Lori Sturdevant had a must-read article in the Strib over the weekend updating the status of the override six:
In all, six House Republicans dared to part company with Pawlenty and GOP leaders over transportation funding. For voting to raise the gas tax 5 cents by October, the Override Six were vilified by Republican mouthpieces, stripped of caucus leadership positions and advised to brace themselves for rough treatment by Republican voters…
Two of the six chose to end their legislative service. One is running as an independent. (Stay tuned for a wild fall in Edina.) One, Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake, was embraced by his district’s Republicans. They can’t understand why anyone would take issue with a vote to fix a highway on which too many of their neighbors have needlessly died.
I think there are a lot of people across Minnesota who have difficulty understanding why the MN GOP is hell bent on driving the moderates from their party.
The most interesting part of the story, however, is Sturdevant’s profile of the conservative challengers opposing Neil Peterson and Jim Abeler. Don Huizenga, Abeler’s opponent, is already well-known on this site, but Sturdevant introduces him to a broader audience:
Huizenga allowed last week that he’s known as the “Vote No” guy on school levy referenda in his area, and “that’s given me a bad rap.” He says he’s itching to be elected so he can revamp public schools to employ fewer teachers and put parents in charge. During last year’s levy campaign, he posted a blog item describing the student achievement gap as “evidence of differing intelligence among different races.”
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Jim Abeler took THOUSANDS of dollars in campaign contributions, this summer, from highway construction companies from northern and metro MN, none of which are in his District. He made a completely false statement regarding his breaking and entering at the Fair, and is being investigated by the BPOU for his conduct. Mr. Abeler has attacked me personally and has attacked my family verbally. He believes, I think, that he OWNS this seat in Anoka and is willing to prove it by completely disregarding the needs of his constituents. I wonder, does anyone think it is OK for Democratic organizations to influence the primary of Republicans? Seems odd to me…
The reason real Republicans want to get rid of En-Abeler is that he makes a much better liberal Dumbocrat than a Republican. Gettign rid of En-Abeler is like getting rid of cancer. Having had several personal interactions with that idiot Abeler, I know that Abeler is a liar and a fraud, much like the other Dumbocrats in the MN legislature. Hey, Rod Hamilton, those DFLers (damn f*cking liars) keep their word don’t they? Poor guy sold his soul and got kicked in the nuts as a reward. I wonder how often he’ll “reach across the aisle” next session?. Conservative Republicans in 48B will do our best to make sure En-Abeler does not get the endorsement this week.
This site makes me laugh! Thanks for the great humor…libtards.