Residual Forces

I live in Minnesota House District 51A which is basically the City of Blaine, minus 4 voting precincts. It was a Republican seat until we lost it as an open seat in 2006. I have been represented by a Education Minnesota plant since then, but luckily he doesn’t like it down at the Capital. It’s too political for him, so he’s not seeking reelection.

I’m the BPOU Chair for the Senate District 51 Republicans which covers Blaine, Spring Lake Park, Mounds View, and part of Fridley. And I am thrilled to say that we have 2 fantastic candidates running for the Republican nomination in HD51A.

I’m also the Vice Chair for Anoka County for the 6th Congressional Republicans. I was sent a request to find out who was running in each House District, GOP and DFL, and if there was an endorsement battle on our end, who we thought would win.

My reply to the part on who would win was:

NOT GOING TO DO IT. IT IS UP TO OUR DELEGATES TO DECIDE.
We have our Convention this Saturday, so you will have to wait.

It was a response others on the email much appreciated, Chair’s are not supposed to pick sides.

As BPOU Chair, I am not endorsing either candidate. I met with them and made sure they were fully prepared and qualified to both serve if elected and to run for the job and make sure they at least share the basic principles of the party. 4 years ago, I was being “groomed” if you will to run for office. Some people in 51A wanted me to run when our then Republican Representative Andy Westerberg was ready to step aside.

I met with people and realized I just am not able to do what it would take to run for office. Oh, I would love to serve in the Legislature, but I just don’t have the ability to take 5 months of the year off for session and the elections. I don’t like asking for money, nor do I like asking for money. Obviously, I am not a good campaigner, and I decided against it. (note: my time since on this blog has pretty much disqualified me from ever running for any office. Key example would be my run for State Executive Committee rep for the 6th, where my fellow Republicans ’swift boated’ me.) And since then, well, this blog has made me an opposition researcher’s dream, so it ain’t gonna happen.

Anyways, I have met with both Mr.’s Sanders and Bleess and ‘tried to scare them out of it. Not because they held bad positions on issues, but because I wanted to make sure we had a strong full time candidate running this time. Every now and then you get someone who wants to run for office. They assume it is easy and can do it on the side or balance their life and work around it. Most of the time when you say you’ll be working from March to November, 7 days a week, from sun up to midnight, you never hear from the people again. There had been quite a few like that in the last year or two.

Well, both Sanders and Bleess called back, and they have been busting their butts for weeks working the Delegates and Republicans in HD51A. We have our endorsing convention this Saturday, and it is a shame only one of them can win.

I’ve offered advice and impartial assistance to both of them, and have done as best as humanly possible to provide equal support and assistance. It is not my place to king-make.

If any one out there lives in HD51A we will be having a candidate meet and greet this Tuesday night at 7:30PM at Tasty Pizza. With the over exposure of the Presidential race we wanted to make sure these guys got a fair shake.

I believe it is very important for Party units to provide as much exposure for candidates with the Delegates as they can so that the Delegates can pick the best candidate. It is up to the candidates to win the nomination, it is just our job to make sure we provide as best a situation for them to do so. We set the stage, they have to deserve the standing ovation at the end.

Tim Sanders - Austin Bleess

This Saturday one of them will be endorsed at our convention in Mounds View and begin their journey to be the next Representative for HD51A at the Legislature.