Third Congressional District Republican Convention
The Third Congressional District Republican Convention was held Saturday, April 23 at the Ramada Thunderbird Hotel in Bloomington. Convention Chair, Minneapolis Police Captain Rich Stanek, called the convention to order at 9:00 a.m. Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado), Chair of the House Immigration Reform Caucus and the morning breakfast fundraiser speaker, addressed the delegation for a few minutes. He urged the delegates to ask their city, county, and state officials what they are doing about illegal immigration.
Hennepin County Commissioners, Linda Koblick and Penny Steele led the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem respectively. Pastor David White gave the invocation. Carolyn Rebholz was elected Convention Secretary and Tim Erlander was elected Parliamentarian. Mara Robinson chaired the Credentials Committee and reported that there were 103 seated delegates out of a possible 315. (NOTE: Senate District 41 had the largest delegation with 25 seated delegates out of a possible 42.)
The main business of the convention was the election of the Third District Executive Committee members. Officer Search/Nominating Committee Chair Judd Mowry reported there was the same number of candidates as positions therefore the voting could be by voice accumulation. Re-elected were Co-Chairs Margaret Cavanaugh and Dennis Sathre, Treasurer Lynn Swon (SD 41), and Vice Chair Angie Erhard. Newly elected members included Secretary Ellen Wade, and Vice Chairs Jon Knudson, Jeff Lunde, Phyllis O’Malley, Glydewell Burdick, Jim Taylor, and Sue Moline (SD 41).
During the course of the convention there were numerous speakers. Congressman Jim Ramstad said, “Good to see you!” and really meant it since he lost the sight in one eye a few months ago. After several surgeries in the last two months his sight is nearly restored. He reflected on the fact that we lost five house seats in the Third Congressional District and that Bush did not carry Edina and Minnetonka. This, he said, shattered the myth that the Third District is safe for Republicans and “we have our work cut for us.”
Dan Williams, who is running for John Marty’s seat in Senate District 54, spoke on behalf of Senator Norm Coleman. Coleman sent a statement which focused in part on the issue of the partisan filibustering against the judicial nominees.
Senator David Gathier spoke on behalf of Governor Tim Pawlenty. Gathier urged the delegation to remain engaged. The DFL has proposed a Christmas “wish list” with no idea as to how this budget increase will be funded. He said, “Don’t take NO (answer) for an answer from the DFL. Tell them to lead, follow, or get out of the way.”
Representative Erik Paulsen spoke on behalf of Attorney General (AG) candidate, Representative Jeff Johnson. He said that Johnson knows that AG does not stand for “Aspiring Governor” (i.e. Mike Hatch). Next, Bev Aho, the Bush 2004 Campaign Surrogate Chair for Hennepin County, presented a certificate to Third District Co-Chair Dennis Sathre in recognition of the work done on behalf of President Bush’s campaign in the Third District.
Other speakers included Mike Fossum, last year’s Convention Chair, who spoke on behalf of Rich Stanek as a possible candidate for Hennepin County Sheriff, if Sheriff Patrick McGowan decides not to run for re-election and Representative Barb Sykora, House Education Finance Committee Chair, pointed out the incorrect information on a handout which had been distributed to all delegates regarding an omnibus education finance bill. Representative Steve Smith, Public Safety Committee Chair, reflected on his 8th term in the house.
Our own Representative Neil Peterson (41B) told of his initial impressions of serving as a freshman in the House of Representatives and the idea of “conflict capacity.”
Representative Joyce Peppin made clear that her math says that a 15% increase in healthcare spending is not a decrease. (The DFL is trying to sell the notion that a reduction from a 19% increase to a 15% increase is actually a decrease in spending.)
The convention also heard from Eric Hoplin, current national president of the College Republicans (CR’s) and a candidate for State Party Deputy Chair with Ron Eibensteiner, reported that the CR’s recruited 200,000 new members nationwide in 2004. Ron Eibensteiner, Party Chair the addressed the convention and noted that President Bush received 237,000 more votes in 2004. He said that the RPM will go back to the 2002 model for the 2006 campaigns. He has plans to open satellite offices in the 1st, 7th, and 8th Congressional Districts.
Angie Erhard, Third District Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) Chair, reported every senate district in the Third completed 100% of its GOTV calls. This amounted to over 100,000 calls.
U. S. Senate candidate, Harold Shudlick, spoke about his qualifications and campaign and Bill Pulkrabek and Tom Ellenbecker, candidates for State Party Chair and Deputy Chair, introduced themselves.
To round out the convention speakers, Ryan Flynn spoke on behalf of Tina Quick, the new Minnesota College Republican president. We have the largest group of College Republicans in the country (even more than California or Texas!)
The convention adjourned at 11:30.
