2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

Fred Thompson Wins Surprise Write-In Victory In HRCC Straw Poll

Thompson Wins Surprise Write-In Victory in HRCC Straw Poll

(St. Paul) Hundreds of Republican activists gathered at the St. Paul River Center to cast ballots in a non-binding Presidential Preference Straw Poll Wednesday night. The poll was sponsored in conjunction with a House Republican fundraiser and included party leaders, Republican Legislators, Former Republican Lawmakers, party activists and boosters for various candidates. 

Results of the Minnesota Republican Presidential Straw Poll are as follows: 

Former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee won a narrow victory, although his name was not on the ballot. As Thompson is not an officially announced candidate, voters had to physically write in his name as their preferred candidate.

House Republican Leader Marty Seifert (R-Marshall) said that it was an exciting event and that the margins were interesting and close. "This shows that the opinions of the Republican Presidential candidates in Minnesota are mixed and up for grabs," Seifert said. "The National Convention will be held in this same building complex roughly a year from now, so this helps kick off some interest."

John Cox, a Chicago businessman, spoke at the event in person and three candidates addressed the crowd via speakerphone and were interviewed live by talk show host Jason Lewis at the event.

Minnesota Leaders Endorse Clinton

Minnesota Leaders Endorse Clinton
Hillary Clinton received the endorsements of more than 40 leading Minnesota officials and community leaders today.

"I sat next to Senator Clinton for six years in the Senate Chamber and I saw her experience, dedication and tremendous ability at work for all Americans," said former Senator Mark Dayton. "I know that she will be our party’s best nominee and our country’s best President."

Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner said Hillary has the focus and resiliency needed to be President. "Americans are ready for change, and Hillary Clinton is the only candidate with the experience to do the job from her first day in office."

"I am grateful for the overwhelming support I’ve received in Minnesota," Clinton said. "With the help of these local leaders, we’ll take our message of change across the state and this nation."

Leading Minnesotans Endorsing Hillary Today:

Mark Dayton, Former US Senator
Susan Gaertner, Ramsey County Attorney
Sandy Pappas, State Senator
Nora Slawik, State Representative
Sandra Peterson, State Representative
Barbara Johnson, President, Minneapolis City Council
Gary Schiff, Minneapolis City Council Member
Lisa Goodman, Minneapolis City Council Member
Dave Thune, St. Paul City Council Member, and Susan Thune, RN
Colleen Landkamer, President, National Association of Counties; Blue Earth County Commissioner
Ann Wynia, Former House Majority Leader
Matt Entenza, Former House Democratic Leader
Ember Reichgott Junge, Former Senate Assistant Majority Leader
Joan Anderson Growe, Former Minnesota Secretary of State
Emily Anne Staples Tuttle, Former State Senator
Carol Flynn, Former State Senator
Gordon O. Voss, Former State Representative
Al Patton, Former State Representative
Koryne Horbal, Former Ambassador to U.N.
Betty Folliard, Co-owner Strategy Partners; Former MN State Representative
Tom Foley, Former Ramsey and Washington County Attorney
Joan Niemiec, Former Minneapolis City Council Member
Vance Opperman, President, Key Investments
Lois Quam, Business Leader
Melanie Benjamin, Chief Executive, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Mohamed Jibrell, Somali Community Leader
Hubert "Buck" Humphrey
Jackie Stevenson, DNC Member
Rick Stafford, DNC Member, Chair of the DNC's LGBT Caucus
Elsa Leven, MN DFL Latino Caucus
Mari Urness Pokornowski, Co-Chair DFL State Platform Commission
Lynn Wilson, Chair, Olmsted County DFL
Tammy Tesky, Vice President, DFL Feminist Caucus
Megan Thomas, Former Chair, Stonewall DFL
Cheryl Poling, DFL Party Activist
Ruth Usem, Community Activist
M. Kathleen Murphy, Women's Rights Activist
Bill Pohlad, Film Producer & Michelle Grabanski Pohlad, Social Activist
Susan Burns, Attorney
Paul Cassidy, Minneapolis
Jill Sletten, Public Policy Consultant
Andrew Luger, Attorney; Former Candidate, Hennepin County Attorney and Ellen Goldberg Luger
Sarah Youngerman, Minneapolis
Rebecca Yanisch, Former MN Commissioner of Trade and Economic Development
Lori L. Jacobwith, Consultant
Patsy Green, Robbinsdale Area School Board Director
Amy K. Rotenberg, Communications Consultant, and Mark B. Rotenberg, University General Counsel
Paula Maccabee, Former St. Paul City Council Member, and Paul Maccabee, President, The Maccabee Group

