Elections 2008

House members who have formally announced they are not running for reelection:

• Rep. Brad Finstad (R-Comfrey)
• Rep. Scott Kranz (DFL-Blaine)
• Rep. Dennis Ozment (R-Rosemount)
• Rep. Neva Walker (DFL-Mpls)

House members seeking endorsement for higher office:

• Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Eden Prairie) - 3rd Congressional District
• Rep. Randy Demmer (R-Hayfield) - 1st Congressional District

Secretary of State results:

• All MN Party Results, Index of all Presidential Preference Results
• Text-formatted results (good for Excel)
• GOP Results, DFL Results, Independence Results, Constitution Results.

For media coverage and reactions, see the Politics in Minnesota Morning Report for February 6, 2008. For our special caucus edition of the Weekly Report, see the end of February 5th's Morning Report.

We have posted more back issues of the PIM Weekly Report:

• The Weekly Report Vol. 3, Issue 28 - 1/25/2008: In This Issue: Another Commissioner Not To Be Confirmed?; Sending The Corps Marching; Drazkowski: Trial By Flood; A Four-Week Civics Lesson: Mister Dahle Goes to St. Paul; The Future of Polling; Minnesota's First Congressional District Fundraising Race; Bits & Pieces; Confessions Of A Sex Ed Teacher; Lobbyist Watch.
• The Weekly Report Vol. 3, Issue 27 - 1/18/2008: In This Issue: Big Win For Franken; City Of Blinding Lobbyists; Name That Legislator; Not-So-Hot-House; Independence Party To Look Into National Campaign; Republican National Convention Websites Multiply!; Liberal Think Tank & Organizers Staff Up For 2008; Walz Brings The Beltway Cash Back To First CD; Ads In The U.S. Senate Race; Remembering Bill Brooks; Bits & Pieces; Lobbyist Watch.
• The Weekly Report Vol. 3, Issue 26 - 1/11/08: In this issue: Mark On The Mark; Class Act In Politics In Minnesota; Keeping The Faith; Ciresi On The Air; Capitol Coverage; Capitol Credentials; Trocaderos Fights For Your Right To Party -- And Wins!; Bully For Gregg; Wal-Mart Watch; Bits & Pieces; Calling All Helpful Hearts.
• The Weekly Report Vol. 3, Issue 25 - 1/4/2008: In this issue: The 2007 PIM Politician Of The Year, A Significant Senate Victory, What The Huck?, Bits & Pieces, Past PIM Politicians Of The Year, Lobbyist Watch.

The 3rd: Ramstad Retires

In re U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-MN 3) and his retirement announcement this week, D.J. Leary, one of Politics In Minnesota's founders and editors (now retired) perfectly captured our thoughts and thus we'll repeat verbatim his letter published this week in the Star Tribune:

One of the tiny slivers of civility remaining in American politics is leaving with U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad's retirement from the U.S. House. He was an extraordinary example of public restraint and personal responsibility when it came to partisan matters. Sadly, there are very few similar gentle people in the public arena today and Ramstad's departure is truly a loss for those of us longing for common decency in a world of public policy overrun with verbal thugs.

While we're extremely happy for Jim, his wife, Kathryn Ramstad and their daughter, in their newly found and well-earned freedom post-Congress, we're sad for the political process. An era in Minnesota politics, if not American politics, is over. That era was one in which Democrats routinely publicly outed themselves as having voted for Ramstad over the DFL sacrificial lamb candidate du jour, and perhaps more significantly, an era in which hard core conservatives also touted themselves as Ramstad supporters -- without reservation or fear of retribution from other conservative Republicans.

Ramstad, of course, is one of the soon-to-be extinct elected Republicans who consider themselves fiscally conservative and socially moderate (read: pro choice on abortion).

Ain't no way around it: As Ramstad retires, so does, in D.J.'s words, a "tiny sliver of civility remaining in American politics."

A sliver of that sliver of civility gets obliterated by national forces. National Democrats and liberal groups will now descend en masse...what could be better than taking a seat the Republicans have held for decades? Likewise, national Republicans and conservative groups will descend en masse...what could be worse than losing a seat the Republicans have held for decades?

But we're betting the bulk of the sliver of civility gets wiped out by Minnesota Republicans, themselves.
More below the fold...