Last week, Bluestem asked, After losing primary, has Miller launched write-in campaign, attacking "establishment GOP"?
The answer to that question is yes. On Sunday, Miller for SD9 posted the photo and text in the screenshot at the top of this post on the campaign's Facebook page.
Our post raising the question of a Miller write-in campaign includes the text of the letter the conservative candidate reads in the screenshot above.
Miller lost the August Republican primary in Minnesota Senate District 48.41 % to Rasmusson's 51.59% of the vote. In voter numbers, that's 5,738 for Rasmusson, with 5,385 casting ballots for Miller.
Meanwhile Nathan Miller supporters continue the drumbeat against the endorsed Republican candidate, Jordan Rasmusson.
Save Minnesota, an online page dedicated to rooting out "election tampering" by "party machine operatives" (these operative appear to be local and state Republican party officers) in the Republican Party's delegate selection process to local conventions, has entered the fray.
On Sunday, the site published State Senate Candidate Actions Haunt Otter Tail Elections, a public service announcement submitted by Merle Hexum on behalf of Otter Tail County Concerned Citizens for Transparency and Integrity in our Elections.
A darkness hanging over Republican officers and a State Senate candidate clouds a free, fair, and transparent election.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
The content in this letter has vital information for those of you who care about honesty, integrity, and transparency. It's important that the residents of Otter Tail County know and understand the corruption that took place right here in our own backyard.
On February 1, 2022 citizens all across MN gathered together at their local caucuses to do their civic duty. One of the most important things that citizens do at Caucus is selecting delegates and alternates to represent them and their views at the County Convention.
Delegates at the County then get to select the delegates to go on to the District and State Conventions. Being a delegate is an important position in that you have the privilege of choosing which candidates got the Republican Party's endorsement. The endorsement is highly sought after by all the candidates, which makes it extremely important for candidates to have delegates that they know will support their candidacy. If a candidate (or his supporters) were allowed to handpick the delegates they would of course choose people that they could count on to vote for them; which is exactly what transpired after our most recent caucus.
This past February a fraud was perpetrated by the leadership of the Republican Party of OT County. For the three weeks that followed the caucus they were busy adding several names to the delegate list. They illegally went out and recruited people who they believed would support their chosen candidate.
In order to be a delegate to the County Convention you must either sign up or have someone else from your precinct sign you up on Caucus night. The OTC Constitution stipulates that only those from the precinct may put forth names, and it must be done before your precinct adjourns. No one from outside a precinct is allowed to add names to the list, nor can names be added after the close of the caucus. At the Caucus closes the convener then sends a photo of the completed lists to the state. Names cannot be added by someone from outside the precinct, nor can names be added after the caucus has adjourned.
We know that fraud was committed because we had access to the photos that were sent to the state from 30 of the 93 precincts. When comparing the names from the original lists with the list that was released on February 25th it revealed that 26 delegates and alternates were added to the list. This then brings up the question "How many more names were added in other 63 precincts?
When these discrepancies were brought up at the County Convention those in Leadership were quick to try and shut down any further discussion on the matter. One of their own quickly bolted to the mic to make a motion to end discussion. When a vote was taken Jordan Rasmusson was quick to stand to his feet to vote in favor of ending discussion; and he also encouraged all of his handpicked delegates to do the same. Shortly after that a vote was taken to accept the delegate list, without looking further into the matter. Once again
Rasmusson voted to squelch transparency, and he encouraged his entourage to do the same. At the next OTC Republican Party meeting several in attendance requested that a full independent audit be done, but this also fell on deaf ears. Nether Jordan, nor his wife (the BPOU Secretary) supported our request for transparency. Five weeks later, at the endorsing convention, our request was once again shot down. The State Party got involved and they also rejected our request. Instead of an independent audit they implemented some sham show to make it appear as if they were trying to rectify the problem. The MN
GOP was merely trying to provide cover for the OTC GOP. The only way to discover just how extensive the fraud was and find out who was all involved in this corruption and coverup is to do an independent audit. It could be done easily, quickly, & accurately. There's only one plausible explanation as to why the OTC GOP leaders are so vehemently opposed to an audit. They know an audit will expose the corruption, and they would rather have this dark cloud hanging over their heads, than allow everyone to find out that they cheated in order to steal the endorsement.
