A day after his arrest for driving with an expired automobile registration, the leading candidate for state Republican Party chairman left the race.

The proposed 2012 budget for the state Republican party contains no funding for the deputy chair or executive director positions, according to an email sent out on Tuesday by eight members of the party's executive committee. The email was sent out to the party's roughly 350 state central delegates, who will gather on December 3 to elect a new deputy chair and approve the budget.

The Minnesota GOP has agreed to pay a $170,000 civil fine for failing to report nearly $1 million in debt from the 2006 election cycle. Party officials say they have taken steps to improve reporting.

There wasn't as much negativity at last week's Republican State Central Committee meeting as one would expect to find at a state endorsing convention. But the battle between Tom Emmer and Jeff Johnson for the open Republican National Committeeman position prompted one activist to circulate a lit piece against Emmer.

When Republicans from around the state flocked to the Ramada Mall of America last Saturday, there appeared to be little question who would win the race to replace Brian Sullivan as Minnesota's man on the Republican National Committee.

Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson toppled 2010 GOP gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer on the first ballot to win election as Republican National Committeeman.

Minnesota Republicans gather this weekend at their State Central Committee meeting at the Ramada Mall of America. Tonight will feature good cheer at a variety of hospitality suites. The frivolity will give way to what's expected to be a long day of intra-party politicking on Saturday.

Brodkorb, who worked on redistricting in 2001 for Senate Republicans, will be the state GOP's lead on redistricting next year.

Emmer said Tuesday he hopes for a "fair, open and honest process." He added: "You gotta let the process play itself out."

Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich will be in Minneapolis to raise funds for GOP Minnesota governor nominee Tom Emmer and the Republican Party.