The Minnesota GOP staffed a booth at India Fest for the first time this year.  It was held this past weekend on the Capital Mall in St. Paul. 

Through the leadership of MN National Committeewoman Janet Beihoffer, the booth provided attendees the opportunity to ask questions about Republican positions on current issues.  On average, this festival is attended by 10,000 to 15,000 people each year.

Trump-Pence stickers, bumper stickers, and lawn signs were also handed out. 

Barb and Randy Sutter from SD49 helped keep the booth open into the early evening. 

The free exercise of religion is a fundamental American right.  Yet, of equal importance is that all people should enjoy equal protection under the law.   Residents of the east Bloomington neighborhood around Smith Park have been raising concerns about the Dar al Farooq Youth & Family Center for several years.  On June 27 and July 25, a large number of those neighbors were present when those concerns were detailed to the Bloomington City Council.

Attorney Larry Frost made clear that the concerns were not a reaction to the presence of an Islamic house of worship or an aversion to diversity in the neighborhood.  The concerns are with the failures of the city government to enforce agreements that they have made with the Dar al Farooq Center and city ordinances dealing with traffic, parking, and public parks.  Frost built a case suggesting that the city government, by its actions and inactions, appeared to be favoring Dar al Farooq Center over other recently-approved churches and to the detriment of the surrounding neighborhood.

It was a beautiful day for a picnic in the park. Bush Lake Shelter 1 was the site for the August 7 SD49 and SD50 family picnic, enjoyed by more than 65 Republicans of all ages. A few were attending their very first SD49 gathering,  a few have been active for decades: all shared their insights as well as the meal.  

SD49 volunteers did all of the cooking. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and hot dogs. Tom’s famous roasted corn on the cob. Barbara's delicious pasta salad and coleslaw. Accompaniments and condiments. Fresh watermelon. Star Cookies.

A number of legislators, candidates, party leaders, and good friends stopped by for informal conversations.  Each also spoke briefly after the meal, to update us on their campaigns and current issues at local and state levels.  Among those attending: Keith Downey (chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota), David Hann, (MN Senate Minority Leader), Representative Chad Anderson (MN House District 50B), Mike Lehmann (Candidate, MN Senate District 49),  Dario Anselmo (Candidate, MN House District 49A), Max Rymer (Candidate, MN House District 49B), 3 candidates in the August 9 primary for Hennepin County Commissioner (Maureen Scallen Failor, Andrew K. Moller, and Bill Reichert), and Rick Rice (new RNC National Committeeman for MN).  

THANKS TO ALL WHO HOSTED AND ATTENDED! 

See our SD49 Facebook page later this week for a picnic photo album.

Three candidates have filed to run for one of the MN Supreme Court Judge positions. The three will appear statewide on the August 9 Primary ballot. In alphabetical order, they are Craig Foss, Natalie Hudson, and Michelle MacDonald.

At the Minnesota Republican Party state convention this year in Duluth, delegates chose not to endorse a candidate for the Supreme Court position.

The Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) has posted on its website (CLICK HERE) responses provided by the candidates to a questionnaire.  The responses can be reached by clicking on the names of the candidates above their pictures.  The MSBA also posted on its website the responses provided by 1,162 judges to a poll regarding the three candidates.

Voters in Senate District 49 will have choices to make in the upcoming August 9 Primary.  However, the choices vary depending on where you live. 

Below is a summary of the candidates facing primary challengers within our district, with links to sample ballots.  Remember that Mike Lehmann, Dario Anselmo, and Max Rymer do not have primary challengers, so they won't be on the August 9 ballots.  Voters in Edina and Bloomington should check the Secretary of State website for the ballot in your specific precinct. 

Primary Candidates In Bloomington: (Congressional District 3):

Link to a Bloomington Congressional District 3 sample ballot

Max Rymer’s background as an entrepreneur and now a small business owner with 5 employees gives him a firm grasp of the economic impacts of legislative decisions.

Max grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and has found a permanent home with his wife, Elsie, in Minnesota. Elsie is a Superior, Wisconsin native, and danced professionally at Duluth’s Minnesota Ballet for four years before they met in college.  They are expecting their first child in February 2017.

After graduation from Bay Port High School in Wisconsin Max chose to move to Minnesota to attend the University of Northwestern – Saint Paul where he earned a Marketing Degree.  He also became Student Body President, won awards for stage and screen performance, and learned what it meant to be a servant leader. While in college he  interned as a Legislative Aide for Pam Myhra, District 40A. He formed the “Eagles Vote” Campaign at Northwestern during the national election and assisting on campus for Kurt Bills’ senate run.

Max spent a year – as many college graduates do – finding what career would suite him best. He spent four months doing door-to-door residential sales for CenturyLink (which prepared him for door-knocking during this election season) and eventually found a home in both sales and digital marketing. He taught himself different coding languages and eventually formed his own digital marketing and web development firm – Digital Alchemy – while also leading the Business Development department of a software company called DS6.

