Monday, May 14, 2012
Local Republicans readying for Paul's appearance Friday.
See updates below. Ron Paul is set to speak at the Minnesota Republican convention Friday, and party activists in the Fifth District are preparing for a possible Paul win—with one local activist saying "I get the feeling I'm witnessing history." Paul is poised to make a strong showing in Minnesota after congressional-district conventions gave him 20 of 24 available national delegates. The Texas congressman was denied a speaking slot at the 2008 state convention, but has proven a popular candidate and speaker here since—turning fans away, for example, from an over-capacity speech in Arden Hills shortly before Minnesota's 2012 caucus night. On Monday, Paul announced his campaign would stop spending money in states that haven't yet held …
Challenger Chris Fields talks to area nonprofits and says Ellison 'isn't as well liked as people may think.'
Rep. Keith Ellison and a U.S. senator last week introduced a bill to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies. On Thursday, he and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) said the legislation would "do away with tax breaks, financial assistance, royalty relief, direct federal research and development and many loopholes that benefit the fossil fuel industry," according to Ellison's U.S. House website. “Big oil companies alone make more than $300 million every day but the oil, gas, and coal industries still have their hands in the taxpayer’s pocket,” Ellison said. “We need to get off the fossil fuel bandwagon that keeps us dependent on oil and contributes to climate change. The $113 billion in taxpayer handouts that oil, gas, and coal companies receive …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The board is trying to decide how and if to ask voters to renew the expiring levy or approve an increase.
After the Richfield Public Schools District's latest referendum failed to pass in November 2011, the Richfield School Board is looking toward the November 2012 election. The current referendum, or levy, is set to expire at the end of the 2012-13 school year. Had the 2011 proposed referendum passed, it would've revoked and replaced the current one, with most taxpayers seeing an average increase of $119 annually. Unfortunately, many board members believe many voters were scared off by the language on the ballot, which read: "The Board of Independent School District No. 280 (Richfield) has proposed to revoke $301.40 per pupil of the school's existing referendum revenue authorization and to replace that authorization with a new authorization …
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Her new Christians United group 'may make some peoples' heads explode'
A day after slamming Republican delegates in Minnesota's Fifth District as "Ron Paul Libertarians," GOP candidate Lynne Torgerson said she is leaving the race for the seat in Congress occupied by three-term DFL incumbent Keith Ellison. "No, I am not going to continue running in this election cycle," Torgerson wrote in an email to Fridley Patch Tuesday. "The Party is free to fully support Chris Fields." Fields is the rival Republican candidate who won the backing of Fifth District party delegates on the first ballot at their convention Saturday. Not Done Yet "By the way, I am not done yet . . . just going to have some fun for awhile," Torgerson said Tuesday. She is forming a new organization: I recently founded Christian[s] United in …
Monday, April 16, 2012
Ellison rival posts statement after Republicans endorse Fields.
Lynne Torgerson, Republican candidate for U.S. Congress, posted the statement below at her campaign website Monday. (On Saturday, party delegates endorsed Chris Fields to challenge incumbent DFLer Keith Ellison.) On Saturday, April 14, 2012, I attended the Republican 5th Congressional District Endorsing Convention. There was a stage at the front of the room. Approximately 6 people were seated on the stage. Every person seated was a Ron Paul Libertarian. The Convention was overrun by Ron Paul Libertarians. More than 2/3 of the delegates were Ron Paul Libertarians. When I mentioned that we were at a Republican Convention, they laughed out loud. They began the Convention. There was no opening prayer. Not even a mention of it. There was also …
This week's selection includes Sen. Claire Robling's re-election decision, a date for the Golden Valley DMV's opening and a new iPhone app.
Editor’s Note: Every week we will bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Edina, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. (Click on the headline to read the full story.) Proposed Name Change Stirs Up Hornettes Nest A move to unify Edina High School's spirit programs has thousands of local residents upset. GOP State Sen. Claire Robling Will Not Run for Re-election She says it is very difficult to pass common sense measures into law these days. Albertville Mayor Asks for Administrator's Resignation In what city staff and a council member are calling a "shocking" development this week, the mayor of Albertville has asked for that city's top staff…
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Party picks Chris Fields over Lynne Torgerson to take on DFL incumbent in Congress.
The winner of the November 2012 election will represent a newly redrawn Congressional district similar to the current Fifth District.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Regardless of the veto, the Constitutional amendment will be on the ballot this fall.
Less than a week after the Minnesota State Legislature passed the photo ID measure, Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed it Monday. The passage of the measure puts voters in charge of deciding whether to amend the state Constitution to require that a photo ID be presented at polling locations. However, constitutional amendments do not need the governor's signature, making Dayton's veto a symbolic one. Dayton acknowledged his action won't stop the amendment from appearing on the general election ballot this November, however, he called it a "proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing" in a letter to Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove). The amendment "goes far beyond its stated intention to require Photo ID's. Instead, it dismantles Minnesota's…
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
After the Senate and House districts lines were redrawn, so were Richfield's.
Just as state legislative and congressional boundaries are redrawn every 10 years to correspond with the most recent U.S. Census data, ward and precinct lines at the city level are as well. The Richfield City Council recently approved the new voting map with some major changes at its final March meeting. Richfield City Clerk Nancy Gibbs said the state's recent decision to divide Richfield between two state senate districts rather than keeping it in one made her task a difficult one. "We have to reflect what the legislative lines are for our wards," Gibbs said. "And there have to be distinct boundaries. ... It wasn't easy." The boundaries of the city's three council wards didn't change substantially. The most significant change is in the …
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
While many DFLers spoke out against the measure, the bill moves on to the Senate.
The Minnesota House of Representatives passed a bill early Wednesday morning to put a Constitutional amendment on the ballot next November requiring voters to show photo ID when they vote. The vote, like most others Tuesday on proposed changes to the bill, was along party lines, 72-62. Richfield Rep. Paul Thissen along with Reps. Ryan Winkler (D-Golden Valley) and Steve Simon (D-St. Louis Park) held a preview press conference Tuesday morning criticizing Republican priorites and the amendment itself. For months Thissen has slammed Republicans for putting amendments ahead of bigger priorities such as jobs bills. The Minnesota Senate Rules Committee takes up the bill Wednesday. If approved by the Legislature, voters will decide by referendum …
Bob in Boston
12:27 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012
Doesn't make any sense to call Ron Paul the underdog when he's already won more delegates than Romney in 10 states including Romney's home state! It's Romney who's the underdog at the conventions - it's only the media and the GOP establishment who keep saying Romney's the winner! more ›