The gang of six get disciplined
GOP House Minority Leader Marty Seifert took the leadership positions away from the six Republicans who voted to override Gov. Pawlenty's veto of the transportation funding bill. Seifert said
"I hope it would show that we want positive leadership from Republicans. These are leadership positions where we expect other Republicans to follow along," Seifert said. "How can we have members following my leadership follow their leadership in these committees, when they are not following my leadership on the floor?"
Seifert also said he will not recruit any candidates to run against the six incumbents but said it was unlikely that the caucus would back them financially in the upcoming election. MN GOP Party Chair Ron Carey said the party would support the endorsed candidates.
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Rep. Ron Erhardt said was not happy with the move:
"I told him that I was not voluntarily resigning, and to get rid of me he was going to have to fire me."
Erhardt said he expected to lose his party's endorsement, but intends to run either in a primary or as an independent.
Rep. Kathy Tingelstad of Andover said she would continue to seek re-election, whether or not she has the GOP endorsement.
Rep. Bud Heidgerken of Freeport said his vote could cost him re-election but he said it was the right thing to do. Heidgerken said he doesn't understand why he's being disciplined for voting for the best interests of his district.
"I always feel badly when people try to chastise me for doing right, until they prove to me that I've done wrong," said Heidgerken. "I will take the repercussions if I've done wrong. I will step down if I've done wrong -- but I have not done wrong. I have done right by my people."
Seifert said the options were laid out to the six Republicans and they still decided to vote for the override. Seifert said he would oppose any moves to strip the lawmakers of staff. He also said he was trying to knit the caucus together after the override vote.
Here are the six:
Bud Heidgerken of Freeport
Neil Peterson of Bloomington
Ron Erhardt of Edina
Kathy Tingelstad of Andover
Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake
Ron Abeler of Anoka