MARKO'S SUPPORT OF RANDY KELLY IN '05 AN ISSUE IN 2ND DISTRICT
I have been hearing rumblings from DFLers in the 2nd Congressional District who are upset about State Senator Sharon Marko's support of St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly in 2005.
Last week, Marko formed an exploratory committee to run for Congress. Marko was listed as a supporter of Kelly's campaign in numerous publications.
I have also heard that Marko never endorsed Kelly's campaign and that her name was used without her permission. I sent an email to Senator Marko asking for a comment, but I did not receive a response.
Kelly's support of President Bush's re-election in 2004 left a sour taste in the mouths of DFL activists across Minnesota. Expect Marko's endorsement or nonendorsement to become a bigger issue in the battle for the DFL endorsement in the 2nd Congressional District.
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Kelly touts DFL ties and party supporters
As if to put an exclamation point on his repeated declarations of "I am a Democrat," St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly on Tuesday announced that more than a dozen members of the party are backing his reelection effort.
They include U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, St. Paul City Council Member Dan Bostrom, and past and present locally elected officials.
Aside from Bostrom, none of the local advocates currently represents St. Paul. State Sen. Chuck Wiger, of North St. Paul, rejected speculation that Kelly's endorsement of President Bush last year would harm his reelection chances in such a heavily Democratic city.
"Have I disagreed with him? Yes. Most recently on the presidential choice," Wiger said of Kelly. "Does that change my opinion over a lifetime of service, 30 years, and the accomplishments he has made for all the people? Absolutely not."
Kelly opposes abortion, and his close ties to the pro-business St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce are viewed suspiciously by some in the party."I would hope that he's doing this because he's gearing up for active participation in the DFL endorsement process and that the folks who are endorsing him are urging him to do so as well," said St. Paul DFL chair Stu Alger.
Kelly said he has not decided whether to seek the party's endorsement, which in 2001 went to his opponent, City Council Member Jay Benanav. Kelly said he will run "with or without the endorsement."
"In spite of the speculation that I have become a Republican, that I might take a position in the Bush administration, I am here," he said. "I am a Democrat. I've been a Democrat all my life. I intend to remain a Democrat."
Other backers include: Sen. Sharon Marko, of Cottage Grove; Sen. Dallas Sams, of Staples; Sen. Dan Sparks, of Austin; former St. Paul Mayor Tom Byrne; former City Council Members Vic Tedesco, Ron Maddox and Len Levine, and former state Rep. Tom Osthoff, of St. Paul. Source: Star Tribune, February 9, 2005
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Kelly Announcing Support From Prominent Democrats
We have confirmed St. Paul Mayor Mayor Randy Kelly (D) is preparing for a 1:30 PM press conference to announce the support for his reelection campaign from U.S. Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN) and Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN8). In an attempt to show his continued backing by Democrats, Kelly sought support from Dayton, a candidate who is expected to experience a tough reelection in 2006 and a fellow pro-life Democrat in Oberstar.
The Dayton endorsement is interesting, especially since there has been speculation about a Kelly challenge of Dayton from the rightside of the DFL in 2006. People should remember the last St. Paul mayor who endorsed a sitting U.S. Senator was Norm Coleman and he turned around and ran against Paul Wellstone 6 years later. The endorsements by these Democratic offficeholders may cause pains later. It opens up a opportunities for opponents to try and cultivate, during their own reelections in 2006. Ardent supporters of both Dayton and Oberstar will now have to defend the actions of their Âfriends. With Kelly's past and speculated future activites with gambling in St. Paul some tradition funding resources may not be as readily available to Dayton, who has said he does not intend to self-finance this campaign and Oberstar who is solidly entrenched in his district, and also hasn't had a viable opponet in nearly two decades.
This political development is burning up the phone lines and we are glad to bring it to your our dedicated readership.
Additional democratic office holders present at the press conference were:
Senator Chuck Wiger (DFL-55, Maplewood)
Representative Mary Ellen Otremba (DFL-11B, Long Prairie)
St. Paul City Council Member Dan Bostrom (Ward 6)
Former State Representative Andy Dawkins
Former St. Paul City Council Member Ron Maddox
Former St. Paul City Council Member Vic Tedesco
Former St. Paul St. Paul Mayor Tom Burn
Other Democratic supporters mentioned
Senator Dallas Sams (DFL-11, Staples)
Senator Dan Sparks (DFL-27, Austin)
Senator Sharon Marko (DFL-57, Cottage Grove)
Former Representative Jim Farrell
Former Representative Tom Osthoff
It appears that Kelly supporters are starting to use the term "Democrat" as opposed to "DFL." Source: Checks and Balances, February 8, 2005
Last week, Marko formed an exploratory committee to run for Congress. Marko was listed as a supporter of Kelly's campaign in numerous publications.
