Tell me about your state House races, Minnesota

[Wickerman]

Near Rochester in District 29a ya got Spencer Stevens for the DFL. Tell your friends to vote for him. Good guy, I call him a friend, helped him some with his website:

http://www.spencerstevens.us

Here is his bio:

I believe that as a parent, the responsibility to protect my family is the most important priority. I feel that children today need more than just protection from the daily dangers of life. I believe their future must also be protected. I feel that too many of our representatives today are too willing to give up that future for some small immediate political gain.

I feel we need a government that reflects the strong values and beliefs of Minnesotans. I believe in order to bring back what made Minnesota great: a strong educational system, clean environment, well paying job opportunities, and strong support for small businesses, we need to elect a responsible, forward-thinking government. With your help we can bring about this needed change.

Born and raised in Rochester, I've spent over 10 years in the military. Following my active duty, I returned home to Minnesota. I now reside in Kasson with my wife, Michelle, and son, Zachary. I currently own and operate CopyCat, an ad/design business and printing company. I am active within the community as a member of the American Legion Post 333 and Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge 2228. I am also a member of the Fraternal Brotherhood of Eagle Scouts.

Here is the link to the boundaries of 29a (in .pdf)
http://www.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/gis/html/l2002/pdf/29a.pdf


His competition is the incumbent Randy Demmer. Randy's list of accomplishments is not significant - Spencer will be much more active for 29a.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. My rep is Frank Horenstein (60A)

He's very liberal and very approachable. In fact, before I knew who he was, I got involved in a conversation about transit with him in the Linden Hills branch of Dunn Brothers' Coffee.

He has only token opposition in that staunchly DFL neighborhood.

[NervousRex]

2. Martin Sabo

Safe seat...the opposition is a joke...

[no name no slogan]

3. Mine's Minority Whip Margaret Anderson Kelliher (60A)

I actually went to college with Margaret, and I did her campaign websites in 1998 & 2000. She's done an excellent job representing us and will probably be speaker of the state house one day....soon!

[roubs]

5. 60A represent

Does she even have real opposition? I'm just glad our Minneapolis reps are real gung-ho to help increase turnout for Kerry

[trotsky]

4. Here in 45A Sandra Peterson is trying to toss out Lynne Osterman.

She's got a great chance. Osterman only got in because her DFL opponent two years ago had some ethics issues to overcome. I'll be working with her campaign on election day to get people out to the polls.

[wellstone dem]

6. Larry Hosch for 14 (a) or (b) (forget which)

this is an open seat as the Republican, Doug Stang, didn't run for reelection. Larry is a graduate of St. John's who ran for Mayor of St. Joe for years ago, just after he graduated. There was a big todo about how the students elected the mayor, because he really worked at turning out St. Ben's student vote. But actually he won all the precincts. He did a great job, 2 years later he didn't have any opposition. Jobs have increased, services have increased, without inceasing taxes to the city. He is a small business owner (roofing) but has also gone on to get his master's degree in social work. He worked with affordable housing advocates when housing developers came to the city. Terrific guy. I've been doing phone calling for him, several folks have said "I'm a republican" then I tell them who Larry is and here, "Oh, that mayor, I'll vote for him."

[Kilroy003]

7. I ran into Ann Lenczewski in front of my house today.

She was delivering flyers with some encouraging words and a map of the District indicating polling place locations. I was happy to see this; seeing as I had been out all afternoon leafletting the (new) precinct so people would know where to go to vote. I asked her how her internal polls were looking. She kind of changed the subject and told me that she'd seen or heard of a bunch of Kerry people out doing visibility and flyering. She did say that Randy Elledge, her opponent, hadn't campaigned with any direct mail or flyers. I took that to be a positive. About the polls, I figured she didn't hear me.

I haven't seen any polls on this race but based on yard signs it's a pretty close ballgame. Ann pissed me off a little when she went room to room dissing Nader at the DFL caucus but I think she was just doing what she was told; I can forgive her for that. All in all, she's been a cool Representative, I'm pretty sure the good old peeps of Bloomington and northern Burnsville will keep her around a while longer.

On edit; by the way, we're in House district 40B