Minnesota DFL Party Launches New Web Site

Minnesota DFL Party Launches New Web Site

St. Paul, MN (June 19, 2007) The DFL Party today announced the launch of its new Web site. The site is available starting immediately at www.dfl.org.

“The DFL Party is committed to a common-sense vision of government based on the core Minnesota values of accountability, opportunity, prosperity, and fair play,” said DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “Our new Web site is one of our most important tools as we build a bigger, better, stronger party to elect DFL candidates across Minnesota in 2008 and beyond.”

The Party’s Web site provides many new features, including a greater focus on elected officials and candidates, more attention to the many communities that make up the DFL Party, extensive information on getting involved and attending precinct caucuses, and an easy-to-use calendar of upcoming local and state party events.

Edwards Launches "Women For Edwards"

EDWARDS LAUNCHES “WOMEN FOR EDWARDS”
Receives Support from Women Leaders from Across the Country; Announces Agenda to Address Issues Facing Women

Des Moines, Iowa – At a town hall in Des Moines today, Senator John Edwards launched “Women for Edwards” and laid out his agenda to ensure fairness and equality for women.  Edwards also received support from 140 national women leaders from across the country, and more than 1,500 women from Iowa. Edwards encouraged women to join Women for Edwards at http://johnedwards.com/women.

“We need to make the idea of America – equality of opportunity, regardless of race, gender or income – real for all Americans,” said Edwards.  “Today, too many women are separated from the opportunities of our country because of their gender. We need to ensure fairness and equality for all women and work to lift up working mothers.”

“I believe in John's deep and profound commitment to the issues that matter most in women's lives,” said Kate Michelman, President Emeritus of NARAL Pro-Choice America. “From health care, to Iraq, to poverty, to our environment, I know John is the most effective national messenger for the values we share and I have complete confidence that -- with our help -- he will win the White House and improve the lives of women everywhere.”

Women still make only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men and they are 45 percent more likely to live in poverty.  Edwards believes we need to make a commitment to helping working women and strengthening our families.   Today, he detailed his plans to improve the lives of women at work and at home.  Specifically, Edwards called for:

• Guaranteeing that every woman has health insurance by providing universal health care.
• Ending poverty. Edwards has called for an end to poverty within 30 years, with policies rooted in the core American values of work, opportunity and responsibility.
• Helping women balance work and family by expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act to let parents take time off from work when they need it.  Edwards also supports more resources for childcare and after-school programs to give children a safe place to learn while their parents are at work.
• Fighting discrimination by enacting the Paycheck Fairness Act to strengthen the remedies for sex discrimination and deter wrongdoing, and expanding resources for female entrepreneurs.
• Protecting a woman’s right to choose.

In addition to Michelman, prominent women leaders endorsing Edwards include Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and former New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid.

“Too many women are not getting the health care they need,” said Johnson. “John Edwards is the only candidate to outline a specific plan to provide universal coverage and I’m proud to be part of a campaign – the only campaign – with a detailed plan to cover all Americans.”

"John Edwards has laid out detailed proposals to strengthen families and help working women," said Herseth Sandlin.  "John Edwards understands the need to prioritize families through good public policy that recognizes the contributions of America's women.

