financial crisis of 2008 they were getting out of the market before the rest of America really knew what was going on,” Schweizer said.

Walz took over as chief sponsor of the bill after Rep. Brian Baird retired.

While Walz is working to curb Congressional abuses, Parry is mocking the rights of home daycare providers to cast secret ballots for--or against--organizing a union. In Dayton executive order has political, legal forces mustering at State Capitol, ECM Capitol reporter TW Budig reports:

“It’s just another ‘Merry Christmas’ gift from our governor which will create more government intrusion in the lives of our independent businesses,” said Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, Senate State Government Innovations and Veterans Committee chairman.

Would Parry resent "government instrusion" in his life as an investor if elected to Congress? Given his demonstrated proclivity for trying to make public parks and budget estimates a private concern, Bluestem doubts he'd sign on toanything that restricts his "freedom."

Bluestem isn't the only one with questions. Robert Emary writes in the Worthington Globe, Would Parry listen to all sides? Doubtful:

After reading about last Friday’s campaign stop by just-announced GOP candidate for Congress Mike Parry, I have to take issue with the suggestion that his record as a member of the Minnesota Senate since 2010 shows he could “work together with all bodies and listen to different viewpoints to help solve an issue.”

Is this the same Mike Parry who, in his Twitter statement, referred to President Obama as a “power-hungry, arrogant black man?” The same Sen. Parry who suggested that Gov. Mark Dayton should resign after only seven months in office? It doesn’t sound to me like someone who is ready to develop a good working relationship with anyone on the other side of the political aisle.

We in the Worthington area and across southern Minnesota expect our leaders to work together with all sides in a civil manner to do what’s best for our communities, not someone whose first instinct is to resort to immature ranting about other elected officials. Luckily, we already have a representative we can be proud of in Tim Walz. I’ll be happy to give him my continued support.

Given that Parry is back to ranting--about a secret ballot union vote, no less--Emary's on to something.

In a letter to the Austin Herald, Melissa Lindberg points out another problem with Parry's new leaf in Parry’s statements surprising:

. . .The article in this paper said, “Parry made it clear his campaign focus is on creating jobs and growing the economy. Although he didn’t lay out any specifics, he said he will work with all parties to draft legislation that will get Minnesotans back to work.”

I’m not sure where to begin on this one. In less than two years in the state Senate, Parry has proven to be one of the most partisan members of our legislature, routinely expressing anger towards a governor who bent over backwards to compromise for the good of the state. And now he says he wants to work to create jobs? Neither he, nor his other GOP colleagues, passed a single bill to create jobs in this state!

I certainly hope that Sen. Parry was being sincere in his new-found desire to work with others for the good of our state and nation, but I for one tend to trust a person’s actions more than the campaign promises of someone who simply seems to want a higher-paying job.

And still no word from Parry as to whether he'll refuse pay raises like Walz has done since being elected to Congress. Would Parry promise to start at Walz's congressional salary, which the Mankato Democrat has voluntarily frozen at the 2006 level?

Photo: The Emo Senator doesn't want those folks voting. He's threatening to flounce his way into court--after releasing a press release about his new Congressional supporters. It doesn't get any more emotive.

Emo Senator: battling phantom EPA dust menace key to Parry's totally straightforward campaign

This morning's episode of Emo Senator, Southern Minnesota's most beloved online telenovela, is brought to you by a sharp-eyed farm activist in Steele County. This friend called Bluestem's attention to Emo's star performance in an Owatonna People's Press video at the bottom of the article, Sen. Mike Parry kicks off Congressional campaign.

A classic moment of Emo Senator starts around the eight minute mark:

Another thing about it is this combine dust. We don't need it. You know that's a rule and regulation that will be devastating to our agriculture, to our farmers.

Bluestem agrees that a rule against combine dust would be devastating to farmers. However, far more devastating to the poltical process is basing campaigns on pure cow flops, as legendary Minnesota politician Magnus Johnson liked to point out about the Republican platform of his time.

