2003: Republicans dominate Mn politics

KSTP TV ^

[MN_Rightside]

St. Paul-AP) -- After several years of Republican gains in Minnesota, the scales tipped in 2003.

Norm Coleman succeeded the late Paul Wellstone as senator. Tim Pawlenty followed Jesse Ventura as governor. And Republican lawmakers filled more seats in the Legislature than they had in three decades.

The shift drove a significant policy overhaul in a state best-known for the politics of Democrats like Humphrey and Mondale.

Lawmakers passed a streak of conservative legislation, including changes to Minnesota's abortion laws, handgun permitting requirements and education standards.

The crown jewel? Erasing a multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall without raising state taxes.

University of Minnesota Duluth political science professor Craig Grau says -- "It's hard to find a more successful year for Republicans as a party."

[MN_Rightside]

Progress has been made

[CasearianDaoist]

This is amazing to me, I grew up in Iowas(many moons ago) and MN was always so terribly liberal that one hated to go there. Now IA is more liberal than MN. Who would have thought?

[Zathras]

I hear that much of this is being driven by the "Pro Life" movement in Minnesota.

[jagrmeister]

Does anyone know what is driving this? Is the DFL getting ossified? Is it financial issues, social issues, party tactics, what? Thanks.

[J. L. Chamberlain]

Erasing a multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall without raising state taxes.

Progress has been made but they raised taxes. The Lege just chose to use the term "Fees".

J

[jagrmeister]

Some stats I looked up:

Minnesota House: 81 Republicans, 53 Dems (DFL). This is up from 2001 when there were 69 R to 65 D.

Minnesota Senate: 35 DFL (52%), 31 Republican (46%)

[J. L. Chamberlain]

Some of it is driven by a strong Independence Party here in MN. Without Tim Penny in the gubernatorial race, we might well be talking about Governor Moe (DFL).

J

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I never did understand what Penny was up to when he ran. 'spose he knew he would be the spoiler and draw more DFL votes than Republican ?

[J. L. Chamberlain]

It's not really clear that the IP vote breaks that way. IP folks are very fiscally conservative, almost to a fault, but they are also socially pretty liberal. One could make the case that the MN Independence Party is really more like the old Rockefeller Republicans than anything else. But it's clear that they can be spoilers if social issues are leveraged in a campaign.

J

[J. L. Chamberlain]

Duh, make that fiscal issues. That's what I get for posting with my daughter and her friends yammering in my ears while posting!

J

[faithincowboys]

Looks like Minnesota, despite Garrison Keillor's best efforts, has become more rational and Republican. Unfortunately, the erosion of reason in Pennsylvania more than offests this. Pa has more electoral votes after all, Incidentally, I am dubious (but hopeful) about MN ending
up in the W column in 2004.

Let's just hope the Country sees through the deceptions of the Democrats. If the Country does, everything will be all right.

[HP8753]

Several things are happening around here.
1.) More people are figuring out that DFL no longer means Democrat,Farmer,Labor,But now means Deviants,Freaks and Liberals.

2.)Lots of clueless old codgers that vote for DIMS just because Mom & Dad & Grandpa & Grandma did are croaking fom old age.(Elderly relative active in rural DIM politics is constantly complaining that their county turned Republican because all the Democrats are passing away)

3.) More of the rural Democrats(who really are fairly conservative) from the outstate areas are figuring out that the Democrats in Mpls. and St. Paul only want their votes ,But treat them like a turd in the punchbowl the rest of the time.

4.) Large numbers of hunters figured out that Gun Control was really about CONTROL and not about crime reduction.

5.)The Internet , Talk Radio,Satelite& Cable TV have broken the Monopoly that the LAME STREAM SNOOZE MEDIA had.(We only had 1 clear tv channel and 2 fuzzy ones while growing up in rural minnesota)

6.)People like me that keep informed about what the DIMS are up to and expose their dishonesty constantly to the younger generations.(Makes for some lively Holidays when the Old DIMS and younger Repubs do some verbal sparing over a card game of Whist.Many times we find out that they don't have a clue about what's really going on and are just parroting what the Local DIM leader regurgitated at the local Cafe.)

[zbigreddogz]

Geeze, grow up. 'Fees' as bothersome as they might be, are not taxes, and are infinately preferable to taxes.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Has MN still got that Congressman Mouthbreather from Minneapolis ? I've forgotten his name (he was forgettable)...

[HP8753]

Martin Sabo (D) MN- 5th district is still around.

Unfortunately for us.

[J. L. Chamberlain]

Grow up?

Look Sparky, if my dough has to go to the government for any damn thing, it's a TAX. Got it?

J

[jagrmeister]

The Independence party takes votes away from Democrats? Tell me more about them, if you would.

[Valin]

Yes I have the great privilege to be represented by the "honorable" Martin OLAV Sabo. Unfortunately his seat is his as long as he wants it. The GOP won't waste any money to run against him.

[Ann Archy]

Two words....Wellstone Funeral!! Showed the entire nation how crass, crude and power hungry the dems really are.

[Ann Archy]

I should have posted that two word response to you....Wellstone Funeral!!!