Tag Archive for 'Tom Emmer'

Seifert: Emmer doesn’t have temperament to be Governor

by Jeff Rosenberg | 4 Comments

Things are starting to heat up on the Republican side. Marty Seifert first attacked Tom Emmer over a bill Emmer authored in 2005 to place limits on independent expenditures, 527s and PACs. Then, during an interview with MPR’s Tom Scheck, Seifert said that some of Emmer’s actions while attempting to pass that bill make him unfit to be Governor:

“The delegates need to know what they’re getting,” Seifert said. “Right now, they’re coming in and getting a good speech for five minutes and the people leave the room and they have no idea about what happens in terms of these other issues like legislation sponsored, etc. I think they need to know if someone needs to come in and wows you with fire breathing, that may be enough but I think people need to know the whole story.”

Marty Seifert is a pretty boring guy. That’s a nasty attack coming from him, even if you couldn’t quite tell. Although it took dozens of fairly passive-aggressive words, he’s using a favorite Republican attack, calling Emmer angry.

I agree with Seifert, although I’ll take it a step farther: I don’t think either of the Republican candidates is fit to be Governor. Emmer is not just angry, he doesn’t seem to know how to operate without having somebody to fight. Seifert, on the other hand, scarcely has a pulse, which is an entirely different problem, but a problem nonetheless.

March 9, 2010, 8:00 am | Category: MN 2010: Governor | Tags: , .

Seifert and Emmer put politics over people

by Jeff Rosenberg | 8 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, Marty Seifert and Tom Emmer voted in favor of saving health care benefits for the poorest Minnesotans. In fact, the House voted for saving GAMC overwhelmingly, 125 to 9, with 38 Republicans voting for the bill. Now, however, all of those Republicans have voted against overriding Tim Pawlenty’s veto, including Seifert and Emmer, one of whom will be the MNGOP’s nominee for Governor.

However you slice it, this flip-flop says something about Seifert and Emmer’s politics. There are a few options, as I see it:

  • They support health care for the poor, but they’re not willing to stand up for their principles and oppose the Governor.
  • They oppose health care for the poor, but they’re not willing to stand up for their principles and vote against the bill when it has overwhelming support.
  • They don’t really give a damn either way.

They can’t possibly explain both votes, and I’m not sure which of these explanations would be worse for someone who would like to be Governor.

March 2, 2010, 9:00 am | Category: Misc. Local Politics | Tags: , .

Guv Fundraising Updates: Emmer, Anderson, and Dayton, Oh My!

by Matt Martin | 1 Comment

I have a few updates on gubernatorial fundraising this afternoon and instead of dribbling the out piece-meal, I think I’ll just go through them rapidfire.  First up: Tom Emmer

Republican Tom Emmer has finally released his fundraising numbers and it’s now apparent why it has taken him so long — these are miserable.  To be fair, he raised a somewhat respectable total of $114,852 in 2009, but he spent $79,312 of it!  (I’ll do the math for you: that only leaves him with $19,154 on hand)  Given that his main opponent, Marty Seifert, raised $262,753 and has $133,072 in cash on hand, things don’t look to good for the E-Dog… Bottom line: Seifert has nearly 7 times the resources of his nearest opponent.

Next up: Pat Anderson.  Sure, she dropped out of the race, but these fundraising numbers may finally reveal why:  her Gubernatorial campaign ended the year over $30K in the hole!  A press release from State Auditor Rebecca Otto’s campaign dishes the details:

Anderson’s Gubernatorial campaign fared worse.  She raised just $29,659, which included a personal loan of $3,250, but she spent $65,596, ending the year with $39,174 in unpaid bills.