Parry is riding that manure spreader. The Washington Post reported in Bill to ban phantom EPA dust rule approved by House panel:

Earlier this year, Republicans found what they saw as an ideal talking point to illustrate a federal bureaucracy gone batty.

The Environmental Protection Agency, they warned, was trying to regulate something only God could control: the dust in the wind.

“Now, here comes my favorite of the crazy regulatory acts. The EPA is now proposing rules to regulate dust,” Rep. John Carter (R-Tex.) said on the House floor. He said Texas is full of dusty roads: “The EPA is now saying you can be fined for driving home every night on your gravel road.”

There was just one flaw in this argument: It was not true.

The EPA’s new dust rule did not exist. It never did.

Still, the specter of this rule has spurred three bills to prevent it , one of which was approved Thursday by a House subcommittee. It sparked a late-night battle on the Senate floor. GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain cited it in a debate as a reason to eliminate the EPA.

The hubbub over this phantom rule — surely one of the most controversial regulations that never was — involved a slow-moving federal agency and a Republican Party with the EPA in its crosshairs.

This isn't the first time--or the only time--The Emo Senator stood on the Republican "platform" during his two-day swing through Southern Minnesota towns with daily newspapers and a dozen GOP activists able to swell the progress.

Take his claims to a reporter at the New Ulm Journal. Josh Moniz writes in today's Parry talks politics in New Ulm:

. . .He addressed a group of 10 local residents, primarily Brown County Republicans of Minnesota (BCR) members, at the Ulmer Cafe. His visit was part of his two-day campaign kick-off tour that consists of nine stops in the district.

. . .He called his legislative record strong. He said he can both press those he disagrees with and reach across the aisle to accomplish work. He said Walz lacks bipartisanship and accused him of voting in lock step with President Obama.

This statement must leave his fans totally baffled and shuffling through past episodes to figure out just what the hell the Emo Senator is talking about with regard to his own bipartisanship.

Is it flouncing out of a budget meeting during the government shutdown?

Or calling the Governor lacking in feelings while calling for his resignation?

Or his famous failure to yield to questions from a DFL colleague on the Minnesota Senate floor? 

That particular episode prompted a defense from Congressional candidate and Senate Majority leader Michael Brodkorb that Democrats so did it too. Unfortunately for the Republican caucus, the City Pages' Erin Carlyle deftly pointed out the flaws in the Dark Lordkorb's assertion:

But the truth is that the two situations are actually pretty different. In 2009, the Senate was in the middle of a roll call vote, after all debate was supposed to be closed. When Cohen asked his question last week, the bill was up for debate on the Senate floor--the appointed time for asking questions.

"I can't think of another situation that's parallel to that, where they just literally refused to answer questions," says David Schultz of Hamline University. "It's pretty unusual--and I've been observing it for 15 years."

But the Emo Senator didn't stop there. One of his talking points is that Walz has "sold out" to a Washington crowd, but Mike Parry himself is quick to defend his introduction of model bills written by the American Legislative Exchange Council's corporate bill factory as mere "information" that's useful. From today's NUJ article:

Similarly, he said he thought his work with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) would not be a factor. ALEC is conservative non-profit policy organization that consists of legislators and members of major corporations. The organization has generated controversy over accusation of business professional providing "template bills" for legislators to pass. Parry is a member of ALEC's Minnesota branch.

"What I get from ALEC is information. The more information I have, the more I can make the right decision," said Parry.

That's the ticket, yeah. Those wishing to gather more information about ALEC might start here. Longtime fans of the Belle of Waseca County may also remember how Parry bragged about private companies were providing budget figures for the Republican Senate majority. Bluestem noted at certain issues with this approach in Looking a gift Little Pony in the mouth: Are Parry's pals poster kids for privatization's perils?

But perhaps on The Emo Planet, that's not selling out.  As a friend fondly says, grifters have to grift.

