Political Notebook

Big campaign day for Dems in Roch

This morning, former DFL gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza hosted a get-out-the-vote rally at the Olmsted County DFL headquarters for Mark Dayton. Joining him was Sen. Ann Lynch, Rep. Tina Liebling and Olmsted County Chair Lynn Wilson.

This afternoon, veterans will hold a rally in support of 1st District DFL Rep. Tim Walz at VFW Post 1215 in Rochester. Another rally with veterans will be held this evening for Walz in Winona. The Walz campaign released their final TV ad of the season today. In the positive ad, Walz emphasizes he is not a "career politicians. Speaking to the camera, Walz says, "I've been a lot of things in my life — football coach, soldier, teacher, dad, but I am not a career politician. I am Tim Walz and I will always stand with you."

He goes on to say that he "won't spend money we don't have" and that he cut his office budget and gave the money back. To see the ad, go here.

A local election wrap-up

Here's a quick recap of the big races. The Associated Press is reporting that Minnesota House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher has officially conceded to former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton in the DFL gubernatorial race. Statewide, Dayton beat Kelliher by 6,777 votes with 99 percent of precincts reporting. In total, Dayton got 41 percent of the vote and Kelliher got 40 percent. Former state Rep. Matt Entenza came in a distant third with 18 percent.

In Olmsted County, Kelliher narrowly beat Dayton winning by 164 votes.

Republican-endorsed candidate Tom Emmer easily won last night's primary with 82 percent of the vote. That is the same percentage of the vote he got in Olmsted County receiving 3,380 votes.

Independent Party-endorsed candidate Tom Horner got 64 percent of the statewide vote with the second place challenger — Winona-native Rob Hahn — getting 14 percent. Horner did even better in Olmsted County getting 76 percent of the vote.

GOP-endorsed candidate Duane Quam easily defeated challenger Kerry Stoick in the House District 29A Republican primary. He got 66 percent of the vote while Stoick got 34 percent. Quam will now take on DFL-endorsed candidate Doug Wunderlich for retiring GOP Rep. Randy Demmer's seat. Demmer stepped down to run for Congress.

In Senate District 28, DFL-endorsed candidate Joe Fricke had a decisive victory over Bruce Montplaisir getting 75 percent of the vote. Fricke will take on Republican John Howe, current mayor of Red Wing. They are battling to replace retiring DFL Sen. Steve Murphy of Red Wing.

One of the big surprises of the night came in the 2nd Congressional District DFL primary where former state Rep. Shelley Madore beat out the DFL-endorsed candidate Dan Powers. Madore got 55 percent of the vote with Powers getting 45 percent. Madore will challege Republican incumbent Congressman John Kline.

No joke — Chevy Chase endorses Entenza

So when DFL gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza made a stop in Rochester today and told me he had been endorsed by comedic actor Chevy Chase, I thought he was joking. But apparently not. The candidate recorded a video endorsing Entenza in the goveror's race. Apparently, Entenza got to know Chase's wife, who is a big supporter of renewable energy.

In his endorsement video, Chase says "Our economy is struggling and our environment is in peril. But we also have a great opportunity. By embracing the clean energy economy and paying ourselves for our energy instead of a dictator in the middle east we can create good jobs and protect mother nature. No one gets that as well as Matt Entenza."

Entenza picks former TV anchor as running mate

DFL gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza has picked a former Fox 9 news anchor as his running mate.

Entenza announced this morning on Twitter that he selected Robyne Robinson for lieutenant governor. In a news release, Entenza praised Robinson for being a political outsider.

"Robyne represents the best of Minnesota. She came here 20 years ago on a Greyhound Bus and through hard work and sheer determination became one of our state's finest news anchors. She is not a political insider but a trusted voice in our living rooms. Robyne is a renowned civic leader and has been active in the community for years. I know she will be an exceptional partner as we work to make Minnesota great again," Entenza said.

Earlier this week, rumors began to circulate that Entenza was considering Robinson, who anchored her last Fox 9 newscast Wednesday. Robinson confirmed that she had been asked by the campaign to be Entenza's running mate and was considering it. When Robinson originally announced she was leaving her TV news job, she had said it was so she could spend more time on her jewelry business.
Robinson said she is honored to be chosen by Entenza.

"Whether it's his vision for the clean energy economy, his dedication to reinvesting in schools, or his commitment to civil rights, Matt has spent his career standing up for Minnesota families. I am humbled and honored that he asked me to join his campaign. I look forward to traveling the state over the next months on the campaign trail and then getting to work making Matt's bold vision a reality," she said.

Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner is the only major candidate who has yet to release the name of his running mate. He plans to make the announcement on Tuesday.

Liebling for Entenza's Lt. gov? Not true

Minnesota Democrats Exposed wrote today that the rumor swirling about the state Capitol is that Rochester DFL Rep. Tina Liebling is being considered as gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza's running mate. So I gave her a quick call. Her response? Laughter.

"I'm supporting Margaret Anderson Kelliher," Liebling said.

She added, "There has been absolutely no talk about that. Absolutely not."

In fact, earlier today she introduced Kelliher at a press conference in Rochester declaring her the state's next governor. 

This is not the first time Liebling's name has popped up for lieutenant governor. After she endorsed Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak for governor, rumors started spreading that she was being considered as his running mate. Again, Liebling said that was not true.

So what's up with all those rumors? Liebling said it makes sense from the standpoint that candidates generally want a balanced ticket with someone from outstate Minnesota of a different gender.

So who is being considered for Entenza's running mate? MN Publius reported that retiring Fox 9 News anchor Robyne Robinson was rumored be a possible candidate. The Pioneer Press followed up and reports Robinson has been asked and is considering the offer.

Get ready for the campaign ads!