For those interested, Anderson’s new Auditor campaign has only $149 on hand…

And then we have Mark Dayton. For anyone who thought the former United States Senator wasn’t serious about this race, think again.  Mark Dayton loaned his campaign $570,000!  What’s more, he raised $72,000 in donations for a total of $641,821 in 2009!!  But what’s more, he only has $16,772 left in the bank!!!  Meaning he spent well over $600,000 on his gubernatorial bid last year!!!!  Alright, I’m out of exclamation points.  For those who remember, Dayton spent $12 million on his Senate race in 2000.

One’s thing for sure folks:  This is going to be one rip-roarin’ roller coaster!

The 2010 Gubernatorial Fundraising Cheat-Sheet has been updated with the above PLUS new information from Entenza, Gaertner, Kelley, and John Marty.

February 2, 2010, 4:34 pm | Category: MN 2010: Governor | Tags: , , .

Supreme Court Rejects Emmer’s Amicus Brief

by Zack Stephenson | 6 Comments

Tom Emmer’s gubernatorial campaign has been gaining momentum in recent days.  Emmer, who has been challenging front-runner Marty Seifert from the right, secured the endorsement of former Senator Rod Grams and State Representative Laura Brod.  Not everything, however, is going so well for Team Emmer.

Emmer made news early last week by announcing that he would file an amicus brief in the unallotment case with the Minnesota Supreme Court.   Sadly, at least for Emmer, the Minnesota Supreme Court doesn’t accept briefs from just anyone and when the Court released the list of parties whose briefs they wanted to read on Thursday, Emmer hadn’t made the cut.  I can’t say I blame them - I’ve been refusing to listen to Emmer for years. The court accepted briefs from the City of St. Paul, the City of Minneapolis, The Minnesota House, The League of Women Voters, Common Cause, The League of Minnesota Cities and a couple of law professors and gave no explanation for why they rejected Emmer’s brief.

Still, the slight is especially unfortunate considering that Emmer (who is an attorney by profession) has long been rumored to be interested in running for Attorney General. In fact, rumors that Emmer might switch to the AG race have been intensifying in recent weeks.  But you have to ask yourself just how effective an Attorney General he would be considering he couldn’t even write a brief interesting enough to compete with the League of Women Voters.

February 1, 2010, 8:30 am | Category: MN 2010: Governor and Misc. Local Politics | Tags: .

2010 Gubernatorial Fundraising Cheat-Sheet [Updated x2]

by Matt Martin | 17 Comments

After getting Bakk’s numbers this morning, I was in the process of compiling where all the various candidates are in their respective fundraising efforts when I noticed that Tom Scheck over at Polinaut had beat me to the punch [UPDATE: Scheck has an even better list now].  So, in the interest of saving myself the effort, I’m augmenting Mr. Scheck’s summary with additional information I had been compiling:

Tom Bakk (D):

  • Total: $361,927 (began fundraising in mid-2008)
  • 2009 Total: $208,682
  • Cash on Hand: $133,000
  • Other: none reported.

Mark Dayton (D): [NEW]

  • Total: $641,821 (committee registered in early 2009)
  • 2009 Total: $641,821
  • Cash on Hand: $16,772
  • Other: He loaned $570,00 to his campaign (!)

Matt Entenza (D): [UPDATED]

  • Total: Over $400,000 (began around January)
  • 2009 Total: $405,286 from contributors in 2009.
  • Cash on Hand: $73,917
  • Other: Matt made a $10,000 contribution to the campaign and loaned the campaign $70,000.

Susan Gaertner (D): [NEW]

  • Total: $200,411 (began in 2007!)
  • 2009 Total: $110,828
  • Cash on Hand: $4,347

Steve Kelley (D): [NEW]

  • Total: About $200,ooo (he never closed out his 2006 committee, so there are nominal contributions in 2007 and 2008, but he didn’t really start his push for this cycle until 2010)
  • 2009 Total: $187,249
  • Cash on Hand: $39,541
  • Other: Loaned $16,400 to his campaign

Margaret Anderson Kelliher (D):

  • Total: $254,000 (formally announced in September, not sure when she began fundraising)
  • 2009 Total: $254,000 from contributors in 2009.
  • Cash on Hand: $81,000
  • Other: She made a direct contribution of $250 to her campaign.

