Gently, like a falling safe, the political landscape in northern Minnesota is changing. It was inevitable because Alida Messinger’s DFL isn’t appealing to people who don’t share the DFL’s intemperate view on the environment and mining.
Thanks to Chip Cravaack’s victory, people are taking a first serious look at incumbents like John Carlson and Carolyn McElfatrick. As incumbents, people already took them seriously. Running against Tom Saxhaug and Tom Anzelc respectively, though, new people are taking a serious first look at Sen. Carlson and Rep. McElfatrick.
Though this isn’t a prediction, I expect Sen. Carlson to defeat Sen. Saxhaug and Rep. McElfatrick to defeat Rep. Anzelc.
The CD-8 GOP Facebook page is better known as Parade Pictures Central. The numbers of volunteers marching in parades is impressive. Even in the northernmost parts of CD-8, the numbers of volunteers is impressive.
Redistricting added new legislative districts to central Minnesota. Candidates like Jim Newberger and Dave Fitzsimmons will win their elections to the House of Representatives. Dave Brown will win re-election to the Senate. Mary Kiffmeyer will win election to the Senate.
Barring something unexpected happening, Jeff Howe will replace Larry Hosch in the House.
When the dust settled on Election Night, 2008, the DFL held the Senate seats in SD-15 and SD-16. They held the seats in HD-15B, HD-16A and HD-14B. They held 5 of the 9 seats in SD-14,SD-15 and SD-16.
When the dust settled on Election Night, 2010, Larry Hosch was the DFL representation for SD-14, SD-15 and SD-16. After the dust settles on Election Night, 2012, SD-13, SD-14 and SD-15 (their new numbers after redistricting) will be totally red.
Reports I’m getting tell me that swing areas in central, northern and western Minnesota are moving out of swing district status. That makes sense with people understanding that the metrocentric DFL has focused on an agenda that only public employee unions could love.
I wrote here and here about the DFL’s hostility towards mining. Miners are noticing and they’re abandoning the DFL in ever-increasing numbers.
They’ve noticed that the militant environmentalists from the Twin Cities are targeting the mining industry. Why be part of a coalition that wants to shut down your industry in northern Minnesota?
Put slightly differently, the DFL’s anti-mining chickens are coming home to roost. Simply put, the DFL’s’ accusations, based mostly on Sen. Bakk’s bluster, that the GOP isn’t fit to lead are being ignored by the voters thus far.
Tags: Carolyn McElfatrick, John Carlson, Dave Brown, Jim Newberger, Dave Fitzsimmons, Mary Kiffmeyer, Jeff Howe, Mining, Chip Cravaack, MNGOP, Tom Saxhaug, Tom Anzelc, Militant Environmentalists, Alida Messinger, DFL, Election 2012
Hi Gary,
My name is Brandon Anderson, and I am an engineer, not a politician. But I am running with GOP endorsement for the State Senate seat held for 12 years by Dave Tomassoni (now district 6.) This is another area that could undergo a major change this year. This district hasn’t had a Republican Senator in 98 years.
For 12 years Tomassoni was part of a powerful legislative clique led by Oberstar, with Rukavina and Sertich as his underlings. Of course, Chip Cravaack came out of nowhere to defeat Oberstar in 2010, and a week after Chip was sworn in, Dayton told Sertich to drop his seat and go head the IRRRB. Now with Rukavina becoming disgruntled and choosing to retire, Tomassoni has become the ‘last man standing.’ And I have been chosen to eliminate him.
I believe we have the strongest ever selection of GOP candidates in CD-8, with a great chance of getting the area back on the right track.
Let freedom ring, Gary. Liberty and Free Enterprise must be maintained.
-Brandon Anderson,
GOP-endorsed MN Senate District 6 Candidate
+ 218-780-7179
+ http://www.facebook.com/district6mn
+ on Twitter: @GOPBDA
+ GOP-BDA@USA.com
I’ll take your word for it miners are leaving duh DFL. So the ‘enthusiasm’ goes down too. Does this translate into any actual increase in votes for GOP?