Political Notebook

Nelson declines Moen's request for additional debates

Sen. Carla Nelson, R-Rochester, has declined her DFL opponents request for a series of additional debates. In a written statement, the Rochester Republican said there are already plenty of debates scheduled. Here is the entire statement:

"This senate district has a rich history of providing many opportunities to debate the issues.

We have already had a candidate forum which has since been broadcast on cable TV.  The Rochester Area Builders will be holding our Candidate Forum on Sept. 25, 2012.  The League of Women Voters, Chamber or Commerce and the Rochester Post Bulletin have scheduled debates for Senate District 26 on October 22, 2012.   Many more debates or forums are in the process of being scheduled.  I recall forums for seniors, townships, NAMI, the Tea Party and the LTC initiative just to name a few.  The Post Bulletin will be publishing candidate profiles following our interviews with the PB editorial staff.  In addition KSMQ traditionally provides a televised 30 minute forum that is rebroadcast multiple times for each legislative race in our area.  I will be participating in each of these in addition to the “Candidates and Issues” campaign sponsored by KTTC.   I do not see any reason for addition debates beyond the many opportunities already provided in this district. 

I look forward to being on the dais with Mr. Moen to discuss our views about the challenges and opportunities for Minnesota citizens and their government.   I am confident that the public will have ample opportunity to distinguish the differences between the views held by Mr. Moen and me.  In addition to the debates, my record of driving government effectiveness and efficiency and  balancing the budget to live within our means speaks for itself."

Moen challenges Nelson to more debates

Senate District 26 DFL candidate Ken Moen is challenging his GOP rival to a series of debates.

Moen sent out a news release calling on Sen. Carla Nelson to agree to several additional debates. The two are set to square-off at an evening debate on Oct. 22in Rochester sponsored by the Minnesota League of Women Voters. But the Moen campaign argues that one 45-minute debate is not enough time to address the concerns of voters.

The Democrat's campaign said it has sent a letter to Nelson's home and Senate email address about the debate request and wants a response within 10 days. Moen's campaign suggests that the debates be facilitated by a neutral party and cover a range of  topics. Both of the candidates would have the chance to suggest topics for the debate. The Moen campaign also wants the debates to be free and open to the public.

It says that a letter was being sent to Nelson's home and her Senate email address asking her to respond to his request within 10 days.

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

Liebling to announce political plans tomorrow

Rochester DFL Rep. Tina Liebling is expected to announce her political plans tomorrow morning at the Olmsted County Government Center in Rochester.

Prior to the release of the redistricting maps, Liebling had said she would run for the Minnesota Senate if a Senate district was created that was mostly within the city limits and if she lived within it. The new district boundaries released by the special redistricting panel last month are fairly similar to the current Senate districts. It divides the city north-south into two districts. The Senate district Liebling is in stretches outside the city limits into Stewartville, Dover, Eyota and Chatfield. But the district no longer includes Plainview and Elgin.

If Liebling does run for the Senate, it would set the stage for a DFL endorsing battle. Rochester attorney Ken Moen announced last year he planned to run for the seat held by Republican Sen. Carla Nelson. It also opens the door to Liebling and Nelson squaring off for a fourth time. In 2002, Nelson defeated Liebling and Independence Party candidate Joe Duffy to win the House District 30A seat. Two years later, Liebling beat Nelson. The two faced off again in 2006 and Liebling beat Nelson again.

Nelson won election to the Senate in 2010 after deating DFL Sen. Ann Lynch. She has said she would welcome another match up with Liebling.

Liebling considering run for the Senate

DFL Rep. Tina Liebling said today she is seriously considering a run for the Minnesota Senate.

If redistricting results in a Senate district that is mostly contained within the city of Rochester and she lives within the district, Liebling said she plans to run for the seat.

"I feel that Rochester needs strong, effective representation in the Senate," she said. "The GOP has not been strong and out front working for Rochester, and we really need that."