I have also heard that Marko never endorsed Kelly's campaign and that her name was used without her permission. I sent an email to Senator Marko asking for a comment, but I did not receive a response.
Kelly's support of President Bush's re-election in 2004 left a sour taste in the mouths of DFL activists across Minnesota. Expect Marko's endorsement or nonendorsement to become a bigger issue in the battle for the DFL endorsement in the 2nd Congressional District.
##
Kelly touts DFL ties and party supporters
As if to put an exclamation point on his repeated declarations of "I am a Democrat," St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly on Tuesday announced that more than a dozen members of the party are backing his reelection effort.
They include U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, St. Paul City Council Member Dan Bostrom, and past and present locally elected officials.
Aside from Bostrom, none of the local advocates currently represents St. Paul. State Sen. Chuck Wiger, of North St. Paul, rejected speculation that Kelly's endorsement of President Bush last year would harm his reelection chances in such a heavily Democratic city.
"Have I disagreed with him? Yes. Most recently on the presidential choice," Wiger said of Kelly. "Does that change my opinion over a lifetime of service, 30 years, and the accomplishments he has made for all the people? Absolutely not."
Kelly opposes abortion, and his close ties to the pro-business St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce are viewed suspiciously by some in the party."I would hope that he's doing this because he's gearing up for active participation in the DFL endorsement process and that the folks who are endorsing him are urging him to do so as well," said St. Paul DFL chair Stu Alger.
Kelly said he has not decided whether to seek the party's endorsement, which in 2001 went to his opponent, City Council Member Jay Benanav. Kelly said he will run "with or without the endorsement."
"In spite of the speculation that I have become a Republican, that I might take a position in the Bush administration, I am here," he said. "I am a Democrat. I've been a Democrat all my life. I intend to remain a Democrat."
Other backers include: Sen. Sharon Marko, of Cottage Grove; Sen. Dallas Sams, of Staples; Sen. Dan Sparks, of Austin; former St. Paul Mayor Tom Byrne; former City Council Members Vic Tedesco, Ron Maddox and Len Levine, and former state Rep. Tom Osthoff, of St. Paul. Source: Star Tribune, February 9, 2005
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Kelly Announcing Support From Prominent Democrats
We have confirmed St. Paul Mayor Mayor Randy Kelly (D) is preparing for a 1:30 PM press conference to announce the support for his reelection campaign from U.S. Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN) and Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN8). In an attempt to show his continued backing by Democrats, Kelly sought support from Dayton, a candidate who is expected to experience a tough reelection in 2006 and a fellow pro-life Democrat in Oberstar.
The Dayton endorsement is interesting, especially since there has been speculation about a Kelly challenge of Dayton from the rightside of the DFL in 2006. People should remember the last St. Paul mayor who endorsed a sitting U.S. Senator was Norm Coleman and he turned around and ran against Paul Wellstone 6 years later. The endorsements by these Democratic offficeholders may cause pains later. It opens up a opportunities for opponents to try and cultivate, during their own reelections in 2006. Ardent supporters of both Dayton and Oberstar will now have to defend the actions of their Âfriends. With Kelly's past and speculated future activites with gambling in St. Paul some tradition funding resources may not be as readily available to Dayton, who has said he does not intend to self-finance this campaign and Oberstar who is solidly entrenched in his district, and also hasn't had a viable opponet in nearly two decades.
This political development is burning up the phone lines and we are glad to bring it to your our dedicated readership.
Additional democratic office holders present at the press conference were:
Senator Chuck Wiger (DFL-55, Maplewood)
Representative Mary Ellen Otremba (DFL-11B, Long Prairie)
St. Paul City Council Member Dan Bostrom (Ward 6)
Former State Representative Andy Dawkins
Former St. Paul City Council Member Ron Maddox
Former St. Paul City Council Member Vic Tedesco
Former St. Paul St. Paul Mayor Tom Burn
Other Democratic supporters mentioned
Senator Dallas Sams (DFL-11, Staples)
Senator Dan Sparks (DFL-27, Austin)
Senator Sharon Marko (DFL-57, Cottage Grove)
Former Representative Jim Farrell
Former Representative Tom Osthoff
It appears that Kelly supporters are starting to use the term "Democrat" as opposed to "DFL." Source: Checks and Balances, February 8, 2005
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