In a Democratic year, the House Caucus has not begun to really raise money will surpass you by about 700,000 dollars on hand. Our non-profits, labor, 527′s and Presidential politics will have many millions flowing through this state. The bigger the turnout for local candidates, the better it has fared for our national candidates. Franken and Obama will be alright- as will Walz, Madia and Tinklenberg.

Kline may be the only bone you get this year tossed to you. After redistricting, he’ll be forced to retire too.

Where did you hear “Seifert hasn’t raised any money” in your post? It’s totally false.

You should look at the Campaign Reports ending in year 2007 – Seifert and the House GOP raised the most money of any of the 4 caucuses and the Governor, about $100,000 more than the DFL House caucus. With the Republicans taking a hit across the country in candidates and fundraising, the House Republicans are ahead in both recruiting candidates and money.

Word has it that the teacher’s union is furious with the DFL for their inaction on pension legislation, the lack of seriousness in health insurance reform and funding bills that just dump money into Minneapolis.

When in the Minority, people will get more hungry to win. The DFL has become lazy – look at the fundraising report for people like Shelly Madore with less than $500 in the bank. She’s toast and so are about 1/2 of their freshman class. People like Tscumpher and Wollshagger are accidental one termers.

Can you tell me how Obama and Franken will run in seats like Peterson’s, Moe’s, Tsumpher’s and Olin’s? My guess is mid-40′s for %.

One other note, the LQP DFL did support Hatch at all cost. Then when they got caught they layed the blame on a deadman. Talk about a bunch of gutless weazles! Then the state party gave them the money to pay the fines for the party and the treasurer. I guess the DFL supports all the crooks they have working for them – something to be proud of right?

Swiftee: I know Tommy is a big boy, but I’m getting tired of his military record being the focus of comments. It has no place on this blog.

I know Tommy likes to mix it up too, but let’s all tone it down. I’ll have more on this subject later tonight.

The GOP are still running the same “Gary Gross” language that put them in the super minority they are in now. ALL of those DFL retirements are safe DFL seats on the House level. ALL.

Peterson comes from one of the few DFL strongholds out west. He is the third generation Peterson to sit in that seat. That’s also an area that was strong Hatch and went out of its way to protect him. Whomever the party structure supports, will win. The GOP put the best possible candidate up last time and Peterson rolled him.

Moe is from Bemidji. The ONLY way the GOP took seats there is when the DFL candidates went to jail in 90′s. 2008 is not the year for them to comeback with the money brought back to those districts.

I assure you zero pick-ups, hell, zero-competition from the GOP in those four DFL open seats and the DFL taking no less than three of theirs.

We all know that Siefert hasn’t raised the money, and the GOP Caucus doesn’t have the money to protect its incumbents. However the DFL House Caucus and dozens of progressive groups are poised and ready to continue the pounding we last laid on you in Northfield.

This is a year where the GOP brand gets you nothing and your cries of high taxes fall on deaf ears.

Any bets?

rePete, no one should be surprised you’re rePetein’ NotSoSwiftly’s lines. Grow a set and get your own, why don’t ya?

Here’s your big chance to parlay your fraudulent military record into a new political career.

Time to put a nice shine on those jump boots and brasso your E-bay medals, boy! Moonbats like to gaze at shiney objects while they’re being lied to.

Also, the Pioneer Mess listed Dean Simpson, who, while likely, didn’t announce his intention to retire on the floor last night.

Brad Finstad (R-Comfrey)
John Berns (R-Wayzata)
Scott Kranz (DFL – Blaine)
Frank Moe ((DFL – Bemidji)
Chris DeLaForest (R- Andover)
Aaron Peterson (DFL – Appleton)
Connie Ruth (R – Owatonna)
Neva Walker (DFL – Minneapolis)
Kathy Tingelstad (R – Andover)
Erik Paulsen (R – Eden Prairie)
Dennis Ozment (R – Rosemount)
Bud Heidgerken (R – Freeport)

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2008/05/retirements.shtmlhttp://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2008/05/retirements.shtml

Newton–you’re right that the PiPress blogger had the numbers wrong, as well as Simpson.

But Otremba, Leider, Ortman, Welti, Dittrich etc are still in for now. Eight Republicans and four Democrats retired. Some of the seats will be in highly competitive, while others, like the Ruth and Walker seats, simply won’t be in play. It doesn’t look to me like either party enjoys an advantage with regard to the retirements as they stand now.

The Blaine seat is going to be a bitch to keep though…

Who is right?

Thank you.

Get serious. Minnesotans aren’t happy campers after the DFL attempted to tax them to death. There isn’t even a tiny possibility of them “reaching a supermajority” in 2009.

And democrats only need to pick up five more seats to leave republicans in the super minority in both bodies, draining all the ink from T-Paw’s veto pen.

And you already have T-Paw and the minority caucus boys doing just about everything that Margaret Kelliher and Larry Pogemiller told them to do in budget negotiations.

Wow. Must be a demoralizing day to be a republican.

You really think 42-B is safe, this year?

Dittrich
Lieder
Otremba
Kranz
Moe
Peterson

On the GOP side, all the retirements were in safe districts (Tingelstads seat may be the one place where the Dems have a shot).

A dozen Minnesota House members, including one surprise, pulled the plug on their legislative careers early Monday morning, giving farewell speeches on the floor after the Legislature adjourned for the year.

Rep. Bud Heidgerken, R-Freeport, stunned colleagues by annoucing his retirement. The other 11 had disclosed their decisions earlier.

Eight Republicans and four Democratic-Farmer-Laborites will not seek re-election next fall. DFLers outnumber Republicans in the House 85-25, so the GOP retirements will make it even tougher for their party to close the gap.

In addition to Heidgerken, those retiring are:

Republicans:

Rep. John Berns, Wayzata.

Rep. Chris DeLaForest, Andover.

Rep. Brad Finstad, Comfrey.

Rep. Dennis Ozment, Rosemount.

Rep. Erik Paulsen, Eden Prairie.

Rep. Connie Ruth, Owatonna.

Rep. Dean Simpson, Perham.

Rep. Kathy Tingelstad, Andover.

DFLers:

Rep. Scott Kranz, Blaine.

Rep. Frank Moe, Bemidji.

Rep. Aaron Peterson, Appleton.

Rep. Neva Walker, Minneapolis.

If anyone wanted to start a republican party in this state, now would be the time.

Good pickup opportunities. The Dems will spin this and say that open seats are virtually theirs in a year like this. But the lower you get, the more local the politics becomes. A strong candidate here and there, and there could be some pickups.

They key is to not give the DFL a veto-proof majority. The next step is to get a majority. It doesn’t all happen at once.

I’ve heard the GOP has some very strong candidates this year all over the state.

He has been speaking at district conventions around the state all spring, and getting a fairly warm response.

Other rumors: Nora Slawik, Karen Clark, Andy Welti and Gene Pelowski.

Word has it that the House GOP has all retirements announced already because Seifert told the caucus to get the announcements out earlier this week (Berns and Connie Ruth). Little rumor on their side.