Parry also defended taking a salary during the shutdown and drawing full per diems during the session to the NUJ. This is classic straight-talking,Mike Parry-style, who so did not take all the out-of-session per diems he was entitled to:

Parry said his decision to take pay during the state government shutdown would not affect his campaign. He was one of the few to publicly defend his decision.

"I work my tail off for the citizens of this state," said Parry. "I believe that if you look at my records, you would see I only took 52 percent of the allotted per diem I could have taken."

Parry, who took the full per diem during the regular session, said his figure comes for the out-of-session per diem he could have taken but turned down.

Bluestem expects little of the Twin Cities press corps, but perhaps they might take a look at that claim, and see which Senators do take out-of-session per diem.  A truly enterprising reporter might dig into the actual extent of Parry's out-of-session self-sacrifice. Just who often has he failed to claim out-of-session per diem due to him while going about the people's business? Does he draw any out-of-session per diem? And what records does he have of official senate business conducted on his own dime? Or should voters take his word for it?

Dust. Reaching silently across the aisle by refusing to yield. Calling ALEC corporate factory bills "information." Out-sourcing budgeting to the private sector, which then might score contracts. It's a career fueled by urban legend and redirection.

All epsiodes certainly add irony to the lede in the Worthington Globe's article today:

He describes himself as a straightforward person who is disappointed with the spending in Washington, D.C.

Republican State Sen. Mike Parry stopped in Worthington Friday afternoon to speak about his upcoming bid for the congressional seat currently held by Tim Walz — the 10th such stop in two days.

Straightforward never looked so tangled, and the number of stops? Somewhere between New Ulm and Worthington, another town was added. Not even the Post Bulletin's Heather Carlson gave him that extra ghost town.

Bonus: The Star Tribune's Rachel Stassen-Berger, who so never reads this unnamed country blog, gets the political acumen award today for this tweet:

@RachelSB R. Stassen-Berger

Suspecting @mikeparry isn't tweeting his own tweets since last bunch have been @mbrodkorb RTs. Maybe it's a Brodkorb @klout score lifter.

Perhaps she and others might ask why Senate Majority Leader and Parry volunteer Lord Darkkorb is tweeting at all about a congressional campaign while he is at work for the state senate in St. Paul. Perhaps his public sector job allows unlimited coffee breaks to check on what the candidate he's advising for federal office is up to in the field.

Tune in next week as The Emo Senator does Windom and Blue Earth (or so our star promised in the OPP) where people want to know exactly who he is.

Photo: Mike Parry, the Belle of Waseca County and Emo Senator, now flouncing through southern Minnesota.

Earlier episodes below the fold.

Emo Senator: Will Quist's holy rolling upstage Brodkorb's progress across Southern MN?

Update November 4: For the latest epsiode, please visit Emo Senator: throngs of 10-20 people crowds cheer Mike Brodkorb's rural regency. [end update]

We last left the Emo Senator, hero of Southern Minnesota's most beloved online telenovela, basking in the praise from The Draz, made public in Parry's own press release.

And already, volunteer toadeater Ben Golnik is tweeting pictures of the throngs paying homage to the legislative star at the Hyvee in Winona.

Stops are also planned in Albert Lea, Austin, Rochester and Owatonna, the Winona Daily News reports in Parry to kick off campaign tour in Winona today.

Golnik is also tweeting about junk food available at the Owatonna Kwik Trip. May he find them at every Kwik Trip along the route, along crowds just as large as those at the Winona Hyvee.

But a shadow has been thrown over Brodkorb and Golnik's ambitions as volunteers.

Just as the departure of Mazeppa's mental midget cleared the path for Mike Parry's titular bid for congress and Dark Lord Brodkorb's climb on to the federal money train (and his escape from the train wreck of MNGOP party finances), the ghost of other failed races rises from the past.

Yes, Allan Quist, who conceded the 2010 Republican endorsement to Demmer after eight ballots, is seriously considering throwing his hat into the ring again. Mnindy's Andy Birkey reports in Allen Quist mulling challenge to Tim Walz:

Former legislator Allen Quist announced on his campaign website Wednesday that he is considering running against Rep. Tim Walz in Minnesota’s First Congressional District.

