The Capitol Note: GOP governor candidates disagree on method to ditch MNsure

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1) Republican candidates for governor are unified in disliking MNsure, but each candidate has taken a different tack in criticizing the exchange, the St. Cloud Times reports.

Former House Speaker Kurt Zellers said he’ll try to repeal MNsure, while former Rep. Marty Seifert has said he would take a more pragmatic approach in trying to change the health insurance exchange. Former businessman Scott Honour would remove MNsure from the books and transfer Minnesota onto the federal exchange. Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson, the party’s endorsee, would seek exceptions from the feds as well.

2) The National Football League had an extensive list of pricey confidential asks for the host city of a 2018 Superbowl, according to a document outlining the requests that the Star Tribune obtained.

Minneapolis city officials have said they don’t know what was included in the bid. The NFL and the team of high-profile Minnesota leaders that courted the event declined to share details of what it took to lure the questionably beneficial event to the city. Some requests included a free police presence, “clean zones” around the event and comped billboards.

3) Republicans in the Eighth Congressional District shrugged off a memo from state GOP Chair Keith Downey calling for Republican activists to support endorsed candidates and for party officials to resign their positions if they support party opponents in primary contests, Politics.mn reports.

According to the resolution: “Your letter aspires to deprive the party of the only consistent good that can come from a primary campaign and election—free market correction of frequent errors made by Minnesota’s imperfect endorsement process.”

COMINGS & GOINGS

• The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system is hiring for a legislative affairs director. Minimum qualifications include a minimum of 10 years of experience in government relations or public affairs, as well as current working relationships with figures in the Minnesota Legislature and/or executive branch. Salary ranges up to $95,108, and is commensurate with experience. Apply at the state jobs board website.
• The Rochester DFL is hosting its annual Democratic dinner event on Thursday, June 12, with special guest speaker former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. Cost is $85 for dinner and program, or $150 for participation in a special reception with Rybak. More information here.
• The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) has formed a political action committee to carry out campaign spending in this state, listing a trio of Maryland-based officials to serve as chair, treasurer and deputy treasurer for the new fund.
• Organizers behind the “5% Campaign” will hold a Capitol rally to celebrate the boost in funding for disability service providers passed earlier this year on Tuesday. The rally is scheduled to take place on the north mall of the Capitol, and begins at noon. Gov. Mark Dayton, Reps. Tom Huntley (DFL-Duluth) and Jim Abeler and Sens. Kent Eken  (Twin Valley) and Dave Brown (Becker), among others, are confirmed attendees.