« TV CLIPS ABOUT AL FRANKEN’S FAILURE TO FILE CORPORATE TAXES FROM 2003-2007 | Home | HOW NOT TO CLOSE A CORPORATION IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA »
POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR DISMISSIVE OF SARVI CAMPAIGN AGAINST KLINE
By Michael B. Brodkorb | April 21, 2008
“Republicans’ safest seat probably is the 2nd District, where formidable campaigner Rep. John Kline will seek a fourth term. Steve Sarvi is the leading Democrat in that race.
Hofrenning said Democrats probably had their best shot at ousting Kline in 2006, when FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley was the challenger.
‘The district is pretty strongly Republican,’ said Hofrenning, a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead.” Source: Duluth News Tribune, April 19, 2008
Click here for the complete story.
Topics: Uncategorized | 28 Comments »
April 21st, 2008 at 1:38 pm
When Colleen Rowley is considered your “best shot” you know that you never had any shot at all.
April 21st, 2008 at 2:01 pm
That’s a great point Chestnut.
April 21st, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I like how Ron Carey thinks Walz is gettable.
Dick Day and Brian Davis each have around $20k, which they will need to get through the primary battle so they can then run against a freshman who is hugely popular in the district and has a war chest of over a million dollars.
I’ll bet the Rowley margin of loss last cycle was smaller than this one will be. (And she was crazy).
April 21st, 2008 at 3:17 pm
“was crazy”?
Crazy Colleen is in the news again…and STILL crazy.
April 21st, 2008 at 3:24 pm
The 6th is more Conservative than the 2nd will ever be. I think the DFL is kidding themselves if they think it’s a realistic pick-up opportunity. They’re best advised to scrap over the 3rd and play good defense in the 1st.
April 21st, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Marcus, they would never admit such a thing ever.
They like to go on and tell us how they will win every damn seat every year. I think 2002 was my favorite year when they really got their clocks cleaned.
They have been hoping to do the same back for years now, keep trying democRats. 
April 21st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Yep. Keep watching the rear view mirror, Kahuna. We’ll take over leading the country for you.
Signed,
A Lefty
April 21st, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Glad we’ve got a guy in Duluth talking about the southern ‘burbs.
No, CD2 isn’t that conservative. The DFL just has a recent tendency of putting up weak candidates in the congressional race. But it’s definitely trending DFL, evidenced by the 7 legislative seats (inluding the SD25 Special) that have swung DFl in the lasy cycle.
April 21st, 2008 at 5:14 pm
I don’t think that too many people are dismissive about Daniel Ellsberg [Pentagon Papers] and Colleen Rowley.
April 21st, 2008 at 6:57 pm
You’re welcome from a 2nd CD voter.
April 21st, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Interesting stuff.
I talked with Daniel Ellsberg when he was in town a few months ago. We exchanged some interesting information.
I think that the 2nd CD is an interesting place.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:05 am
One thing for sure is….Steve Sarvi is not a “soft candidate” to run against John Kline.
Sarvi spent time in Iraq. He has seen what has happened there. Knows the devestating injuries suffered by American troops.
I was greatly impressed with him at a home fundraiser for him 10 days ago. John
Kline will face a formidable opponet who will interact with the cosntituents of the 2nd CD, hold Public Town Hall meetings, and debate Kline on the issues.
Steve Sarvi is also well versed on the issues. Kline would dumb to underestimate this man.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:23 am
Kathy,
I think John Kline knows plenty well what happens in war zones.
Kline was a 25-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps. There, he was a senior military aide to Presidents Carter and Reagan and was responsible for carrying the President’s package containing launch codes for a nuclear attack, known as the “Football”. During his military career, retiring as Colonel, Kline served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, commanded all Marine aviation forces in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, flew “Marine One,” the Presidential helicopter, and served as Program Development Officer at Headquarters Marine Corps. During his military career, Kline received numerous medals and commendations including Four Legions of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal (awarded 3 times), the Vietnam Campaign Medal, a Presidential Service Badge, and the Navy Commendation Medal.
If he needs a first-hand update on Iraq, he can ask his son, who is serving there now.
Sarvi may be a formidable opponent. Rowley was a major joke. Good to see another veteran running for office. But you tout his record as though it trumps the Minnesota delegation’s most distinguished veteran…
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 am
I’m assuming Sarvi also knows that the situation in Iraq isn’t the doom and gloom bullshit that liberals in the U.S. fantasize, either. Would be refreshing for a Democrat veteran to speak a little truth to the undulating wretches of the communist movement.
… of course, Democrats who do that get slandered, trashed and threatened…
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:30 am
Chesty!!! You never cease to amaze me.
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:08 am
Daniel Ellsberg was a Marine who worked in the Pentagon.
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:12 am
According to Soldier of Fortune Magazine . .