Quist lost the Republican endorsement to former legislator Randy Demmer in 2010. Quist, who is a longtime religious right activist, has run for office several times, including a primary challenge to Gov. Arne Carlson who Quist thought was too liberal.

“I wish to thank all the patriotic Republicans who have been encouraging me to become a candidate for First District Congress,” Quist wrote on his website. “Be assured that I hear what you are saying, and I am now leaning in the direction of aggressively going for it. I will make a final decision soon.”

Quist ran in 2010 for the Republican endorsement and made national headlines for his statements at the Wabasha County Republicans Christmas Party when he said that defeating liberals was more important than defeating terrorism. He lost the endorsement to Randy Demmer, who lost in the general election to Walz.

Perhaps that good crowd at the Hyvee is comprised of the non-patriotic Republicans in Southern Minnesota, since the patriotic one are somewhere else goading Quist into entering the race. Quist will have to step it up to match The Emo Senator's peerless mad skillz with the twitter.

Tune in tomorrow for the next exciting episode of Emo Senator, now featuring the Dark Lord and the Toadeater. Sadly, it's not the name of the House band.

Photo: Ben Golnik tweeted that this is a good crowd for the Emo Senator and who are we to argue.

Earlier episodes of The Emo Senator below the fold.

Emo Senator: Brodkorb campaign sends out a press release on Draz settling for state house

Fans of the Emo Senator may remember our last episode of Southern Minnesota's most beloved telenovella, in which the Dark Lord of the Minnesota Senate jumped into the First Congressional race.

Minnesota Senate Majority Michael Brodkorb continues his bid for office in Minnesota's First Congressional District, under the guise of managing the Emo Senator's campaign. PIM's Brian Bierschbach reports that Brodkorb has emailed a press release announcing the collapse of the congressional aspirations of The Draz:

Republican Rep. Steve Drazkowski has endorsed Sen. Mike Parry’s campaign against  DFL Rep. Tim Walz in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District after previously considering his own bid for the seat.

Parry, a two-term senator from Waseca, announced the endorsement in a campaign email on Monday.

The email reminded Mike Parry that he owns a small business (a fact he fortuitously forget last spring when it came time to take per diem; during that episode bout of amnesia, The Emo Senator wanted a higher salary for his state legislative duties).

But that cash stream certainly isn't enough for the real candidate on this ticket, Senate Leader Brodkorb, who jumped ship from a financially sinking Republican party to make his congressional bid by proxy.

Fans of the Diva Empress of Waseca look forward to watching Parry spin Congressman Walz's own refusal to take any of the pay raises U.S. representatives have received since the Mankato DFLer was elected in 2006. Walz returns all raises to the U.S. Treasury.

Stay tuned for more exciting press releases.

Related posts: The Emo Senator: Upstaged by Twin Cities volunteer, Mike Parry grows suddenly silent

Failed burrito baron's financial genius makes headlines again; Strib glosses over details

Tim Walz, congressional pay, and the Heinrich maneuver

More episodes below the fold.

His family's housing crisis solved, Cravaack to hold town hall in Wadena, MN foreclosure hotspot

Bluestem's gentle readers may remember how devoted parent and congressman Chip Cravaack was moving his family out of Minnesota's Eighth Congressional District to New Hampshire so the kids could be close to their mother's job. 

Chip Cravaack still visits the place he represents; in fact, he's holding a town hall tonight in Wadena, Minnesota, situated in Wadena County on the western edge of his district.  From a press release sent out October 17 (which also announced one in Mora last night, October 18):

“These town hall meetings are a great opportunity for me to hear directly from my constituents in the Eighth District about the issues that matter to them,” said Congressman Cravaack. “I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say, as well as sharing with them what I have been working on as their representative to Washington.”

