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CONGRESSMAN JIM RAMSTAD TO RETIRE: THE GOP CANDIDATES I KEEP HEARING ABOUT #3
By Michael B. Brodkorb | September 18, 2007
I just received three calls and two emails from people who read my last post and said I should add Representative Joyce Peppin. According to a source, Hennepin County Commissioner Penny Steele is not interested in running for Congressman Ramstad's seat. Peppin has a solid voting record and at this point she would be the only female GOP candidate on my list.
Based on the people who called me, I would not consider a Peppin candidacy to be idle speculation. My sources say she's giving this some serious thought. She would be a great candidate. Her husband Gregg, is one of the most versed and knowledgeable political operatives in Minnesota.
As I wrote in my last post, I'm not trying to leave anyone out, nor am I picking sides. Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed for more information on this developing story.
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24 Responses to “CONGRESSMAN JIM RAMSTAD TO RETIRE: THE GOP CANDIDATES I KEEP HEARING ABOUT #3”
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September 18th, 2007 at 9:38 PM
I think Peppin would make a great Congresswomen…. pft.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:54 PM
I think Gregg should spend less time on this website and more time thinking about digging the house Republicans out of the massive hole we are in.
September 18th, 2007 at 10:55 PM
Where is Linder when you need him?
September 19th, 2007 at 7:59 AM
Sen Michel is someone worth looking at. He fits the district. He is socially liberal but fiscally conservative. His voting record in the senate is very good and he has a proven ability to raise funds. I realize he is not “republican” enough for some but he could win the district – which is more important.
September 19th, 2007 at 9:22 AM
Sen. Michel presents the 3rd district voter with solid credentials—he was counsel to Gov. Arne Carlson.
Carlson is a hero to moderate Republicans, and perhaps Michel can parlay that into his platform (if he runs).
Sen. Michel also can also speak to the transportaion issues in the 3rd; since he represents Edina…he has to kep a watch over 494, 169, 100 and the mess we call Hwy 62.
I’ve understood Sen. Michel to be more conservative than some other MN Senate members, but I could be wrong on that.
What is worth noting is that I have also heard that Sen. Geoff Michel has been interested in running for MN Attorney General.
We’ll have to keep our eyes on this potential candidacy.
Moreover, as much as I like the idea of Rich Stanek…we need him so much more in the job he currently occupies.
I think he is doing a great job in law enforcement, but if he DID decide to enter the race, I think conservatives of all stripes should pay attention.
September 19th, 2007 at 11:59 AM
A heavy dose of reality is needed here. We will need to nominate a candidate who can actually win the district by appealing to everyday Minnesota families in this suburban district. As was pointed out in Ramstad’s retiring stories, there are more DFLers in the Legislature in this district than there are Republicans. It NEVER used to be this way.
The selection of a candidate must be done very carefully:
Rep. Joyce Peppin – Very nice person, but too green and hasn’t done anything of signifigance. Also a negative is her husband would run her campaign. He was in charge of House GOP efforts that lost a total of 33 Republican seats in two elections costing them the majority. He also was in charge of the redistricting that was supposed to keep them in power for a decade. If she runs, other GOPers should beware what her husband might do to them (ask former Rep. Arlon Lindner).
Sheriff Rich Stanek – Good choice but he does have some history that might make some queasy. He’s a proven winner and campaigner, but not sure he’d give up the sheriff’s job to run.
Rep. Kurt Zellers – Much potential that he hasn’t lived up to. He’s too quickly become a backbencher in the Legislature that just shows up and he barely won re-election last time in GOP Maple Grove of all places!
Sen. Geoff Michel – Seems pretty solid and has moved up the leadership ranks in the GOP Senate (of course, it’s the GOP Senate we’re talking about).
Rep. Erik Paulsen – Another Peppin puppet who was not terribly effective as House Majority Leader.
Former Rep. Jeff Johnson – He would be an excellent candidate if he wanted to run. He’s solidy conservative with a moderate image if you can believe that. He should have a little name recognition left over from his AG run and he’s bright and articulate.