To pursue this from a legal angle will not work, because law enforcement agencies claim to have no jurisdiction. Unfortunately political Party's are private organizations, and they can choose whether to obey their own Constitution or not. There is no governing authority to hold them accountable or force them to do the right thing. This leaves us with only one course of action, which is to inform the public and allow them to decide for themselves as to whether or not they're able to condone and support such corruption. This appeal is not to one's intellect, but an appeal to your conscience, and to your sense of right and wrong. Many of us who voted for Jordan Rasmusson just two short years ago can no longer do so. To support his candidacy after witnessing his nefarious actions would require us to disregard our own conscience and ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Bluestem noted Hexum's support of Miller in our April post, Dueling letters in GOP Senate District 9 contest make us understand why Westrom's moving:
Hexum wrote in a letter to the editor of the Fergus Falls Journal, Democrat or Republican?:
Sometimes it can be difficult distinguishing whether politicians are Democrats or Republicans, such is the case with Jordan Rasmusson. Mr. Rasmusson was a liberal Democrat prior to a conversion that he claims to have had while a student in Cuba. But, is he truly conservative, or merely an opportunist? Mr. Rasmusson has political aspirations and he probably came to the realization that he’d better switch party affiliation if he hopes to win in Otter Tail County (OTC). Listening to him speak may lead you to believe his conversion was genuine. He touts all the Republican catchphrases very well: I’m pro-life! I support the Second Amendment! I’m for lower taxes! etc. etc. But, if you examine the legislation that he‘s supported and look at the things that he’s promoting, you’d have to conclude that Mr. Rasmusson is still very much a liberal. Jesus said, “you will know them by their fruit”. He may have an “R” behind his name, but he’s certainly no conservative. Mr. Rasmusson would be the poster child for what conservatives refer to as a R.I.N.O. (Republican In Name Only).
Look at the things that he’s voted for and also the things that he’s trying to advance. He, along with other members of the swamp, voted for HF 164 (Energy Conservation & Optimization Act), a bill that appeases the Al Gore and whacko environmentalist crowd, while creating burdensome regulations for businesses. He also voted for HF 1952 (Omnibus State Government Finance Bill), which establishes a legislative coordinating commission for the politicians and government employees to dictate bills and resolutions instead of their constituents and citizens. New staff and funding is provided to the auditor’s office and funds, loans and investments to businesses that have become corrupted by overreaching union leaders. He, along with Democrats and fellow “RINO”s”, recently voted for SF 3472 (re-insurance bill, which bails out Obamacare). This bill puts tax-payers on the hook for insurance claims over $50,000. Now he’s pushing for “Paid Family Leave”, which adds burdensome regulations for employers and increased costs to consumers.
Conservatives believe in lower taxes, fewer regulations and less government; yet Mr. Rasmusson embraces none of these things. The No. 1 concern for conservatives is election integrity and transparency, yet Mr. Rasmusson has no regard for these things. Last month at the OTC convention there were discrepancies and irregularities concerning delegates being added to the list after caucus night. Mr. Rasmusson and his minions, chose to ignore this potential fraud. First they voted to accept the credentials, without any regard as to how these errors occurred, then they attempted to end debate as to avoid any further discussion on the matter. Since the convention he’s done everything in his power to prevent an independent audit from happening. Mr. Rasmusson has no interest in looking at the irregularities. He obviously doesn’t believe the old adage “sunlight is the best disinfectant”.
If Mr. Rasmusson were to be accused of being a conservative, there would be insufficient evidence to convict him!
He seems nice. An earlier letter writer, a member of the OTC Conservative Coalition, write of the details of the meeting in What is going on? . . .
