Via the Minnesota Independent and Smart Politics, we visited the Rothenberg Report's 2010 House Rankings, which handicap competitive districts in the 2010 election. Erik Paulsen's MN-03 and Michele Bachmann's MN-06 are on the list as "Republican favored."
Bachmann was on the February 2007 list along with Congressman Walz, the equivalent ranking for the 207-2008 cycle. At this time in 2007, four Republicans were actively discussing plans to seek their party's endorsement, and eventual endorsee Brian Davis would hop in the race a couple of months later.
Walz's 62.5 percent to Davis's 32.9 percent of the vote in November 2008--along with the absence of any public discussion of a Republican opponent to challenge the congressman in 2010? Probably enough to bump te district off the radar.
And while MN-01 wasn't showing up on anyone's radar in February 2005, Walz's FEC fundraising report for Q1 2005 does show that the teacher and former National Guard member was already in the fight, having received his first large contribution on January 27, 2005 while his statement of organization was filed February 10, 2005. Davis and Demmer still have committees; we'll see in the next set of FEC reports if they're oing much other than trying to eliminate their committees' debts.
Members of Minnesota's congressional delegation have been traveling
around the state to help constituents make sense of the 1,703-page
bill, and in some cases to help tout local companies. Last week, Rep.
Tim Walz, D-Minn., visited the Miller Felpax Corp. in Winona, a maker
of railroad equipment, which could see a bump in business from the
Obama administration's new emphasis on high-speed rail.
We've been looking at some online tools for learning about projects submitted for possible funding under the Recovery Act and will be posting about these web sites later this evening or tomorrow morning.
. . . The Democrat from Mankato
said that cellulosic technology shouldn’t include giant refineries such
as corn ethanol plants but instead include more small operations.
Creating a new clean energy economy was the topic of the forum Friday at Minnesota State University.
Walz and other panelists, including former
congressman Tim Penny, said the financial crisis and the stimulus
package offer an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of the
nation’s economy. “We have to get it right,” Walz said.
Dan Juhl, a wind energy business owner,
said it’s vital to keep the new energy dollars local. Because of
current tax credit laws, some 80 percent of the tax credits aimed at
promoting wind farms goes to overseas conglomerates.
“We can keep our energy dollars in our communities and create jobs,” Juhl said.
Walz, who represents the 1st District, said
Congress is working on rewriting the tax credit to get it to local wind
cooperatives and businesses.
J. Drake Hamilton, of the group Fresh
Energy, said the stimulus package can do what few imagined. “We got a
big, huge kick-start from the economic recovery bill.” . . .
After voting for George W. Bush in both 2000 and 2004, MN-01
swung to the Democratic column by 8% to give Barack Obama a 51% to 47%
victory. That makes Democratic Rep. Tim Walz look less vulnerable than
he did since his upset victory in the 2006 midterms.
The absence of any public discussion of a Republican seeking endorsement for 2010 might also be a factor.
Bockfest 2009 must have put Schell's President and Brewmaster Ted Marti in a presidential mood Saturday afternoon.
When
the Bockfest Boys took a short break from their performance, Marti
spoke briefly to the crowd. His remarks echoed one of President Obama's
now-famous speeches.
"They said we couldn't have an outdoor
beer-drinking festival. Well yes we can!," Marti proclaimed. "They said
we could have a band that plays 'Ring Of Fire' 13 times?...Well, yes we can!"
THUMBS UP: The Journal was invaded by suspicious looking masked
characters Friday afternoon. The Narren had once again kidnapped Mayor
Joel Albrecht and were parading him around town, declaring that
everyone was to take the day off and start celebrating Fasching.
We
ignored their directive. After all, if Congress can make no law
abridging freedom of the press, neither can the Narren. Besides, who
would put their picture in the paper if we all took the day off?
We
hope the city will take a sterner stance with the Narren than in the
past. The City Council should refuse to negotiate with kidnappers of
public officials. Whatever ransom the Narren demand for the mayor
should be denied. They've got him, and they can keep him.
In the mean time, happy Fasching and Bock Fest to all.
