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Nolan leads Cravaack in MN-8 poll
The National Journal reports an independent poll conducted by a Democratic-aligned PAC shows DFL nominee Rick Nolan leading Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN8) by three points. The poll memo shows that Cravaack is far better known than Nolan, but that Nolan leads regardless. Though Nolan’s 47-44 lead is well within the poll’s margin of error, it’s…
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Social issues make for tricky politics in MN-8
I hadn’t mentioned this earlier, but I talked to Catherine Rychart at MPR this week about social issues in Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District race. In short, different congressional campaigns around the state are seeing very different reactions to the infusion of social issues — particularly Missouri GOP Senate nominee Todd Akin’s comments about rape and…
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Gauthier changes mind; opts to end campaign
Rep. Kerry Gauthier (DFL-Duluth) has now dropped his bid for re-election according to WDIO. He had earlier announced he would continue his campaign despite the sex scandal that caused many DFL and GOP leaders to call for his withdrawal or resignation. Gauthier appears to have changed his mind after a strong negative reaction to this…
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Gov. Dayton calls special session for Duluth area flood relief
Just announced, Gov. Mark Dayton has called a special session of the legislature for Friday at 2 p.m. to deal with flood relief for the Duluth area. There was some question about whether this would happen because of slow negotiations over the scope of the legislative agenda. Now it appears the efforts will go forward.…
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Gauthier announces he will continue campaign
Rep. Kerry Gauthier (DFL-Duluth) has announced to Northland’s News Center that he will seek re-election, despite widespread rebuke of his candidacy in the wake of a sex-scandal involving a 17-year-old boy at a rest stop. I don’t know at this time how he plans to address the incident itself or the fact that his House…
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Gauthier sex scandal hurls West Duluth into political anarchy
The situation in West Duluth keeps escalating. Rep. Kerry Gauthier, who last week admitted to having sex with a 17-year-old at a rest stop, has yet to address the media. Late last week he checked out of a Duluth hospital where he was observed for a couple days for breathing problems. Duluth city councilor Jay…
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Gauthier must address incident immediately
I haven’t been ignoring the Rep. Kerry Gauthier (DFL-Duluth) “rest stop incident” story. I just don’t know what to say about it. If what all involved parties describe is true, that Gauthier had sex with a 17-year-old at a rest stop, he should at minimum end his campaign for re-election, and he should probably resign…
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In 6B primary, Metsa followed a winning playbook
Here’s another Chris Saunders graphic showing the DFL primary results in the Minnesota State House District 6B primary last Tuesday. The results went like this: LORRIE JANATOPOULOS, 2590, 41.16% JASON METSA, 3396, 53.96% DAVE MEYER, 307, 4.88% You can see Lorrie Janatopoulos had support in the southern townships, while Jason Metsa carried the Range cities.…
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Primary aftermath: Cravaack vs. Nolan in MN-8
On Tuesday night, former U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan won the DFL nomination for Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District. With about 38 percent of the vote, he defeated Tarryl Clark (32 percent) and Jeff Anderson (29 percent), ending an 18 month campaign that promised excitement but delivered a rather staid affair. A few elbows were thrown near…
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The changing Range takes center stage
I’m still working on a major post dissecting Tuesday night’s primary results and previewing the fall campaign. By now everyone knows Rick Nolan won and will face Chip Cravaack in the MN-8 election this November. Several legislative primaries occurred in northern Minnesota, all of which broke for the party endorsed candidates. So I’m focusing on…
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LIVE BLOG: Primary Night in Northern Minnesota
Welcome to MinnesotaBrown.com Primary Election Night coverage for the races in MN-8, House District 6B and more. 11:35 — MinnesotaBrown.com projects Jason Metsa will win State House District 6B DFL primary and Jesse Colangelo will win State House District 6B GOP primary. Metsa and Colangelo will face off in race to succeed retiring Rep. Tom…
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Primary Day in northern Minnesota
Events like the Aug. 14 primary always bring new readers to this site. If this is you, welcome! MinnesotaBrown.com covers politics, but that’s only a part of why I write the blog. We’re here to celebrate, protect, defend, reform and innovate one little corner of the world, so that the story of our people carries…
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MinnesotaBrown wants YOU (to report precinct results) for PRIZES
In my posts about the State House 6B and Congressional MN-8 primary races I talk about several precincts that might give us a clue about the final results as they roll in Tuesday evening. I selected these randomly, with a small bit of strategy. Hence I’m proud to announce a special deal with the MinnesotaBrown.com community,…
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Mesabi Daily News shakes up 6B race with closing editorial
I wrote about the House 6B primary field last Friday, but the anchor leg of that race has some interesting fodder from the Mesabi Daily News. In this case, the MDN is the primary newspaper of the entire district and it’s well read. No election on the Iron Range, particularly the eastern Range, can escape…
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What to watch: MN-8 DFL primary
For more than a year, candidates have jockeyed for position in the MN-8 DFL primary to challenge freshman incumbent U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN8). The race has been devoid of traditional polling and, since the last DFL primary here was in 1974, no one knows exactly how the 21st century electorate will act. I cannot…