What's state Republican Party chair candidate Jungbauer scrubbing from his Facebook page?

Wonder why Bill Jungbauer for #MNGOP Chair is scrubbing his Facebook page of posts like this: http://t.co/7hGiYa0jVR pic.twitter.com/1ysUd13zP7
— Nancy LaRoche (@nwlaroche) April 6, 2015

Bill Jungbauer for #MNGOP Chair is 'the voice of descent' - posted leaving the party on Feb. 11. #transparency #tcnt pic.twitter.com/I6z1Q4QkZJ
— Nancy LaRoche (@nwlaroche) April 6, 2015

The more Bluestem Prairie reads about West St. Paul Republican activist Bill Jungbauer's bid for his party's state chair, the more we're hoping the GOP state central committee selects him for the post next weekend.

As state chair, Jungbauer could do for the Republican Party of Minnesota what fellow Ron Paul admirer Hannah Nicollet did for the Independence Party of Minnesota.

We're not sure what else Jungbauer scrubbed from Facebook, but his more active twitter account of two still has this image from 2013

As appropriate today as it was 200 years ago. At the Smithsonian... pic.twitter.com/hZRUpXbeVY
— Bill Jungbauer (@BillJungbauer) July 3, 2013

We progressives can't wait to have a fellow leading the Republican Party of Minnesota who believes that lynching tax collectors in effigy is "still appropriate," given how much the cultural baggage surrounding the meaning of lynching itself has changed in the last 200 years--not to mention how taxation-with-representation thingie altered the dynamic.

Email to delegates

A Republican friend sent us Jungbauer's email to MNGOP state central committee delegates. We'll have more analysis on this as the day goes on:

Hi! I'm Bill Jungbauer and I am running for chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota. You will have the opportunity to elect me as chair at the upcoming State Central meeting on April 11th.

I've been active in the Republican party heavily since 2006. I've run for state senate and state representative. I've served my community on the W St Paul Park and Rec Board and Environmental committees.

As chair of the old house district 39A, we had the third highest bank balance of any BPOU in the state. I must point out that this is a very liberal district! As chair of the 2nd Congressional District, our bank balance was the highest it has ever been in the last 10 years going into last years election season. I plan on bringing my fundraising experience to the state party so that we can pay down debt and build a war chest for the future.

I am running for chair because of my experience on the state executive committee. For the past two years I've served as the senior member having been on it five of the last six years both as the chair of the 2nd congressional district and as the state vice chair of the 4th CD. In that time I've served with four different chairs, Carey, Sutton, Shortridge and Downey. It is because of my diligence and tenacity that the $1.9 million dollars in debt under Sutton was brought to light.

Because of my extensive experience on the state executive committee, it troubles me to see that we are carrying $1.4 million dollars in debt. You have heard my opponent claim that much of the party's debt was paid down over the last two years. Nothing could be further from the truth. Why do we still carry such great debt? We are supposed to be the party of fiscal responsibility. Our image in the public eye under current leadership has suffered. Particularly with the latest public revelation that two vendors who are owed roughly $300,000 have been ignored since last November. It is very wrong when members of the state party's executive committee find such things out via the media rather than from our current chair.

It will be my goal when elected chair to bring back transparency and trust. The Republican Party of Minnesota belongs to the grassroots activists, not to a secretive elitist leadership.

The Republican Party of Minnesota needs a bold vision to grow and it needs to start with statewide victories. Our candidates deserve the full attention and support of the state party. It is my opinion that this was not the case last election cycle.

We cannot win a statewide election without getting more conservative votes from Minneapolis and St Paul areas. Our minority outreach as well as our voter turnout in the 4th and 5th congressional districts have floundered. I have creative and exciting plans for changing this. Business as usual will be laid to rest.

The Republican Party of Minnesota must move forward in dynamic and innovative ways. The liberals drag us through the mud and we've let them get away with it. I say no more! Many of you who know me will testify that I don't pull a punch. I'm a straight shooter.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to seeing you at the convention on April 11^th and earning your support for chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota.

Please feel free to contact me with your questions and comments at [email protected] or 612-229-1786.

Thank You,

Bill Jungbauer

Fundraising and the problem of scale

One item jumped out at us from that message:

As chair of the old house district 39A, we had the third highest bank balance of any BPOU in the state. I must point out that this is a very liberal district! As chair of the 2nd Congressional District, our bank balance was the highest it has ever been in the last 10 years going into last years election season. I plan on bringing my fundraising experience to the state party so that we can pay down debt and build a war chest for the future.

We were unable to confirm his claim about "the old house district 39A," as no such entity can be found in the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board's database of reports from 2005-2014 (Select "Political Party Unit," from the menu at the top of the page, then select, "View Reports").

On the state level, the CD2 committee raised $30,748.00 in 2014, up from $12,019.31 in 2012. While that's a significant increase, the scale is still far less than the fundraising necessary for a state party.

Photo: Bill Jungbauer (left), with CD2 associates Matt Erickson (middle) and Paul "Liberty Longbeard" Tuschy (right). We reported on Erickson's CD2 eff-bomb speech in Snark Patrol launched in time to save Garofalo from F-bomb attack he shared with us all. In his persona as Liberty Longbeard, Tuschy--who ran for state house in 2012--is a frequent commenter on prank Facebook pages like MNGOPBuilders and Keith Downey Must Resign.

Sources tell us that Jungbauer is getting an assist from Deputy Chair Chris Fields, who last graced our page in the post MNGOP Deputy Chair's callous tweet at grief for Robin Williams' passing draws online heat. Earlier Bluestem Posts about Fields include MNGOP's Chris Fields shared what really bothers him about Trayvon Martin with Freeborn Co GOP.

Progressives everywhere should show up at the RPM state central committee and volunteer to help Jungbauer out. One day next weekend could totally make the difference in neutering the RPM under Jungbauer's leadership in 2016. Do it for the children.

We're at the beginning of our spring fundraising drive. If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:

Email subscribers can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen at gmail.com as recipient. Donations are not tax deductible.