The Minnesota House District 14B race in St. Cloud is emerging as one of the more hotly contested in the battle to control the lower chamber.
There's an air war of sorts going on. St. Cloud Times staff writer Mark Sommerhauser reports in Dueling radio ads in Knoblach-Dorholt race:
Minnesota House candidate Jim Knoblach's record went on trial in dueling radio ads that ran recently in the St. Cloud area.
Knoblach, R-St. Cloud, is challenging Rep. Zachary Dorholt, DFL-St. Cloud, in the Minnesota House District 14B race. The district covers east, north and central St. Cloud and Haven and Minden townships.
House DFLers got an early start to campaign advertising in late August with a radio spot touting Dorholt's record and criticizing Knoblach. Knoblach's campaign responded with an ad addressing some of the claims.
Here's a look at a few major points at issue in the ads — and at who's telling the truth or straying from it.
A point about a 2005 government shutdown is ruled "This claim is tough to deem true or false," while both sides on a point about Social Security are deemed true.
But Knoblach's response to charges that he voted to raise his own pay are ruled misleading. Sommerhauser writes:
Who voted to raise their own pay?: Knoblach voted to increase his own pay as a legislator.
Knoblach's counterclaim in his ad that "Dorholt voted for an even larger pay increase amendment" is misleading.
The House DFL ad started the exchange by blasting Knoblach for voting to increase his pay.
Knoblach voted in 1997 to increase lawmakers' pay by 5 percent. Knoblach said lawmakers hadn't had a pay increase in about 20 years when he cast the vote.
"It's like any other job. Occasionally there needs to be a pay increase," Knoblach said. "A 5-percent pay increase was reasonable."
Dorholt voted in 2013 for a constitutional amendment that would create a commission to set lawmaker pay. The amendment would have to be approved by voters in 2016 to take effect.
Knoblach said similar commissions created in other states gave big raises to legislators. And it's true some proponents of the Minnesota amendment have hinted they think lawmakers are underpaid.
But there's nothing in the constitutional amendment Dorholt voted for that would increase lawmakers' pay or require the proposed commission to do so.
Two views of MNSure
Another Sommerhause article published Tuesday, MNsure topic of St. Cloud House debate, highlighted the contrast between the candidates:
. . . Knoblach said MNsure has been a failure.
"We've spent $100 million on a website that doesn't work," Knoblach said.
Dorholt didn't shy from defending the health care law. He said it will help many of the patients with whom he works as a mental health counselor.
"People are getting quality care who had no care before," Dorholt said. . . .
Knoblach told the paper after the debate that he supported repealing the index on the new minimum wage. Lovely.
Sommerhauser also notes that DFLers are pushing in another race in the St. Cloud area:
The first-termer [Tama] Theis and [Dan] Wolgamott, a real estate agent and high school football coach, are the contenders in the House District 14A race. The area historically has voted Republican, but DFLers are optimistic they can make a play for the seat this year.
We'll be watching for developments in both races.
Photo: First-term HD14B legislator Zach Dorholt (DFL, St. Cloud).
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