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Endorsement battles may loom for GOP moderates
There is a lot of uncertainty about the 2012 legislative election season. Most significantly, nobody knows exactly what legislative districts will look like when the redistricting process — which is expected to drag on into February or March — is finally completed.
In the House, centrist Republicans could play a pivotal role in budget fight
Moderate legislators are hard to come by these days. By most accounts, last fall’s election saw voters oust most of the middle-of-the-road DFLers in the Minnesota House and replace them with a spate of freshman Republicans elected on a strong right-wing wave that swept the nation.
House GOP vote on marriage amendment was defining issue of session’s last days
Around 4 o’clock last Saturday afternoon, the central drama of Session 2011’s closing days finally reared its head on the House floor. Shortly before the chamber recessed for dinner, GOP Rep. Mary Liz Holberg stood to announce the addition of a controversial constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage to the calendar for that evening’s proceedings.
House votes to put gay marriage ban on the ballot
After five hours of emotional debate, the House voted to place a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on the 2012 ballot. The amendment – which previously passed the state Senate on a largely party-line vote – passed off of the House floor on a 70-62 vote Saturday evening. Four Republicans voted against the amendment, with two DFLers crossing over to vote for the measure.
CGMC turns up heat on LGA cuts
With just days left before the adjournment of the 2011 regular session, eight Chamber of Commerce leaders from greater Minnesota came to the Capitol Monday to blast the Republican Legislature’s budget proposals.
Rank-and-file House Republicans press their case for limiting spending to $34B — no matter what
Republican Rep. Steve Drazkowski and others say they have accepted the $34 billion number. But in their eyes, this means that they have already “compromised” on the budget — even if it’s only with other Republicans.
Clock is no ally in Vikings stadium push
The debate over how to fund a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings has always divided legislative caucuses on both sides of the aisle. Last year DFLers from Minneapolis pushed back on a proposal that suggested extending local taxes from the Convention Center to help pay for the project, even as Democrats like former Senate Taxes Chairman Tom Bakk led the charge for the team's new home.
Freshman midterms – which new members are getting the most exposure and best reviews?
The scene was unusual for most Capitol regulars. At an early-session press conference, newly minted House Republican leaders Kurt Zellers and Matt Dean introduced the first symbolic bills of their newfound majority. Standing at their side were the bill authors - two first-time legislators just a few weeks removed from their swearing-in.
The suburbs versus the cities
The GOP's proposed overhaul of local government aid has the potential to splinter the state's mayors - and unite the GOP caucus
GOP rural caucus isn’t out to make big waves in budget negotiations, but may be forced to do so
Rep. Bob Gunther doesn't want the Republican rural caucus he helped form this session to be seen as adversarial to suburban and metro legislators. In his view, the bicameral caucus' main purpose is to educate the large number of rural GOP members of the House and Senate, many of them freshmen, on issues of special concern to outstate members.
House passes $1 billion budget-cutting bill
After more than one hour of debate, the state House passed Republican's $1 billion budget-cutting bill as they attempt to take a bite out of a historict $6.2 billion deficit.
District 27A: Brown concedes to Republican challenger
Republican Rich Murray, a businessman from Albert Lea, has officially defeated Rep. Robin Brown, DFL-Moscow Township, in District 27A by 57 votes.
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