Chestnut it is still possible for you to be a mercenary in Iraq.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:09 am
The Second District is going to be difficult for Democrats to win. Sarvi has an uphill battle. But I didn’t think Rowley was a very good candidate, and I think a Democrat is capable of doing better in what may turn out to be a better year for Democrats.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:11 am
One thing about Kline, that Democrats in the past have never found a way to exploit, is that he is borderline bananas. He really is a terrible Congressman. Somehow there must be a way for Democrats to turn that to their advantage.
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:55 am
Nope, sorry Hiram, he just looks that way to you crazy lefty’s.
Sarvi is a hack and would just be another democRat embarrasment for MN, along with Paulson, Klobuchar and Ritchie.
April 22nd, 2008 at 10:59 am
Calling a 22 Army National Guard member and an Iraq War Veteran a ” hack and Democrat embarrassment” is going over the line a bit, don’t you think so BK??
The GOP love to glorify this senseless war as central to the War on Teror from GWB on down. This “hack” went over to Iraq to fight for your right to call him a “hack”. Just goes to show how hollow the voices of the GOP have become.
John Kline has a horrible record concerning Constituent Needs and Veteran’s Issues. Steve Sarvi is going to bring the battle to Kline. No hiding behind a computer screen for Tele-Town Town Hall meetings. Kline will have to debate Sarvi in the flesh before real people this year.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Hey Hiram, I’d like you to expand on that “borderline bananas” comment. Is this just because you disagree with him on the issues, or is there some other “secret” you know about. As far as I’m concerned, Sarvi is a Heather Millsian candidate (i.e. he doesn’t have a leg to stand on) and Kline is an upstanding and honorable American who we are lucky to have in Congress.
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Going back to the original post, there are several reasons why CD2 has been held by the GOP for the past few cycles.
Kline being a “formidable campaigner”, however, is not one of them.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:26 am
In 2006, at the annual DAV Legislative trip to Washington D.C., John Kline told the DAV Legislative Delegation he would NOT co-sponsor any legislation written by a Democrat, and therefore wouldn’t co-sponsor legislation to help veterans ‘cause democrats wrote it.
In 2007, John Kline was the only member of Minnesota’s 10 elected representatives (2 senate; 8 house) that didn’t meet with the DAV – Kline was too busy; he had the DAV meet with a staffer.
So, I’m talking to a local republican (who didn’t serve) and I’m explaining why veterans dislike Kline so much. He tells me, “Yeah, but: The WWII Veterans went to W.D.C., for the WWII Memorial, and John Kline was the only one that met them!”
I told him that’s so John Kline; ignore those veterans with input on legislation and meet with those veterans that offered a photo-op.
And, then I checked John Kline’s campaign, er, ‘scuse me, “official” website:
http://kline.house.gov/
And sure enough, there’s the photo op.
This year, again – John Kline was too busy to meet with the DAV – and this year, Michelle Bachmann took a cue from John Kline and didn’t meet with the DAV either.
DAV is a congressionally-chartered, non-partisan organization. However, votes affecting veterans are recorded by the DAV.
And it is amazing how people like John Kline pretend to support veterans, when the record shows different.
While I have nothing but respect for the time John Kline wore the uniform of a Marine, I have nothing but contempt for his record in Congress, while wearing a suit, of stabbing veterans in the back.
John Kline was rebuked by the Paralyzed Veterans Of America for implying endorsement from the PVA in an attack mailer, in a letter signed by Randy Pelva, National President – PVA, on October 31st, 2006.
John Kline is a disgrace.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:29 am
Here’s that picture Kline had taken, after he blew off the Disabled American Veterans, but found time to meet with WWII veterans….
http://kline.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Images.View&File_id=2efc8e81-b0d0-fc95-f82d-6ed82a8c9d8b&ImageGallery_id=702d6928-b0d0-fc95-f8b8-9569db7a590e
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
With Sarvi a Veteran and have served in Iraq, Johm Kline will have a hell of a lot of explaining to do. His NO votes since 2007 of good legislation from Democrats shows his loyalty to Party above that of the people.
April 24th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Hey Gremlin – in what way is Kline not a formidable campaigner? Since he first ran for Congress in 1998 against Luther (remember that incumbent that he beat on try #3?) his vote % has increased in every successive election. And in 2006 he was one of only a handful of Republicans in the country who actually improved on their 2004 results.
Say what you want about his politics, but Kline is a hardcore campaigner who will absolutely destroy the sacrificial lambs the DFL will put up for the foreseeable future. My advice to Mr. Sarvi would be to look at how he viciously Kline tore Luther, Daly and Rowley to shreds and run for State Representative.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
John Kline is one of those members of Congress nobody sees.
Since January 2007, how many Open to The Public and Press Town Hall Meetings has he held?? How many Summits on the Economy, Veterans Issues, Energy Costs, Energy Solutions, etc???
John Kline may think cosntituents in the 2nd CD are better off over the last 6 years than they were before. It will be the voice of the voters who will say otherwise.