On August 9, and starting now for early/absentee ballots, voters in Hennepin County District 5 will have the opportunity to vote in a primary election for one of six candidates vying for the Commissioner seat currently held by Randy Johnson.  District 5 essentially encompasses the cities of Richfield and Bloomington, Eden Prairie south of Highway 5, and a portion of Chanhassen; it does not include Edina, Minnetonka or other areas of Eden Prairie.  The two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary will proceed to the general election in November

All six candidates filed as non-partisan.  To learn more about them and how they stand on some of the current issues facing the County, we asked the candidates to answer the questions below and to add any other comments they felt would help us to better understand how they would serve as County Commissioner:

1. Briefly highlight why you feel you would be the best candidate for  County Commissioner
2. County government has grown at a rate consistently higher than the growth in the economy.   What steps will you take to implement Fiscal Responsibility and reduce the rate of growth in the Hennepin County government?
3. How do you plan to evaluate the county budget and identify programs that are not meeting their intended needs?
4. The Met Council is pushing in a number of areas not related to water and sewage.  Would you support limits on the power of the Metropolitan Council, particularly where it is really pushing for higher density housing in the south metro?  Do you have any issues with its Thrive MSP 2040 Plan?
5. What are the hard questions you're going to ask about funding further Light Rail in Hennepin County?  Would you vote for an increase in the County sales tax to fund SW Light Rail?

By our deadline, three of the six candidates provided responses.   Their answers are posted individually and listed in alphabetical order of their last name.

Maureen Scallen Failor  CLICK HERE to read her answers

Andrew K Moller  CLICK HERE to read his answers

William Reichert CLICK HERE to read his answers

We asked the candidates to answer five questions (to see full text of questions Click Here) and to add any other comments they felt would help us to better understand how they would serve as Hennepin County District 5 Commissioner.

Maureen Scallen Failor

More info / Campaign Website

Reason for running:  My 30 years of private and non-profit business experience positions me to provide the strong oversight and careful spending decision-making that will be necessary to contain the County’s $1.9 billion budget and help guide the 8000 workforce for results.

My business experience will help Hennepin County take advantage of the private and non-profit sectors in carrying out its operating responsibilities.  My non-profit experience can help the County meet its responsibilities in taking care of our neighbors in need.  I have served on the board of directors of VEAP-volunteers enlisted to assist people and Cornerstone in our community, as well as the MSP Airport Foundation.  I also serve on the Hennepin County Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee.

Fiscal responsibility:    Hennepin County is saddled with a huge number of unfunded mandates from the state and federal government.  

We asked the candidates to answer five questions (to see full text of questions Click Here) and to add any other comments they felt would help us to better understand how they would serve as Hennepin County District 5 Commissioner

Andrew K Moller

More Info / Campaign Website

Reason for running:  I am running for Hennepin County Commissioner because I am a common-sense fiscal conservative and believe that Hennepin County needs a fiscal conservative for the 5th District.  Hennepin County expenditures are set to increase significantly in 2016 as compared to levels just two years ago.  In 2014, actual Hennepin County expenditures were $1.627 billion.  For 2016, County expenditures are budgeted at $1.943 billion representing over a 19% increase in just two years.

Before I retired in 2008, my professional career was spent entirely in the private sector.  In business, spending must be closely monitored and tough decisions on expenditures must be made.  My educational background (MBA Finance) and private sector background will enable me to bring a fresh perspective to Hennepin County government.  I served as VP, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of Christopher & Banks Corporation for 10 years before I retired.  I have a great deal of energy and a strong work ethic.

Fiscal responsibility:    Jeff Johnson indicated to me that one of the biggest drivers of the increase in Hennepin County expenditures is related to increased  staffing and other costs increases associated with implementing the provisions of MNSure.  

We asked the candidates to answer five questions (to see full text of questions Click Here) and to add any other comments they felt would help us to better understand how they would serve as Hennepin County District 5 Commissioner.

William Reichert

More info / Campaign Website

Reason for running:  I have spent nearly my entire life in Hennepin County, and have been active in the community.

My involvement has revolved around being a voice for the people, not the status quo. Particularly in municipal government.  Most recently as co-founder of Hands Off Our Cans  - Bloomington.

As a seasoned watchdog, I know what it’s like to bump up against stubborn bureaucrats that believe they know what is best for you. I enjoy engaging people with other view points in meaningful conversation, then finding that common ground from which real progress and meaningful outcomes can be made. 

I have, and continue to serve on several private boards where fiscal conservatism is a matter of survival, not just a buzz word.

Fiscal responsibility:  The County budget has increased at an annualized rate of 8.45% over the last 4 years.