John Marty (D): [NEW]

  • 2009 Total: $105,895
  • Cash on Hand: $18,910
  • Other: None reported.

Tom Rukavina (D):

  • Total: $135,000 (announced exploratory committee in the summer of 2009)
  • 2009 Total: $135,000
  • Cash on Hand: $60,000
  • Other: None reported.

R.T. Rybak (D):

  • Total: $278,000 (started fundraising at very end of 2009)
  • 2009 Total: $138,000 (additional $140K raised in January, 2010)
  • Cash on Hand: $25,000
  • Other: None reported.

Paul Thissen (D):

  • Total: $370,000 (began fundraising in late 2008)
  • 2009 Total: $233,000
  • Cash on Hand: $85,000
  • Other: He also loaned his campaign $20,000

Marty Seifert (R):

  • Total: $262,753 (stepped down as minority leader in June to form exploratory committee)
  • 2009 Total: $262,753
  • Cash on Hand: $133,072.
  • Other: He also loaned his campaign $20,000 and transferred $20,000 from his now defunct MN House campaign

Tom Emmer (R): [UPDATED]

  • Total: $114,852 (began this summer)
  • 2009 Total: $114,852
  • Cash on Hand: $19,154.
  • Other: via Scheck: “His spokesman said he loaned the campaign and gave in-kind contributions that amount to roughly $10,000.”

I said it once, and I’ll say it again:  The DFL numbers are blowing the GOP numbers out of the water. In fact, just for fun, let’s compare totals here:

Party Totals (so far): [UPDATED]

  • DFL Candidates: $1,849,761 ($2,419,761 counting Dayton’s $570K loan to his campaign)
  • GOP Candidates: $429,463 (includes GOP candidates I didn’t bother listing above)

Let’s not get overly-confident, but let’s also not fall for the argument that our cluttered field has dampened enthusiasm, because that is obviously not the case.

January 26, 2010, 11:55 am | Category: MN 2010: Governor | Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

The State of the Governor’s Race

by Matt Martin | 47 Comments

Well, Norm is out.

As much as I want to say “I told you so,” everything points to this decision legitimately being up in the air for the past week.  Pat Anderson, for example, seems to have genuinely thought Coleman was getting into this thing.  And there was evidence of Coleman doing polling.  Was Norm’s dream of turning the Governor’s mansion into the Playboy mansion finally put to rest by bad polling numbers, or did the longtime politician just quietly decide that it was time to take a break?  Honestly, I don’t know and I don’t care.  Bottom line is this:  No more Norm.

So, where does this leave things?

To put it succinctly:  it leaves the DFL candidate running against Marty Seifert with Tom Horner running as an Independent.

That’s my best guess people; now tell me how I’m wrong.  Well, before you do, I suppose I’ll explain my thinking:  Marty’s winning this endorsement race and I’ll bet decent dollars that he comes out of it with the nod.  Sure, there’s the possibility that Coleman’s official departure from the scene will push some delegates to reevaluate the field, take a second look at Emmer, blah, blah, blah.  I don’t buy it.  Seifert’s going to be the guy because he’s been working harder, hustling better, and just plain seems to want it more.

But guess what, I’m fine with either one of them (meaning either Seifert or Emmer—if Sen. Hann is the candidate I’ll hold a happy hour for Publius readers and buy the first round) because they’re both firmly in the deep end of the GOP party-pool.  Seriously, I can’t wait for the inevitable Seifert (or Emmer) pivot to the middle after the endorsement (I don’t think there will be a contested primary on the GOP side)—you know those votes you took in the legislature?  Yeah, all of those are public record.