Brian Sullivan – can’t win. period.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:26 PM
Zellers spearheaded the effort to get he first hospital built in Hennepin County. Backbencher my eye!
Barely won maybe, but he won. Klinzing, LeClair and Krinkie all had better districts than Zellers and they say last session out. I’m pretty happy he won in a year when so many lost.
Had last year been a two way race, Zellers would have won by a much greater margin.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:50 PM
I think Jack Tomzack should run.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:57 PM
Select Carefully:
Pinning the 04 and 06 state House losses on Gregg Peppin is a little low. Using that logic, I could also claim that Peppin was the reason the GOP ever won the House majority in the first place. He ran the House campaigns when seats were lost in 04 and 06, but he also ran the House campaigns when 30+ seats were gained in the 90s/early 2000s.
Regardless of your personal feelings about the guy, you have to admit that nobody on the GOP side knows political campaigning in Minnesota better than Gregg Peppin.
Whoever our candidate is in the 3rd would be lucky to have Gregg offering him or her advice.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:57 PM
If anyone was willing to work as hard as Gregg Peppin for the GOP cause, I am sure the Caucus would love to have hired them, since that person has not surfaced in the last 10 years or so, I suggest we cut Gregg some slack. He had to win those seats in order for the President to lose them.
We are lucky that we have some excellent choices in the 3rd to talk about, but at the end of the day, I suspect that Paulsen and Michel will be the front runners.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:58 PM
I think that’s a terrible idea.
September 19th, 2007 at 2:03 PM
Friends, if I’m in a political fight, I want Gregg Peppin on my side. As “Jeff” wrote, any candidate would benefit from receiving Gregg’s advice and guidance.
Let’s be respectful of our Republican friends.
September 19th, 2007 at 2:24 PM
For me to run, a terrible idea. Not the Gregg stuff.
September 19th, 2007 at 2:58 PM
I was another terrible Chicago Bears quarterback. Vote for me.
September 19th, 2007 at 3:08 PM
Really, Mike? My kid played….er watched football for the Gophers. Vote for me.
September 19th, 2007 at 3:10 PM
I, too, was a terrible Chicago Bears quarterback and like other “P.T.”, I don’t return phone calls.
September 19th, 2007 at 3:26 PM
As long as Ramstad goes away, I’ll take a stuffed animal to replace him. Can’t be any more liberal than he was.
Thanks for voting to grow the government, Jimmy!
September 19th, 2007 at 3:49 PM
I don’t know why people say things like that, Zeebus? Is the GOP better served by having DFLer Steve Simon in the legislature or moderate Republican Jim Rhodes? If we ran John Kline in the 3rd, he would lose. Let’s keep the big picture in mind.
September 20th, 2007 at 8:27 AM
Down the Hatch,
It’s people like you, no offense meant, who sell their principles down the river for the good of the “party”.
Ramstad was/is a RINO. You think by having centrist candidates that the party will be strengthened? You’re weakening it! If Al Franken ran as a Republican, people of your ilk would vote for him, even though they don’t believe in his values. Why? Because there’s an (R) in front of his name.
September 20th, 2007 at 11:34 AM
No, Zeebus, some of us are just too committed to the cause to “play pure” and risk losing the whole movement. Politics is serious business and if you think having consevative candidates lose in moderate areas is a good thing, then that shows how close to the real process you are. I bet you think you can coach the Vikes better than Childress, too.
September 20th, 2007 at 11:40 AM
I can remember being told in 2002 that Tim Pawlenty “wasn’t conservative enough” and (other than on energy issues) he has been an amazing conservative leader.
September 20th, 2007 at 12:11 PM
Down the Hatch, what is it you mean by “other than on energy issues”?
September 20th, 2007 at 1:43 PM
Some would argue that the Governor’s “25 by 25″ renewable energy committment placed an unfunded and unnecessary mandate on state power producers and power users, i.e. MN businesses. It was shrewd politically, but the business community has balked at it.
September 21st, 2007 at 10:24 AM
Actually, some in the energy/business community where a part of crafting the final compromise with the Governor’s office.