Wednesday, October 19th

 Wadena Town Hall Meeting
M State, Wadena Campus Auditorium
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Wadena, MN

 Housing is obviously no trivial matter for Cravaack; after all he moved his family to the East.  Perhaps he'll hear about matters close to home from his constituents as well. Sunday, the Wadena Pioneer reported that Foreclosures spike in Wadena County:

. . .From the first two quarters of 2010 to the first two quarters of 2011, Wadena County had one of the highest increases in foreclosures at 71 percent – 17 in Q1-Q2 of 2010, and 29 in Q1-Q2 of 2011, according to the 2011 Semi-Annual Foreclosures in Minnesota report based on sheriff’s sales, provided by the Minnesota Home Ownership Center. It was one of just a few counties with significant increases in foreclosure.

The statistics are for completed foreclosures that went through the sheriff’s sale. Wadena had 9 completed foreclosures in Q1 of 2010, 8 in Q2 2010, 9 in Q3 2010, 8 in Q4 2010, then jumping to 17 in Q1 2011 and 12 in Q2 2011.

Twenty-nine – the total number of 2011 foreclosures in Wadena County as of the first two quarters – already approaches last year’s total of 34 in 2010. However, 2010 was better than 2009, which saw 46 total completed foreclosures.

In terms of its foreclosure rate, Wadena County was better off compared to the state average a year ago, but not any more.

Wadena County’s foreclosure rate was 0.31 in the first two quarters of 2010, but 0.54 in the first two quarters of 2011.

The foreclosure rate went from 0.59 in the first two quarters of 2010 to 0.47 in the first two quarters of 2011 in greater Minnesota, and 0.73 to 0.62 in Minnesota overall. . . .

What has Cravaack done about the foreclosure crisis? If one uses the roll call votes reported in the Progressive Punch index on this issue as the measure, not much. The category "Preventing Bank Foreclosures on Homes," shows that Cravaack voted to eliminate the Home Assistance Modification Program (HAMP). He voted  against a motion that would help struggling families of people who died in the  military and now face trouble keeping their homes. He voted against helping rural areas fix up abandoned properties.

Of course, he voted to keep Wadena County safe from community groups that might have had something to do with defunct group ACORN somewhere, somehow.

That should be a record he can defend to those who get to the town hall on such short notice. Or at least keep him occupied.

Related post: Teabagger turns carpetbagger: left off Patriot Program, Cravaack moves family to NH

The Emo Senator: Upstaged by Twin Cities volunteer, Mike Parry grows suddenly silent

Those following Emo Senator, Southern Minnesota's most loved telenovela, weren't surprised last Friday when Mike Parry, the drama queen of Waseca County, hopped into the race for Republican endorsement in Minnesota's First Congressional District.

It was a moment worthy of Mark Twain.

That narrative arc was further fleshed out Monday morning's Facebook announcement by Senate Republican Caucus Communications chief Michael Brodkorb (who wrestles under the name Spawn of Turd Blossom or STB as left boggers affectionately call him) that he was resigning as deputy chair of the Republican Party to volunteer to work for the Emo Senator.

Fortunately, the dark lord of Eagan will still draw his publicly-funded salary from the Minnesota Senate, so the opportunity costs of campaigning throughout the sprawling First should be covered.

And given the sycophantic nature of close personal relationships that STB developed with the more sedentary members of the Twin Cities media while "anonymously" blogging at Minnesota Democrats Exposed (and working as research director for the Republican Party of Minnesota), Emo Senator fans can anticipate much fawning coverage of Parry from outside of the rural district's media market now that Brodkorb has leapt into the race.

After all, Twitter makes it quite easy to avoid the drive to Houston or Luverne. Reporting the retweets of a horde of Republican employees posting from St, Paul  as news from Southern Minnesota will make the entire process cost effective for editors' bottom lines. Gas is expensive, after all.

Given the mouthful of shot the Twin Cities tweeting media companions have swallowed, Emo Senator fans shouldn't anticipate anyone in the press pool to leap high in covering this race.

