Kevin Goodno

Aug 8, 2012

West-suburban tussles take center stage in GOP primaries

Three sitting GOP legislators from the western Twin Cities suburbs face tough primary contests next week.

Jun 1, 2012

Stadium bill chief author Lanning to retire

State Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, announced Thursday that he won’t seek a sixth term. Lanning’s announcement comes less than a month after Gov. Mark Dayton signed the Vikings stadium bill of which he was the chief House author.

Aug 17, 2011

ALEC’s influence surges in Minnesota

During the early part of her two-plus decades in the state Legislature, retired Republican Sen. Pat Pariseau remembers being just one of a handful of Minnesota legislators who could call themselves members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

Jun 15, 2011

Rising GOP tide lifted some lobbyists’ boats

Members of the Capitol lobbying corps could have been excused for thinking they were in the wrong building at the start of the 2011 legislative session. A new administration and 60 new legislators took office in St. Paul, and a new complement of Republican leaders and chairs took the place of DFLers in both legislative chambers. The Capitol building itself was just about the only thing that resemb[...]

Dec 30, 2010

House names committee administrators

The House Republican Caucus has hired a raft of new committee administrators who will try to bring order to the chaos of the legislative process as the new majority takes office. Their ranks include veteran caucus staffers as well as political refugees from the administration of outgoing GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Nov 17, 2010

Gubernatorial transitions are fire drills even under the best of circumstances

Members of Minnesota's next gubernatorial administration could be excused for moving into the west wing of the Capitol under cover of night and locking the door behind them. Besides the small matter of an estimated $5.8 billion budget deficit, there is also the likelihood - if, as expected, Democrat Mark Dayton prevails in a pending recount - that the new governor will face a Legislature controlle[...]

Feb 2, 2009

A dirty bill of health: Pawlenty’s health care cuts would soon cost more than they save

BY BRIANA BIERSCHBACH, PAUL DEMKO AND CHARLEY SHAW Staff Writers Three sitting GOP legislators from the western Twin Cities suburbs face tough primary contests next week. Most notably, Senate Taxes Chairwoman and Deputy Majority Leader Julianne Ortmann will face off against Bruce Schwichtenberg after neither candidate was able to secure the party’s endorsement. Embattled GOP ...

Feb 2, 2009

A dirty bill of health: Pawlenty’s health care cuts would soon cost more than they save

BY BRIANA BIERSCHBACH, PAUL DEMKO AND CHARLEY SHAW Staff Writers Three sitting GOP legislators from the western Twin Cities suburbs face tough primary contests next week. Most notably, Senate Taxes Chairwoman and Deputy Majority Leader Julianne Ortmann will face off against Bruce Schwichtenberg after neither candidate was able to secure the party’s endorsement. Embattled GOP ...

Feb 2, 2009

A dirty bill of health: Pawlenty’s health care cuts would soon cost more than they save

BY BRIANA BIERSCHBACH, PAUL DEMKO AND CHARLEY SHAW Staff Writers Three sitting GOP legislators from the western Twin Cities suburbs face tough primary contests next week. Most notably, Senate Taxes Chairwoman and Deputy Majority Leader Julianne Ortmann will face off against Bruce Schwichtenberg after neither candidate was able to secure the party’s endorsement. Embattled GOP ...

Jan 5, 2009

The Brain Trust: Cal Ludeman, Department of Human Services

BY BRIANA BIERSCHBACH, PAUL DEMKO AND CHARLEY SHAW Staff Writers Three sitting GOP legislators from the western Twin Cities suburbs face tough primary contests next week. Most notably, Senate Taxes Chairwoman and Deputy Majority Leader Julianne Ortmann will face off against Bruce Schwichtenberg after neither candidate was able to secure the party’s endorsement. Embattled GOP ...