Marcia Huddleston, founder, OTC Conservative Coalition, wrote the letter, which discusses the party caucus shenanigans as "election tampering."
Hexum is no newby as a rabblerouser. Hexum organized a "Caravan of Patriots" 2020 to protest the Governor's Fishing Opener in 2021, the Perham Focus reported in Protesters caravan to voice discontent with Gov. Tim Walz.
Will Westrom family support Miller write-in campaign?
In Will Westrom family support for Rasmusson primary challenger ruffle MNSenate GOP unity?, Bluestem noted support during for Miller on Torrey Westrom's parents' Facebook pages. A Nathan Miller yard sign graced the lawn of the Elbow Lake home where Westrom lived and Anna Westrom reportedly still answered the door when Grant County deputies tried to serve the state senator papers on petition challenging his residency over in Senate District 12.
As we noted in that post, retiring state senator Bill Ingebrigtsen announced his support for Rasmusson even before the new district lines were drawn:
...Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen . . . announced his retirement in January 2022.
That announcement was made before redistricting results were announced by the court on February 15, 2022, Ingebrigtsen announced his endorsement of state representative Jordan Rasmusson before the lines were drawn, according to a January 31, 2022 press release Ingebrigtsen endorses Rasmusson for State Senate.
District 8 became District 9, placing Rasmusson and Westrom together in the same district, while the new District 12 was left without an incumbent.
Westrom's first statement about running again after the new lines were drawn, published as State Sen. Torrey Westrom announces re-election bid on February 18 in the Alexandria Echo Press, doesn't mention the district in which he will run . . .
We can only wonder what discussions went on in the subsequent weeks before the Echo Press published Sen. Torrey Westrom announces re-election bid in District 12 on March 3.
An effort to change the new district lines died in the Minnesota state senate Redistricting Committee, as we noted in Will 2020 redistricting plan boundary adjustment get snuck in to let Westrom live in lake house?.
We have yet to see any local media coverage of the write-in campaign in District 9 media, but we suspect it's coming.
Rasmusson no doubt enjoys a fundraising advantage, having raised a whopping $126,976.17--of which $83,426.80 came from lobbyists, PACs and party units/terminating candidate committees (including $59,064.37 from his own House committee), and closed the pre-primary reporting period with $44,649.28 cash on hand. Miller raised $37,012.50, all from individual contributions, and closed the period with $6,717.45 in the bank.
Bluestem leaves it to data analysts much smarter than we to determine whether the write-in campaign could prove a spoiler for the Republican and conservative candidates, allowing DFL endorsed candidate Cornel Walker to take the extreme Greater Minnesota seat. Here's a look at Walker's fundraising.
Related posts
- After losing primary, has Miller launched write-in campaign, attacking "establishment GOP"?
- Will Westrom family support for Rasmusson primary challenger ruffle MNSenate GOP unity?
- Petitioners in Westrom residency challenge referee's conclusion; his lawyers don't
- Referee's Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law: Torrey Westrom stays on MN12 ballot
- Westrom residency: an account of the hearing before the Honorable Diane Bratvold
- Westrom residency: Klingbeil thanks intervenor; referee's decision to come no later than Tuesday
- Another MN12 resident moves to intervene in challenge to Westrom residency in district
- MinnPost: if Klingbeil's petition on Westrom's residency prevails, still chance for GOP on ballot
- Swift County Monitor, Black Robe Regiment look into MN12 Westrom non-residency claims
- MN12 Westrom residency challenge: Supreme Court sets August 15 deadline for evidence
- MN12: "We The People" candidate Klingbeil follows through on Westrom residency challenge
- Via personal Facebook page: independent candidate vows to challenge Westrom residency
- MN12: Ashley Klingbeil to challenge Torrey and Dorry from the right for state senate seat
- Will 2020 redistricting plan boundary adjustment get snuck in to let Westrom live in lake house?
Screenshot: From the Miller for 9A Facebook page.
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