Which is precisely why I think Tom Horner is going to get in this as the IP candidate.  The GOP candidates are far-right, the DFL will go to a primary, and now there’s no alternative in Norm Coleman:  Horner’s a bright guy and I’m sure he realizes this is the best shot an IP candidate will have in a long while. Just take this Horner quote Eric Black published:

“Does Norm Coleman deciding not to run make it a different kind of race and campaign against people who don’t have broad name id?” Horner asked himself aloud. “Absolutely. Is that a better opportunity for an Independence Party candidate? Absolutely.”

Oh, and Horner just officially formed an exploratory committee.  But here’s the thing:  Horner is a former Republican and definitely on the conservative side of the aisle.  So, with far-right GOP candidates, does he end up just splitting the ticket on the GOP side and pulling a few independents in, or does he manage some support from moderate democrats?

This is about to get interesting…

January 18, 2010, 10:32 pm | Category: MN 2010: Governor | Tags: , , , .

Emmer Raises $115K in 5 Months

by Matt Martin | 1 Comment

Via the always informative Polinaut:

State Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, says his campaign for governor raised $115,000 in 2009, and that more than $50,000 of that was collected in December. The campaign didn’t put out detailed figures, but says that amount exceeds fundraising goals set when Emmer started his run in July.

This is just wonderful.  Can Tom Emmer pleeeaaase be the Republican endorsed candidate for Governor?  Please?

Man this race is going to be fun!

January 7, 2010, 11:50 am | Category: MN 2010: Governor | Tags: .

Republicans gleefully look for ways to break the State that Works

by Jeff Rosenberg | 4 Comments

Or maybe that should be “State that Worked,” after Tim Pawlenty has had his way with us. If you think Pawlenty made a mess of things — and if you don’t, just wait until his accounting gimmicks start to fade — just imagine what will happen if we let some of the Republican gubernatorial candidates get ahold of the reins of power. It’s shocking to me just how giddy they are at the prospect of making sure your state no longer works for you.

Rachel Stassen-Berger has the story, albeit dressed up in nicer terms, at the Star Tribune:

The candidates are ambitious in their pledges to shrink government — “The sky’s the limit,” state Rep. Tom Emmer said at a recent forum

That’s encouraging: The sky’s the limit in making our government broken. But the big question, likely the one the Republican endorsement will hinge upon, is just how to break the government. Merge departments! says Emmer. No, break them up! says Pat Anderson. Slash human services funding! says Marty Seifert. No, slash education funding! says Anderson. No, slash absolutely everything! says Paul Kohls.

One of my favorite lines: “Seifert said he’d reduce ‘abuse’ of emergency rooms,” despite the fact that the Republicans are all against health reform, which would help all Minnesotans gain access to primary care. I suppose the Republicans want to eliminate the “loophole” that allows even the poorest Minnesotans to receive catastrophic health care.

I guess the problem I’m having here is that I’ve never understood the conservative trope that our government is the enemy. Our government, after all, is us — a government by the people and for the people, to which we all contribute and from which we all receive. Yes, it’s true that the neediest receive the most and contribute the least, but is someone out there really going to tell me it should be the other way around?

October 26, 2009, 1:00 pm | Category: MN 2010: Governor | Tags: , , .

The Three Stooges Run For Governor And Other Developments

by Zack Stephenson | 9 Comments

The Republican gubernatorial field is a major source of amusement for me these days. First you have former State Representative Bill Haas, who represented Champlin for a decade and was the city’s mayor before that. I know Haas’ record pretty well, I worked on the campaign that beat him in 2004. We had a phenomenal candidate in Denise Dittrich, but even so, you have to be a pretty terrible incumbent to run ten points behind George W. Bush in Champlin in 2004. Despite this, Haas thinks he’s a credible candidate for Governor. Perhaps he’ll be running on his experience as a lobbyist for the last five years.

Then there is State Representative Paul Kohls. Now that Mark Olson is out of the legislature, Kohls probably holds the mark for the most time spent speaking on the House Floor. To his admirers (does he really have any), he’s loquacious. To the rest of us, he’s just really obnoxious.