More shocking, but not surprising to those who have kept a close watch on Emo Senator, is Mike Parry's sudden silence in the face of Brodkorb's entrance on stage. The Albert Lea Tribune's coverage of Michael Brodkorb's bid for congress is typical of yesterday's news cycle:

. . .“I believe Sen. Parry can put the 1st Congressional District where it belongs — in the Republican-win column,” said former Minnesota GOP Deputy Chairman Michael Brodkorb. “I have worked closely with Sen. Parry since he was elected in a special election to the Minnesota Senate in January of ’10 and genuinely believe he is the right person to do this.”

Brodkorb on Monday announced he had resigned from his position with the state Republican Party to serve as a volunteer advisor to Parry.

Parry could not be reached for comment. . . .

Given the younger man's upstaging of the candidate, Emo Senator fans schooled in the grand Hollywood tradition are advised to getting the popcorn. It's all about Mike Brodkorb, though having a client named Mike should make the confusion easier to report.

Photo: Mike Parry, the Belle of Waseca County, is upstaged by a younger Mike.

Earlier episodes of Emo Senator below the fold.

Emo Senator: Southern Minnesota's beloved telenovela diva sets sights for national stage

For many weeks, fans of Emo Senator, Southern Minnesota's most popular online telenovela, have anticipated the flouncing of a hopeful Mike Parry onto the national stage

Friday, Waseca's rising political star announced his bid for Congress, a move foreshadowed in earlier episodes. In early September, readers thrilled to the drama of The Emo Senator: Mike Parry ends press conference when asked about congressional plans and in October, The Emo Senator: Mike Parry may flounce into MN-01 congressional race against Walz.

Most reports of Parry's grand entrance reflect the press release style in American politics; typical is the report by the Tea Party BFF Heather Carlson at the Rochester Post Bulletin, a reporter who confirms all doubts about the value of a masters degree in journalism.  Look to her reporting for the Republican narrative arc in future episodes.

Over at the Mankato Free Press, veteran political reporter Mark Fischenich looked beneath the press conference at our hero's political career in Parry to challenge Walz for Congress:

A Waseca state senator, who has gained a reputation as a deeply conservative and sometimes combative lawmaker during his 21 months in the Legislature, announced Friday that he intends to knock off Congressman Tim Walz in next year’s First District contest. . . .

A former broadcaster and manager in the radio industry and currently co-owner of a Waseca pizza restaurant, Parry said he’s confident he can match Walz in fundraising and win the race.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe I could do that, and I know I can.”

Clearly, the Emo Senator's fortunes have changed dramatically since last spring, when he complained to Minnesota Public Radio that his state senator salary was driving him to the poor farm, as he had no other income:

For while Parry doesn't feel that the upper two percent should be taxed according to their ability to pay, he should be paid according to his needs:

"This is for the session, my job. I have no other job at this point in time," said Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca. "I'm here to do the work of the people, and I believe what has been established is fair." Waseca is one of the lawmakers that took the maximum amount — which added up to $12,040 for the session.

 

Parry, who chairs the Senate State Government Finance Committee, said lawmakers put in long hours and that the per diem is a part of the salary package for each legislator. He said he would be open to eliminating daily expenses in exchange for higher pay.

 

"I would suggest that per diem go away, but that we come up with a salary that would match the needs of the person coming up here," he said. "You get it too low [and] people can't afford to come up here unless they have deep pockets or are very wealthy like the governor."

 

Fortunately, our hero recovered from his unfortunate bout of amnesia and now remembers he owns a restaurant.  However, some lingering symptoms persist in his campaign rhetoric. Fischenich points out that his talking points against his new foe, Congressman Walz, have been used before with little success in wooing Southern Minnesota's voters:

“When he gets to Washington, he votes with his ultra-liberal friends,” Parry said.

