Political Notebook

Obama re-election campaign kicks-off in Rochester

The local push to re-elect Democratic President Barack Obama officially kicks-off in Rochester on Saturday.

Local Democrats will gather at the Obama for America Office at 1107 7th St. N.W. as part of a "Day of Action." The event starts at 10 a.m. with Jeff Blodgett, state director for Obama for America — Minnesota, addressing campaign volunteers. Also expected to attend are Blair Jasper, regional field director for the 1st Congressional District and staffer Nick Coe. The official grand opening for the campaign office will be June 22 and 1st District DFL Rep. Tim Walz is expected to speak.

After the opening comments, volunteers will hit the streets to start knocking on doors with the goal of getting Democrats elected in November. At 1 p.m., volunteers will celebrate the start of the 2012 campaign season at Rochester's Democratic Party Office for a barbecue featuring burgers and hot dogs. Volunteers will have the chance to talk to local DFL legislative candidates July Ohly, John Vossen, Kim Norton, Ken Moen, Tina Liebling and Pat Stallman.

Olmsted Republicans pick Valeriano over Sullivan

Olmsted County Republicans last night picked nurse Melissa Valeriano over Realtor Max Sullivan to run against DFL Rep. Kim Norton at their endorsing convention on Thursday night.
Republican Party of Olmsted County Chairman Bruce Kaskubar said Valeriano won endorsement for the House District 25B seat on the first ballot. Sullivan said Friday morning he plans to abide by the endorsement. Also winning endorsement was Rochester School Board member Breanna Bly for the House District 26A seat. She will take on DFL Rep. Tina Liebling in the fall.
All four local incumbents were endorsed and none of them faced a challenge from within the party. Winning endorsement were Rep. Mike Benson of Rochester, Rep. Duane Quam of Byron, Sen. Carla Nelson of Rochester and Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem of Rochester.
The Olmsted County DFL endorsed its candidates back in March. Below is a list of the candidate match-ups.
House District 25A: John Vossen, DFL-Kasson, vs. incumbent Duane Quam, R-Byron
House District 25B: Incumbent Kim Norton, DFL-Rochester, vs. Melissa Valeriano, R-Rochester
Senate District 25: Judy Ohly, DFL-Rochester vs. incumbent Dave Senjem, R-Rochester
House District 26A: Breanna Bly, R-Rochester, vs. incumbent Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester
House District 26B: Incumbent Mike Benson, R-Rochester, vs. Pat Stallman, DFL-Rochester

Senate District 26: Ken Moen, DFL-Rochester vs. incumbent Carla Nelson, R-Rochester

Quam blasts new political boundaries in Dodge County

Republican Rep. Duane Quam said the special redistricting panel did a poor job when it came to redrawing the boundaries in Dodge County. The county of just over 20,000 people to the west of Rochester has spent the past decade being represented by one senator and one representative. But the redistricting maps released yesterday show the county being carved up among five representatives and four senators.

"That doesn't serve them well," Quam said. "I think it's poor drawing. There is some identity to a county."

Of the House members whose districts will include Dodge County, three are Republicans and two are Democrats. Among senators, three are Republicans and one is a Democrat. So, here is a breakdown of how Dodge County's cities are divided up among incumbents.

— Hayfield and Blooming Prairie will be part of House District 27A with incumbent Rep. Rich Murray, R-Albert Lea. The Senate incumbent is Sen. Dan Sparks, DFL-Austin.

— Claremont, Ashland Township and Ripley Township will be part of House District 24B with incumbent Rep. Patti Fritz, DFL-Faribault. The Senate incumbent is Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca (who, incidentally, is running for the 1st Congressional District seat).

— West Concord will be within House District 21B with incumbent Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa. The Senate incumbent is Sen. John Howe, R-Red Wing.

— Kasson, Mantorville and Dodge Center would be in House District 25A with incumbent Rep. Duane Quam, R-Byron. The Senate incumbent is Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester.

— Vernon Township will be part of House District 27 B with incumbent Rep. Jeanne Poppe, DFL-Austin. The Senate incumbent is Sen. Dan Sparks, DFL-Austin.

So could these new maps encourage a bunch of politicos in Dodge County to run for office? We'll have to wait and see. For now the only candidate to announce running for the legislature from the county — Kasson-Mantorville Elementary School Teacher John Vossen — will still be taking on Quam.

 

Elementary school teacher to run against Quam

Kasson-Mantorville Elementary School teacher John Vossen announced Friday he is running for the Minnesota House.

Vossen, 40, said he is becoming increasingly concerned about the inability of state lawmakers to work together.

"I've been working with colleagues, and we work together to come to solutions and this is what we expect of our kids is to work together," he said. "But it seems at the Capitol and in the news people can't work together for the common good. It is just for their own agenda."

The new legislative boundaries will not be known until the courts release the final redistricting maps on Feb. 21. But under the current boundaries, the DFL candidate would be taking on first-term Republican Rep. Duane Quam of Byron.

Vossen has spent 15 years teaching in the Kasson-Mantorville school district. He graduated from Hutchinson Senior High School and went on to earn a bachelor of sciene degree in eduation from Minnesota State University in Moorhead. He has a master's degree from Winona State University.

He said he is very concerned about rising tuition at colleges and universities and how that is putting pressure on middle class families. If elected, he would also focus on getting funding to finish upgrading U.S. 14 because it has become a major public safety threat.