“I am proud to endorse my friend, Senator John Edwards,” said Madrid. “He has always stood to fight for real change in women’s lives – working tirelessly to raise the minimum wage, end poverty and guarantee universal health care.”

Minnesota women leaders endorsing Edwards for president are:

• Gail Dorfman, Hennepin County Commissioner (MN)
• Keesha Gaskins, Minneapolis DFL Chair (for identification purposes only)
• Alice Hausman, Minnesota State Representative 
• Becky Lourey, Former Minnesota State Senator 
• Erin Murphy, Minnesota State Representative
• Laura Nevitt, Minnesota Dean State Director 2004 
• Ann Rest, Minnesota State Senator 
• Marsha Swails, Minnesota State Representative

Interim DFL Communications Director Joins Obama campaign

STATEMENT OF MINNESOTA DFL CHAIR BRIAN MELENDEZ AND INTERIM COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR NICK KIMBALL

(ST. PAUL) 4/27/07 – Interim DFL Communications Director Nick Kimball today officially announced his resignation effective April 30. He is leaving the party to join the Barack Obama for President campaign.

“I thoroughly enjoyed working for the DFL Party for nearly two years,” Kimball said. “As a Minnesota native, it was an honor to work for the state party. We had great success last November and I’m proud to have played a role. I look forward to seeing the party build on that success in the future.”

Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez thanked Kimball for his service.

“We wish Nick luck and success in his new endeavor, and thank him for his service to the party,” Melendez said. “He has done some great work during his time here, and was a major contributor to the Party’s success in the 2006 cycle. We are sorry to see him go, but we wish him well as he takes his skills and talents to the Presidential level. The Obama campaign will be lucky to have him.”

Republican Party of Minnesota Statement On Supreme Court Ruling

Republican Party of Minnesota Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on Partial Birth Abortion Act

St. Paul- Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a ban on partial birth abortion.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is a resounding victory for all who value the rights of the unborn.  By standing strong for the partial birth abortion ban and Supreme Court Justices Roberts and Alito, Senator Coleman deserves great praise for his unwavering support for a culture of life.”

Bill Clinton DFL TV Ad For Mike Hatch

"Driving Minnesota Forward" John McCain & Tim Pawlenty

John McCain Photo From Blaine, Minnesota

John McCain traveled to Minnesota to campaign for Governor Tim Pawlenty. The Governor and Senator McCain spoke to supporters in Rochester, Mankato, Blaine, Duluth and Moorhead today. At the National Sports Center in Blaine, Senator McCain praised the Governor's leadership.

“These are very dangerous times for America.  This is the kind of leadership that I’d like to pass the torch to, so that America will remain the noblest experiment in the history of mankind.  This is a leader that can carry that torch. Ladies and gentlemen, your governor, Tim Pawlenty.”

Senator McCain to Travel to Minnesota November 1

Monday, October 30, 2006
   
ALEXANDRIA, VA – Senator John McCain announced today his travel schedule for Wednesday, November 1, 2006.

Senator McCain will be in Minnesota with Governor Tim Pawlenty for a series of “Driving Minnesota Forward” rallies. The Senator and Governor Pawlenty will join Congressman Gil Gutknecht and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Sandy Keith for the first rally in Rochester that will be held at Pemstar at 8:15 a.m. CST. At 10:15 a.m. CST, the Senator, Governor Pawlenty and Congressman Gutknecht will attend a rally at the Midwest Wireless Civic Center in Mankato.

Wednesday afternoon, Senator McCain and Governor Pawlenty will travel to Blaine for a rally at the National Sports Center’s Schwan Center Grand Hall at 12:00 p.m. CST. Following the event, the Senator and Governor Pawlenty will go to Duluth for a rally at Monaco Air Duluth at 3:00 p.m. CST.

Wednesday evening, Senator McCain and Governor Pawlenty will wrap up the rallies in Moorhead with an event at the Marriot Courtyard at 7:15 p.m. CST.