RINO Slaying: 101

It is said that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, when 6 wayward “Republicans” sided with Minnesota Democrats in voting for a nearly $7 Billion tax increase (Onward and Upward - 3/5/2008), a severe backlash was to be expected. That it actually occurred is astounding.

State Representative Ron Erhardt of Edina, Neil Peterson of Bloomington, and Jim Abeler “the enabler” of Anoka all lost their bids for party endorsements at their respective district conventions (BPOU) over the weekend.

Abeler, who was already stripped of committee leadership positions, told KARE 11 he once again felt the wrath of the House Republican Caucus at Anoka City Hall Saturday.

Assistant Minority Leader Tom Emmer of Delano appeared at the District 49 endorsing convention.

"He came in and gave a seven minute fire and brimstone speech talking about the terrible Democrat transportation tax bill. And the crowd got fired up," recounted Abeler on Sunday.

"It was almost like an attack dog was sent. I was astounded. I thought the retribution was over."

A spokeswoman for the Republican House Caucus told KARE 11 that Abeler wasn't singled out for special treatment.

"Representative Emmer has traveled to many endorsing conventions in the past few weeks," Jodi Boyne wrote, "He is sharing a message of overtaxation by Democrats. This was not a single instance."

Abeler ended up gaining the support of 58 percent of the delegates on hand in Anoka, two votes shy of the 60 percent he needed to claim endorsement. No other candidate appeared to challenge him for the party's nod.

"And so now I'm running as a Republican unendorsed," remarked the fifth-term legislator,
"Free to do what I believe which is manage well, keep the budget under control, set priorities, look after my constituents, try to improve the roads, try to work on health care."

Meanwhile in Edina

At South View Middle School in Edina, where the District 41 Republicans gathered Saturday, two other veteran lawmakers paid the price for bucking the party on that pivotal override vote.

Ron Erhardt of Edina, who has served 18 years in the House, lost to business consultant Keith Downey in the endorsing contest for District 41A by a vote of 123 to 49.

"Nine times I've been endorsed and nine times I've won by 60 percent or better of the vote," Erhardt told KARE 11 Sunday.

But he concedes Downey had his ground game in motion long before the override showdown.

"He gathered his folks around and got them to the caucuses which are the crucial thing, and got enough of them elected delegates that when they showed up they were pretty well in charge."

And yet Erhardt believes his override vote, and his votes for gas tax hikes dating back to 2005, put him in the crosshairs of conservative activists.

"I'm sure the override vote was one of the big nails in the coffin, but that was convention already decided in January."

He also pointed out that his voting record has run afoul of the group Minnesota Majority.

He now has until July to decide between several options in his run for a 10th term.

"Running as a Democrat, but I'm not considering that strongly, but that is an option," Erhardt said, "Running as a Republican as a primary, or running in the general election as an Independent."

Erhardt cites the fact that he's run stronger in his northern Edina district than any of Republican, including President Bush and Governor Pawlenty. So he's hoping his name is still worth something on the ballot, whichever ballot it winds up on in November.

"Well I hope so," laughed Erhardt, "Is it mud or is it good? We'll see!"

In District 41B, Representative Neil Peterson of Bloomington lost the endorsing battle to Jan Schnieder, who entered the race just a week ago. Peterson, a former three-term mayor of Bloomington, is in his second term in the Minnesota House.

Retribution promised

The governor and Republican legislative leaders have vowed to make Democrats pay at the ballot box in November for the sweeping transportation package passed into law over Pawlenty's objections.

The bill included a five-cent per gallon hike in the gas tax, plus a three and 1/2 cent surcharge to be phased in over the next five years to retire highway bond debt. It's part of the DFL's plan to spend $6.6 billion on roads, bridges and transit in the next decade.

The legislation also gave the seven metropolitan counties the option of imposing a half-cent sales tax for mass transit. The measure also will boost license tab fees on new cars or newly registered cars from out of state.

Three other Republicans who strayed from the fold on the override vote, Kathy Tingelstad of Andover, Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake, and Bud Heidgerken of Freeport, have yet go through their endorsing conventions.

It is time to take the party back from these turncoats. That my friends is the equal and opposite reaction.

And, given that yours truly is on the Nomination of Delegates committee, rest assured that any Delegate who wishes to proceed onward towards the Republican National Convention harboring even a hint of compassion for these or any other such Republicans in name only will be making their case to one guy who will partake in none of it.