The Albert Lea Tribune reports People come out to make their voices heard by the state legislature. Doesn't sound like most of the 200 people were too happy with Governor Pawlenty's proposed cuts. Maybe they need a beer, or perhaps the Narren should kidnap Pawlenty.
The Owatonna People's Press reports that the actor who plays the head bad guy in "Gran Torino" attended the local high school before moving to St. Paul. He wasn't typecast.
This evening's hymn is from The National, and is dedicated to all those who ever thought they were being followed by a guy with a talking dog:
With FEC year-end reports due on Saturday, the committee for state senator Dick Day has filed a termination report. This action matches what we've been hearing: that Senator Day, a.k.a the Termindaytor, is more interested in running for state senate again in 2010 and having a hand in redistricting than in meeting the fate handed Brian Davis in November 2008 by the disciplined Walz grassroots campaign.
Day's committee took in $11,670.00 from October 1 until the end of 2008, but refunded $2300. Day's committee ended up owing the candidate under $1500, having paid back most of the $23,000 the Owatonna legislator lent to it.
The brief summary page: 5. Covering Period 10/01/2008 Through 12/31/2008
Column A This Period
Column B Election Cycle-To-Date
6. Net Contributions (other than loans)
(a) Total Contributions (other than loans)
11670.00
232773.46
(b) Total Contribution Refunds
2300.00
0.00
(c) Net Contributions (6(a) - 6(b))
9370.00
232773.46
7. Net Operating Expenditures
(a) Total Operating Expenditures
3285.39
240605.25
(b) Total Offsets to Operating Expenditures
0.00
0.00
(c) Net Operating Expenditures
3285.39
240605.25
8. Cash on Hand at Close of Reporting Period
0.00
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
1493.27
Itemize all on SCHEDULE C or SCHEDULE D
Davis' committee has filed its year-end report as well, and it's quite curious. While Davis had his committee pay its $124,000 debt to him in November after the 2008 election, we see that it again has obiligations to the candidate.
Between November 25 and the close of 2008, the Davis committee took in $1775, with a total of $3380 gathered in the new cycle; it has spent $4724.47, while reporting $2922.13 cash on hand at the end of the year. However, it owed $7379.00, mostly to Davis himself.
Congressman Walz's committee reports zero debt and $30528.16 cash on hand at the close of 2008. The committee did very little fundraising in the final five weeks of the year, taking in $7295.00 ($10857.02 for the new cycle).
After more than six years on the job, John Wade is stepping down as president of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce.
"It is a good time to move on, hand the keys to a new person and let them take it to a level yet unknown," said Wade this morning before flying to Arizona from the Minneapolis airport for a previously scheduled stay. . .
. . . "I'm looking at a couple different opportunities. And I'm staying in Rochester, though these opportunities may take me out of Rochester from time to time," he said. . . .
. . .While he offered no more detail, Wade said his move is not due to personal or health issues.
With his experience and connections in politics, could this resignation be the first step toward a run for office?
"I'm flattered that many people regularly ask me about running for office. I am honored...I will keep all of my options open as I go forward," he said.
Wade was named as interim and eventually permanent president of the chamber in 2002 after former president Dennis Egan resigned after only seven months on the job. The chamber has more than 1,200 members.
His resume includes serving as a lobbyist for the city of Rochester fighting the Minnesota, Dakota & Eastern Railroad expansion project, and working for two years as chief of staff for former U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht of Rochester.
He also was vice president of Midwest development for Bresnan Communications, staying on with cable TV operator Charter Communications as a government relations executive until early 2001.
Wade is a respected member of the Rochester community and would be a serious contender against Walz, should he decide to go down this path. While his name was suggested as a possible candidate for the 2008 contest, he declined to run, set the stage for the Davis-Demmer-Day battle and Davis's debacle at the polls in November.
At 32.93 percent, Davis drew the lowest percentage of votes by any candidate from either of the two largest parties since the First was redistricted along its present lines. Would Wade have a broader appeal?
At this point, the FEC's web site doesn't list a congresional campaign committee for Wade in its electronic filing database.
