KTTC exclusive with Gil Gutknecht

Since election day, Representative Gutknecht has kept a low profile. He break his relative silence in an interview with local television station in NewsCenter Exclusive: Sit Down with Gil Gutknecht:

Tom Overlie
KTTC TV
 
ROCHESTER, MN -- It has been an emotional couple of weeks since that fateful November 7th night.
 
That's when 6-term congressman Gil Gutnecht lost a heated battle to his opponent,
Tim Walz.
 
And the congressman has kept fairly quiet since the election until now.
 
We met up with him on monday, before he heads on his final trip back to Washington D.C.  To find out "what's next?"
 
He came in with the republican tide of '94
And he left with the tide of 2006.
 
Congressman Gil Gutknecht has served the First Congressional District for 12 years. But in a few weeks, he'll be concluding that chapter of his life and beginning a new one.
 
And so, over a cup of 'Caribou' coffee, we looked ahead and looked back at his time in office. Including his most recent battle to keep that office.
 
Representative Gil Gutknecht says, "people asked me how I felt on the day after election, and I said relieved. It had gotten to be such a nasty campaign."
 
On the national level , Iraq was perhaps the congressman's weight. Locally, some would say it was DM&E. Going up against a strong Rochester coalition dead-set against increased coal-trains through town.
 
Gutknecht says, "maybe it's my detriment on the dme. In retrospect, politically, I would have been smarter to say "I'm all with you." when you leave this place, whether it's voluntarily or not, you need to leave with a measure of yourself."
 
But that measure extends itself over some big moments in the congressman's 12 years. Playing a role in the 'Contract With America' from the 90's, working on a balanced budget, serving as chairman of a house AG subcommittee, among others. He spearheaded efforts to lower prescription drug costs and earned awards as a friend to the farmer.
 
So what happens to the man when he loses the title and the power?
 
Gutknecht says, "I'm still Gil. I'm curious, and optimistic. And I see the opportunities out there."
 
And those opportunities might include a new nationwide radio show, consulting jobs or perhaps maybe, even another run for office.
 
But until we see those chapters unfold, Gil Gutknecht says he'll continue living a life of no regrets.
 
Gutknecht says, "I've done my best. Let's turn the next page. Let's start the next chapter. And that's where I am."
 
The Congressman's official final day in office is January 3rd.
 
We might also note, the Congressman is a relatively new grandfather and so part of this new chapter in his life, he says, will mean finding more time for his growing family.

Judging from the interview, it's possible that Representative Gutknecht may run for office again.  We're reading blog buzz about challengers to Representative-elect Walz.  BSP will keep readers posted as news develops.

Comments

[Kathleen Castrovinci]

Gil Gutknecht's loss to Tim Walz in the 1st CD was multi-faceted in that Gil gave song-n-dance responses to very direct questions concerning important issues that concern us all.

Gil Gutknecht underestimated the knowledge Tim Walz had about the issues, not to mention the directness that is Walz. People took notice of the momentum thta Tim Walz was mounting as the election wound down.

Gil's voting record support of the Bush Administration over 93% of the time did not label him "Independent".

Gil Gutknechts's lack of real leadership concerning the DM&E Railroad upgrade and Federal Loan put him at odds with most of the voters in Olmsted County. To blame Tim Walz's concern on this issue, bringing this into the forefront is lame at best.

What did it for Gil in a nutshell was the Iraq War. Not wanting to discuss it when he had the opportunity to do so, then making an about face trip there for 16 hours in July, did him in. Gil could not have it both ways and still expect to keep his job.

The campaign got nasty because Gil Gutknecht saw the writing on the wall. His dismal voting record was coming back to haunt him and the Walz campaign deftly saw the weak spots and focused on them. Walz was not nasty by any means. He brought those weaknesses out into the open, gave the facts as they stood, and the people decided.

The man who defeated Gil Gutknecht was himself in his expectation that by doing a "good job" was good enough to get him re-elected. Posture, knowledge of the issues, and a commanding presence are what seperates the DOERS from the FOLLOWERS. Gil Gutknecht spent 12 years FOLLOWING the drumbeats of the GOP. It cost him dearly.