This sets up the potential for a DFL endorsement battle. Rochester attorney Ken Moen announced last fall he was running for the Senate seat. Moen said he has no plans to drop out of the race if Liebling decides to run.

"It's not changing anything I do," he said. "My hope would have been that she would use her seniority and stay in the House. If she chooses not to that it is her choice and may be our loss as a party."

Depending on the new Senate district boundaries, the Democrats  would likely be taking on Republican Sen. Carla Nelson. If Liebling did win the party's endorsement, this would be the fourth-time the two had faced off. In 2002, Nelson defeated Liebling and Independence Party candidate Joe Duffy to win the House District 30A seat. Two years later, Liebling beat Nelson. The two faced off again in 2006 and Liebling beat Nelson again.

Nelson won election to the Senate in 2010 after deating DFL Sen. Ann Lynch. She said she would welcome another match up with Liebling.

"Voters will have a great choice before them. There's one person who has solved budget deficits without increasing taxes and another who I think has supported every tax increase that has come before her," Nelson said.

 

 

Moen officially announces he'll challenge Nelson

With a crowd of roughly 20 supporters looking on, Rochester trial attorney Ken Moen announced he is running against GOP Sen. Carla Nelson. The Democrat said he was inspired to run after watching the lead up to the government shutdown and the refusal of Nelson to support tax increases to help balance the budget.

"I thought that was very poor representation, and now we've got a bigger hole to dig ourselves out of as a result of what didn't happen," Moen said.

He also blasted Nelson for not supporting the Mayo Civic Center expansion and having "fled from serving on the health and human services committee despite the fact that she represents a community with the Mayo Clinic, the state's largest private employer."

In an interview before today's official announcement, Nelson disputed Moen's claim she does not support the Mayo Civic Center expansion.

Moen said his 34 years of experience as a trial lawyer make him a "seasoned negotiator," which will help him as a legislator. He also emphasized he is willing to compromise

"We cannot continue to be represented by people who only vote "no" and refuse to make a credible effort for the citizens, employers and interests of their districts," he said.

Redistricting complicating candidate recruitment

Republicans and Democrats are already hard at work trying to recruit candidates to run for the legislature in 2012. Complicating those efforts are uncertainty about where the political boundaries for the 2012 race will be drawn.

Tony Sutton, chairman of the state Republican Party, said the prospect of redistricting has some potential candidates hanging back until they know for sure what the districts will look like.

"It does create the unknown. We talk to people about running, and they say, 'We're interested in running, but we don't know where the lines are,'" he said. 

Every 10 years, after the U.S. Census, states are required to change congressional and legislative districts to recognize population shifts. The courts are expected to determine where those lines will be drawn, and that process likely won't be completed until late February.

One candidate is jumping in without waiting for the lines to be drawn. Rochester DFL trial attorney Ken Moen is expected to announce this afternoon he will challenge GOP Sen. Carla Nelson. Moen said he lives within six blocks of Nelson so he the odds of not being in her Senate district are slim.

Minnesota DFL Chairman Ken Martin said his party is urging candidates not to wait until the final lines are drawn.

"We don't want to lose any time or energy over the next five or six months as we wait until those maps come out," Martin said. "So we highly encourage people to get in now and start running."

Moen to run against Nelson

Rochester trial attorney Ken Moen is expected to announce tomorrow that he will run against Republican Sen. Carla Nelson for the Senate District 30 seat. Moen, a Democrat, is expected to announce his candadicy at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Government Center in Rochester.

Moen has long been involved in DFL politics helping campaigns behind the scenes. That includes helping with the late Sen. Paul Wellstone's campaigns, along with supporting DFL Gov. Mark Dayton, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Al Franken. This is the first time he has run as a candidate. He registered a campaign committee with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board last week.

Nelson was elected last year to the Senate after defeating DFL Sen. Ann Lynch. Nelson previously served in the Minnesota House from 2003 to 2004. Lynch has expressed interest in running for the seat again. She sent out a fundraising letter last spring.