Those three votes were the prime targets of Demmer in last year’s election and were the focus of hundreds of thousands of dollars in outside attack ads by various conservative interest groups. Despite the Republican wave that tossed Democratic incumbents aside in droves and gave the GOP control of the House, Walz topped Demmer by 5 percentage points.

The Free Press takes note of the Emo Senator's drama queen ways that telenovela fans find so riveting:

Public opinion polls have also showed frustration with the inability of Congress and the president to compromise and work together during a time of economic crisis, and Parry received some criticism for sometimes pugnacious comments when Republicans were deadlocked over the state budget with Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton.

He reportedly walked out of a meeting between Dayton and Legislative Republicans, called for Dayton’s resignation and once declared that Dayton “has no feelings.”

Will The Emo Senator parse Tim Walz's feelings via indiscrete tweets? Will he criticize the Walz family lawn care style? Tune in for the next episode.

Image: The Emo Senator, by Tild. Paperwork for his campaign was filed Friday, but has not yet been posted by the FEC.

Related posts below the fold.

Sutton tells Winona Daily News MNGOP would consider backing Draz before convention

In Drazkowski hasn’t ruled out run for Congress, Winona Daily News reporter Mary Juhl reports that Tony Sutton likes what he sees in Steve Drazkowski. So much, in fact, that the Republican Party will back the controversial Mazeppa lawmaker before the Congressional district endorsing convention:

Sutton said the party would consider backing Drazkowski if he secures support from constituents and activists in his district before an endorsement convention in April 2012. [emphasis added]

“People are looking for candidates they can believe in who tell it like it is,” said Sutton. “There’s no doubt Drazkowski would bring that to the race.”

Unless that's just a very prolix way of saying "is endorsed at the district convention," it looks like Sutton has caught the Drazombie "say no to local control" contagion. If taking control away from school boards is good enough for state representatives, then dictating terms prior to a congressional endorsing convention shouldn't be much of a problem.

On the other hand, perhaps Sutton can confer with Dick Day and Brian Davis about how will advance party support worked out in the past, both on the senate caucus level and in the 2008 MN-01 race.

Sutton may like Drazkowski a lot, but along with Representative Pat Garfalo, the Draz has been scolded by papers throughout Southern Minnesota and beyond for meddling with local control of school levies.

In short, for telling it like it isn't.

Sutton also suggests that Draz, who puts his jacket on multiple model bills written by the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) corporate bill factory, is "authentic," "sincere" and "hard-working." In the past, Bluestem has suggested that as a file clerk for America's best corporations and their legislative agenda, Draz's legislative salary could be cut by 2/3ths.

Examples of ALEC model bills Draz has carried or intends to carry include his SB1070 copycat bill and the supermajority amendment that will form the centerpiece of House GOP Reform 2.0.

On the other hand, it's quite probable that Draz came up with the plan to chop down black walnut trees in state parks all by himself. Perhaps that's proof of the authenticity that Chairman Sutton sees when he peers into Steve's eyes.

Sutton also told the paper that the Emo Senator Mike Parry and Julie Rosen (R-Mendota Heights) are considering bids.

Photo: City Pages' Best Villain, 2011, Steve Drazkowski (R-ALEC).  via PIM.

Related posts: The shame of southeast Minnesota: Drazkowski tells constituents to starve local public schools

If Republicans knew where to draw the line, Drazkowski would so run against Tim Walz

Drazkowski proposes outsourcing own job to corporate bill factory in bold redesign move

Only God can make a tree, but stupid ideas are left for The Draz to introduce

The Draz Traveling ALEC Reform 2.0 Medicine Show hits Kenyon, Goodview and beyond

Are Draz's "backward" ideas "too goofy for the GOP"? WDN misses the mark on Tentherism

The new Minnesota Miracle: Garofalo & Draz remarks spur consensus on local levies

Tired of blaming Dayton for tax hikes, Draz and Winona area Republicans embrace change

The Emo Senator: Mike Parry ends press conference when asked about congressional plans

Sen. Rosen builds modest Mendota pied-à-terre; could redistricting end residency p.r. worries?