Finally, today comes word that State Representative Tom Emmer, the King of the Crazies, is going to run for Governor. Emmer had been considering a run for House Minority Leader, but I’m told he didn’t have anywhere close to the votes he needed to win. Apparently Emmer decided that it’d be easier to win a statewide election than to pull together 24 supporters in the House Republican Caucus. Good luck to you Tom.

Sadly, there is just too much crazy in this Republican field. There is a real danger that Haas, Kohls, Emmer, et al will divide up the winger vote and allow a more moderate, sane candidate to win.

By the way, the House Republican Caucus will be selecting a new leader tomorrow night. The Strib identifies Paul Demmer and Kurt Zellers as candidates. From what I hear, Zellers is the frontrunner. Zellers will be a formidable leader, certainly a more disciplined messanger than Marty Seifert.

June 22, 2009, 9:33 pm | Category: MN 2010: Governor | Tags: , , .

Is the MNGOP even paying attention?

by Jeff Rosenberg | 3 Comments

Tom Emmer, a prominent House Republican, certainly isn’t. I hope he’s not representative of the rest of his colleagues.

Watch Speaker Kelliher have to scold Emmer for listening to a CD during a budget hearing:

May 14, 2009, 11:00 am | Category: MN State House | Tags: .

BIG NEWS IN THE MINNESOTA HOUSE

by Zack Stephenson | 20 Comments

Rep. Tom Emmer is going to run for Republican Minority Leader in the Minnesota House, challenging current Leader Marty Seifert.

Minnesota House Republicans will have more than one choice for minority leader when caucus members meet Saturday to select their leader.

In an email sent to caucus members Sunday, state Rep. Tom Emmer of Delano announced he will seek the House caucus leadership position.

House Minority Leader Marty Siefert also emailed GOP House members Sunday saying he would again seek the post.

In other news, Speaker Kelliher was seen dancing a jig up on the 4th floor of the State Office Building.

But seriously folks, I can understand why some Republicans would want to dump Seifert. After the 2006 elections, most observers thought the DFL had reached their saturation point in the MN House - 85 seats was supposed to be our high water mark.  2008 was supposed to be a year of Republican pickups, the only question was how many. As we all know, however, the GOP actually lost two more seats is last week’s elections.

In addition to their electoral woes, Seifert was also behind the great moderate purge of 2008. In a vengeful rush to punish the Override Six, Seifert and conservative activists drove two members into retirement, denied three members the Republican endorsement and ended up losing two long held seats to the DFL.

But Emmer is hardly guilt free in this debacle. Jim Abeler, one of two Override Sixers that were reelected last week, sent this letter to the GOP Caucus after Emmer made an appearance at his endorsing convention:

Shockingly to me, Rep Emmer showed up at the convention on Saturday around 9:45, declaring himself as representing the caucus. “Marty went south, and I went north.”

Following a nice commendation of Rep Hackbarth for providing good representation of his district (no mention of me), Tom went onto bash the “Democrat transportation tax bill.” The entire speech lasted 7 or 8 minutes, during which time the crowd got actively engaged, since as a group they were about 3:1 opposed to the bill and many were angry at me anyway. When comments came about “those 6 republicans” Tom gestured in an encouraging way, and crowd whipped into a frenzy against those 6 (including me) resembling an Obama rally. There was no doubt as to the local object of this aggression, me. As he closed, he received tumultuous applause and left…

…What shocked me is that the caucus would send Tom Emmer who has obvious and unresolved anger issues toward me and expect his appearance in already tense situation to go well. I think in human resource circles they call this the Worst Possible Decision.

I wonder what Abeler will do if Emmer is elected Republican Leader?

Also, what does Emmer’s move do to the 2010 AG’s race?  Emmer was seen as Lori Swanson’s most likely GOP challenger.  Who’s the Republican candidate now?

November 11, 2008, 10:48 am | Category: MN State House | Tags: , , .