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CONGRESSMAN JIM RAMSTAD TO RETIRE: THE GOP CANDIDATES I KEEP HEARING ABOUT #2
By Michael B. Brodkorb | September 18, 2007
I know the MSM is reporting a wide list of potential GOP candidates who may run for Congressman Ramstad's seat in 2008. My angle is to report names being mentioned by activists who actually live in the 3rd CD. My list will likely be smaller than those published by the MSM.
The list of potential GOP candidates I am consistently hearing about has grown by two names. Yesterday, I published these three names as the candidates I kept hearing:
- State Senator Geoff Michel
- Representative Erik Paulsen
- Republican National Committeman Brian Sullivan
Today I'll add two more names:
- Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek
- Representative Kurt Zellers
It's important to note that Congressman Ramstad's former campaign manager, John Cooney, works for Stanek. I spoke with activists today who think this gives Stanek a slight boost over the other candidates. Ramstad's political operation functioned like a machine and Stanek would benefit from Cooney's knowledge of the 3rd CD. Stanek ran a strong campaign in 2006 for county sheriff and I'm told he has built an impressive voter file.
Activists I spoke with today said that Stanek would be a very strong candidate.
Another name I heard today from numerous activists was Representative Kurt Zellers. A logo for a potential campaign has already been drafted (see below) by someone excited about the possibility of him running.
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15 Responses to “CONGRESSMAN JIM RAMSTAD TO RETIRE: THE GOP CANDIDATES I KEEP HEARING ABOUT #2”
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September 18th, 2007 at 6:45 PM
Not to be a downer, but Kurt Zellers almost got unseated in 2006 by DFLer Lee Carlson. If there would not have been an Indy in the race, he would not be in the legislature. He probably won’t survive his 32B campaign in 08.
September 18th, 2007 at 6:52 PM
I really hope Stanek doesn’t do this. He’s a great sheriff and would hate to lose him. And given he’s a family man, Congress would ruin that. Those guys literally work from 7:30 am to 10 pm most every day (or more hours).
September 18th, 2007 at 6:53 PM
[...] « CONGRESSMAN JIM RAMSTAD TO RETIRE: THE GOP CANDIDATES I KEEP HEARING ABOUT #2 | Home [...]
September 18th, 2007 at 6:54 PM
I just added Representative Peppin.
September 18th, 2007 at 8:11 PM
Question.
What type of conservative do you guys think the GOP should nominate? You know that if you guys pick someone like yourselves, you will get your ass handed to you.
You guys looking for someone that is more like Ramstad, a very moderate voting record who broke from the GOP from time to time, or someone more conservative, who would have a harder time winning but would be a stronger conservative voice?
September 18th, 2007 at 9:36 PM
Stanek has high negatives with women voters, plus some (ahem) baggage. I don’t think he would give up a 130k job in his backyard for a 140k job that would force him to be moderate enough to get the women’s vote. Sheriff is one thing, Congress is another animal in itself.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:39 PM
Zellers was one of Coleman’s inside people, he might have a leg up. But his name recognition and voting record are largely below the radar in Hennepin Co. You can’t win on Maple Grove alone.
Sullivan could self-fund, but he looks too much like Par Ridder….
I still think there is a dark horse female that will step in, someone with high name recognition, maybe not a state senator or representative. I hear our US Attorney might need to find a new job, but she would have to move out of her parent’s basement.
September 18th, 2007 at 10:52 PM
Stanek’s has way too much baggage and way too big of an ego to contain to win the endorsement. As we have seen with the bridge collapse scene he wants to micromanage everything and that does not make for an effective congressional candidate. The other candidates mentioned above would be far superior.
September 19th, 2007 at 12:01 AM
I think in that district, a St. Olaf alumnus with a Norwegian name, family man, strong on cutting taxes and reforming education, with the brains to debate, is at a great starting point. Even if he’s more conservative than the district as a whole, I think Erik Paulsen has a good shot.
September 19th, 2007 at 6:37 AM
Jeff Johnson
September 19th, 2007 at 8:10 AM
Zellers knows how to run a good campaign? He barely won two election cycles in a row in a republican district.
September 19th, 2007 at 8:12 AM
How about Par Ridder, the disgraced publisher of the Star and Tribune?
I hear he has some free time on his hands these days…
I don’t know if he lives in the district, but he can always steal the laptop computer of someone who does.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:20 PM
Newton, thought I would help with your typo:
How about Par Ridder, the publisher of the disgraced liberal rag the Star tribune.
You can thank me later.
September 19th, 2007 at 3:11 PM
Exactly what makes the Star Tribune “disgraced”?
Just because their publisher is a thief, and they plagiarized a couple of editorials, and they lied about their circulation numbers…
Wait. Where was I going with this?
September 19th, 2007 at 4:05 PM
[...] I'll have an update to yesterday's post in the next hour with information about two new candidates. I'm not trying to leave anyone out, nor am I picking sides. I'm only choosing to post names of the GOP candidates that I am hearing people in the 3rd CD mention and who are actually considering running in 2008. [...]