MNGOP: They Said It!

The DFL'ers are not nearly as united as the GOP was coming out of their convention.

Just look at what delagates are saying:

 “Even with the endorsement, Hatch still has to win over some in his own party.
Minneapolis delegate David Moe wasn't enthusiastic about having Hatch atop the ticket.  ‘Mike Hatch has a lot of enemies out there that he’s made,’ said Moe, who entered the convention as a Lourey backer and later shifted his support to Kelley.  ‘I think it helps the third parties.’”  (Brian Bakst, “Their Candidates Blessed, DFL Sets Out To Get Them Elected,” Associated Press, June 11, 2006)

Sidenote: Becky Otto makes me laugh.  She is the only person I know that is somehow qualified for higher office when you lose a much smaller office.  Remember that Becky Otto was the ONLY incumbent DFL'er in the House to lose to a Republican in 2004.  I successfully drove her insane during that campaign and I plan to do the same this time around!!

This is Going to be Fun

So to no surprise, except maybe to Becky Lourey and Steve Kelley, Mike Hatch prevailed last night for the Gubernatorial endorsement.

Mike Hatch is a power hungry, angry man who has been running for governor as long as John Kerry has been running for president. 

Hatch claims to be the candidate who will talk about the meat and potato issues of the day.  Please Mike, will you?  When those issues such as health care, education reform, growing the economy, job creation, low taxes, less government spending, and immigration are talked about, we win every time.  Governor Pawlenty has a record second to none on every single one of those issues and this state leads the nation for the better in those categories!!!

Here is the statement from the MNGOP last night:

Republican Party Of Minnesota Statement On The Endorsement Of Mike Hatch For Governor

Rochester- Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey today released the following statement regarding today's DFL endorsement of Mike Hatch.

"Mike Hatch has been running for governor for nearly 20 years and broke his word this year by running for governor a third time.  During that 20 years, his fellow DFLers have called him a 'chameleon,' an 'opportunist,' and 'a man willing to sell his soul just to get elected.'  No matter how extreme the makeover Hatch attempts, Minnesotans aren't going to trust someone with that kind of opportunistic and inconsistent record."

Bring on the fight Mike, we will make your angry self implode on the campaign trail!!

DFL State Convention

Please visit MDE for up to the minute DFL convention updates.

Today is the Gubernatorial endorsement.  Although in the DFL an endorsement does not matter, so we will have to wait until September to see who will face TPaw.

Here is a good Pioneer Press article about the candidates working the delegates yesterday at the convention.

New Website!!

MNGOP unveiled a new website today called http://www.republicansloverochester.com/.  As the DFL in on the eve of holding their hate-fest down in Rochester the GOP is focusing on all of the good things the GOP has done for that area of the state.

Please go and check out the website.  Starting tomorrow I will highlighting one accomplishment each day that is thus far listed on the site.

Here is the press realease on the website:

St. Paul- Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey today announced a new website, www.RepublicansLoveRochester.com , to highlight GOP accomplishments for Southeastern Minnesota.

"While our friends in the DFL will be throwing a lot of mud during their convention, Republicans will continue to highlight our accomplishments for
Southeastern Minnesota in the areas of bioscience, transportation and higher education," Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey said. In addition to spotlighting GOP accomplishments for Southeastern Minnesota, the new website will also feature a poll asking visitors to choose which DFLer will launch the most negative personal attack on a Republican over the course of the DFL State Convention.

"I hope Republicans and Democrats will check out this website and see for themselves what Republican leadership has meant for Rochester and all of
Southeastern Minnesota," Carey concluded.

www.republicansloverochester.com

DFL Signing Pawlenty’s Praises?

Well, maybe not the DFL as a whole!! 

The MNGOP released a great statement today quoting a very influential DLF'er from Rochester.

The quote is:

 “And Rochester DFL icon A.M. (Sandy) Keith, a former state senator, lieutenant governor and chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, has already swung his support to Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty.  ‘I love the guy; he can stay at my house if he wants to,’ said Keith, now executive director of the Rochester Downtown Alliance. Pawlenty, Keith said, has done more for Rochester than any governor since DFLer Rudy Perpich.”  (Conrad deFiebre, “DFL Poised To Meet In Rochester,” Star Tribune, June 8, 2006)

Now I do not expect to see the same from the hippie fest happening in Rochester this weekend, this quote is brilliant for the Republicans to use to their advantage.  Most Minnesotans recognize the great direction this state has been going and will not buy into the doom and gloom of the DFL!!

Steve Kelley’s Running Mate

Usually when candidates pick a running mate, the running mate has something to bring to the ticket.  My best guess is that Steve Kelley pulled Ruth Johnson's name out of a hat!!  MDE has also been following this story.

The MN GOP released a statement today on this:

St. Paul- Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey today issued the following statement regarding Steve Kelley's selection of Ruth Johnson as his running mate."With his choice of 'Retread Ruth' Johnson as his running mate, Steve Kelley has once again demonstrated his commitment to the failed liberalism of the past."Steve Kelley should check in with 'Governor' Mike Freeman about just how much Ruth Johnson brings to a statewide ticket."

DFL Crashes Pawlenty Announcement

MDE, has a great post with a picture of this clown that had nothing better to do with a beautiful Wednesday morning.  It is apparent to me that the DFL knows that these are the tactics that they must employ in order to make any sort of gain in this race.  When it is on the topic of the issues, Governor Pawlenty wins handily, be it the amazing job creation, taking a record deficit to a surplus, keeping the tax burden low on families, and performance based pay for teachers and politicians, we will beat you every time.