Looks like DFL gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza will be kicking off the campaign ads for this year's contested DFL primary. His campaign has announced that Entenza plans to run TV and radio ads across the state starting next week after the state DFL convention.

Entenza has not purchased TV ad time from southeast Minnesota TV stations — but he has bought ad time in Minneapolis-St. Paul and Duluth-Superior, which reaches more than 84 percent of the state. Those ads are slated to run through early June. He is buying radio ad time in Rochester, which will start running next week through mid-May. 

Entenza's TV ad features historic footage from Worthington, Minn., where the candidate grew up. He contrasts those times with today saying that  "When we look around today, sometimes it feels like that Minnesota is out of reach." He says that "we can't cut our way back to greatness" and calls for investments in education and clean energy.

To watch Entenza's TV ad, go here.

Entenza and Thissen to court Olmsted DFL voters

Two DFL gubernatorial candidates will be in Rochester tomorrow for the Olmsted County DFL convention.

Former House Minority Leader Matt Entenza, of St. Paul, and state Rep. Paul Thissen, of Minneapolis, will make their pitch to delegates. A representative for Sen. John Marty, of Roseville, will also be at the convention.

There is plenty at stake for candidates hoping to win the party's endorsement. Olmsted County boasts one of the largest pool of delegates in the state. Given that, it is interesting that only two of the dozen DFL gubernatorial candidates making a visit.

Gubernatorial candidate and current Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak won the Olmsted County DFL Caucus straw poll in February with nearly 23 percent of the vote. But the second place spot with 17 percent of the votes went to "uncommitted." Entenza placed third with more than 13 percent.

1st District Rep. Tim Walz is also expected to speak to the delegates along with Rep. Tina Liebling, Rep. Kim Norton, Rep. Andy Welti and Sen. Ann Lynch. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. at Century High School with the convention starting at 10 a.m. A total of 27 delegates and 27 alternatives will be picked to go to the DFL State Convention in April. Participants will also elect party leadership and vote on 54 resolutions.

Roch caucus wrap-up: Seifert dominates, Rybak scores victory

Turnout was definitely down at both the Olmsted County DFL and Republican precinct caucuses when compared to the 2008 presidential year. Still, those who showed up proved to be motivated.

At the Republican caucus, state Rep. Marty Seifert dominated in the non-binding straw poll. Seifert ended up leading by a 2 to 1 margin in Olmsted County over the second-place finisher, state Rep. Tom Emmer. Statewide, Seifert won with slightly more than 50 percent of the vote. Emmer in second with roughly 40 percent.

Among Democrats, perhaps the most telling total in Olmsted County was the number of uncommitted voters. While Rybak won the gubernatorial straw poll in Olmsted County with roughly 23 percent, second place went to uncommitted voters with 17 percent of votes cast. It is worth noting DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton was not on the straw poll ballot because he plans to run in the primary. Third place went to Matt Entenza with roughly 13 percent.

Statewide, Rybak and Margaret Anderson Kelliher scored the most votes with Rybak getting nearly 22 percent and Kelliher getting 20 percent.

Kelliher campaign, state DFL fined $24,000

The state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board handed out a total of $24,000 in fines to DFL gubernatorial candidate Margaret Anderson Kelliher and the state DFL Party.

The board determined that Kelliher's campaign and the state DFL Party violated two campaign finance laws when they allowed Kelliher supporters to pay for access to a state voter database. The Kelliher campaign was fined $9,000 and the state DFL Party was fined $15,000. Here is a link to the decision.

A spokeswoman for fellow DFL gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza said in a statement that the DFL party action amounted to "an inside job" and a "sweetheart treatment."

“What we have seen in the DFL’s behavior amounts to an ‘inside job,’ that’s unfair to all the other campaigns that played by the rules. DFLers are supposed to stand up against special interests – certainly Matt Entenza has been doing that his entire career in public service. In this case, the DFL clearly favored one candidate over nine others – all of whom have given years of service to the Party. The Party leadership still has a lot of explaining to do to those candidates who have not been privy to their sweetheart treatment," said campaign spokeswoman Bridget Cusick.

DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez said in a statement that the DFL recognizes that mistakes were made.

"The DFL Party receives the Campaign Finance Board's ruling today in the same spirit in which we have approached this entire matter: with acknowledgment of the mistake, a desire to rectify that mistake, and willingness to accept the consequences. We appreciate the Board's acknowledgment that the Party cooperated fully in the Board's investigation, and that 'a violation ... may occur even if the participants believed that their course of conduct as permitted' under the law, as was the case here. We also appreciate the expeditious manner in which the Board investigated and ruled on this matter, so that this inadvertent error will not distract voters from the important task of choosing a governor who will address the enormous challenges that Minnesota and its citizens are facing."

A fundraising recap

The campaign fundraising totals for gubernatorial candidates are slowly starting to trickle in. Here is a recap of how much candidates have raised so far.

Among Democrats, former House Minority Leader Matt Entenza is leading the pack so far. He reported raising $300,000 last year. In addition to that money, he donated $10,000 of his own money and loaned his campaign $70,000.

Close behind Entenza are two other DFL candidates — state Rep. Paul Thissen and Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher. Thissen raised $253,000 including $20,000 of his own money. He reported having $85,000 left in the bank. Kelliher raised $245,000 and she donated $250 to her campaign. She has $81,000 left in the bank.

Coming in fourth among Democrats who have disclosed their campaign funds is state Rep. Tom Rukavina. He raised $135,000 and has more than $60,000 in cash on hand.

That leave seven DFLers who have yet to reveal their campaign donation information. They have to file it with the state by the end of the month.

So far, state Rep. Tom Emmer is the lone Republican to release campaign information. He raised $115,000. he is one of seven Republicans vying for the party's endorsement.