MNGOP Governor’s forum
One other note: Gov. Pawlenty is speaking at the MNGOP meeting at noon. Straw poll results should follow that.
Thanks for following and putting up with me.
That's it. Candidates will make formal presentations at the convention tomorrow.
Anderson said the candidates are "solid conservatives." She said difference is backgounds. She touts executive background.
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Haas said he has the energy and vision to move MN in a different direction.
Emmer said he's passionate."I disagree with my colleagues. If you are principled you are electable."
Emmer also said Paul Wellstone and Rod Grams as examples of how MN elects "principled, passionate" candidates
Seifert said you can't make people by creating a Department of Happiness. Said he was conservative before "conservative was cool."
Hann said there are only 30% of people who self id as GOP. He said elections are won in the middle. He said candidate can't do that by touting hardcore GOP message.
Kohls said state needs a leader with legislative experience and significant private sector experience and to communicate message to entire state.
Herwig said he wants to be known as a conservative republican.
Davis said the GOP is changing. He said he wants to stop judicial reform and stop the war on drugs. he said he's going to be governor bc he usually gets what he wants.
72 questions have been asked. Sutton said 500 chairs were put out. The place is standing room only.
Q for Emmer: How do you solve the budget problem? Emmer: The solution is jobs. Emmer said entire state should be a "JOBZ Zone." he also wants to recruit private investors in to state.
Q for Haas: What will you do clean up gov't? he wants to go to voter id. He also wants a voter registration deadline of 10/1.
Q for Anderson: Should state support No Child Left Behind. Anderson "We should get out of it. When I'm governor, we're out."
Q for Kohls: Are you for funding for Vikings Stadium? Kohls; Absolutely not?
Q for Herwig: What would you do to protect state from fed government? Herwig said he will pull out of federal money so they don't have to follow regulations.
Q for Seifert: Do you support levy limits for local gov't? Seifert: "Yes I do."
Q for Hann: What can you do to boost economy besides taxes? Hann said regulations are problematic. Bashes environmental regulations and how it hurts agriculture. He also doesn't like the banning of pesticides.
Q for Seifert: Do you support vouchers? Does not support $ to parochial school bc he doesn't want gov telling them to sing songs to Obama.
Q for Davis: Do you support taxpayers bill of rights? Davis: What's that? He said he can't answer it.
Q for Herwig: What will you do to ensure checks and balances of judiciary are maintained? He said "We have to go back to constitution."
Q for Hann: Will you apply the constitution to legislation that comes across your desk and how? Hann: No question.
Q for Anderson: Do you support limiting lobbying dollars for leaders of the parties? Anderson said the problem with lobbyists is that they exist.
Q for Emmer: What are your environmental objectives? Emmer said "we should all be good stewards of the environment." He said he'll focus on jobs and economy. Bashes protecting of environment at expense of lifestyle.
Q for Anderson: How would you grow majority in the state? Anderson said GOP will be a majority party in the state. She said gov candidate needs to tout conservative principles.
Q for Kohls; Would you support deadline for turning in tax form on election day? Kohls said it's a great idea but not sure it would work. He said it would be better to fix tax system.
Q for Hann: Do you support Initiative and Referndum (CA style ballotting). Hann said no. He said state elects representatives in the state is best option.
Q for Seifert: What would you do to ease permitting? Seifert said there should be a turnaround time of 14 days or less.
Q for Davis: How do you deal with overpopulation in prisons? Davis said he wants to stop the war on
judges.
sorry - war on drugs.
Emmer also doesn't want judges who legislate from the bench.
Q for Emmer: What will you look for in appointing judges? Emmer said "qualified people." He also said judges should be elected.
Q for Haas: How do you increase pers. responsibility in hcare? Haas said "we can't legislate personal responsibility." He complains about welfare recipients smoking.
Q for Herwig: Will green jobs work in MN? Herwig said absolutely not. He said Spain is an example. Said it will lose jobs.
Q for Hann: Do you support increasing trains? Hann: No. I have not seen a train that has relieved congestion.
Q for Kohls: Why are people mad as hell? Kohls said "I'm mad as hell too." bashes President Obama and Nancy Pelosi.
Q for davis: What is your position on LGA? He wants to take over transpo contstruction needs in debt free chartered bank program.
Q for Haas: Do you support a sunset clause for welfare benefits? Haas said there is more to cut in welfare.
Q for Anderson: Do you support use of toll roads for transportation. Anderson said "I do."
Q for Emmer: Would you use public money for LRT? Emmer said "absolutely not."
Q for Anderson: What is your plan for health care? Anderson said "We have to stop Obamacare."
Q for Seifert: Would you have copied Pawlenty on unallotment, change it a bit or call a special session? He said he would he would have threatened Minneapolis and St. Paul with repealing sanctuary cities or he will cut LGA totally.
Q for Hann: What is the plan on energy? hann said state should stop subsidizing plan that doesn't work. he also wants to repeal law prohibiting nukes.
Q for Emmer: What is the position on 10th Amendment? Emmer said he supports it fully. he also touts the firearms freedom act as a way to not be subject to feds.
Q for Haas: What is the stance on appointing judges vs. electing judges? Haas waffles on it. he said the system can fail either way.
Q for Herwig: When does human life begin? Herwig said it begins at conception.
Q for Davis: How can you make MN less welfare dependent? Davis rips debt with interest from banks. (I'm not following and will have to follow up).
Q for Kohls; What is the most pressing issue you'll face? Kohls said it's the state budget problem. He touts his plan to cut gov't spending by $3 billion.
Q for Hann: What should state do help boost jobs in outstate MN? Hann said cut taxes and regs. He also said promoting ag is key.
Q for emmer: Would you support feds taking over MNOsha. Emmer: "I don't support feds taking over anything."
Q for Seifert: What is the strategy for transportation? He said he supports roads and bridges. He said he disagrees with Pawlenty on having gov't follow you around with a chip in your car.
Q for Haas: Will you support 10th Amendment opt out strategy to get out of fed reform? Haas said he would study it. He also said he doesn't support fed reform.
Q for Anderson: What will you do do to increase primary care docs? Anderson disagrees w/ Q. Said she doesn't like fed health care reform.
Q to Kohls: What is the strategy of breaking through the DFL stranglehold in MNLeg and in public? Kohls said he has a style to communicate conservative ideals.
Q to Herwig: What is your stance on appointment of judges vs. the election of judges? Herwig said he supports the election of judges.
Q to Davis: What is your position on gambling? Davis said I wouldn't expand gambling.
Q for Kohls: What' s your commitment to the party and family? Kohls will abide by endorsement. Said his family is most important.
Herwig said conceal and carry should be in constitution.
Q for Herwig: What are your thoughts on compromising with DFL. Herwig said you can't compromise on life.
Q for Seifert: Can you be bipartisan and stand by principles. He said press corps thinks bipartisan is when GOP works with Democrats.
Q for Haas: How will you reduce state gov't. He said he cut cell phone waste as time as Chair of State Gov't Committee. "Everything is on the table."
Q for Emmer: MN still taxes military benefits. Will you end it? Emmer said yes.
Q to Davis: What can you do to keep government out of doctor/patient relationship? Davis said it's personal and keep the busy bodies out.
Q to Hann: What kind of moral principles will you use to guide you. Hann said "I'm a Christian." He said that's consistent with the nation.
Q to Anderson: Which programs will you cut in government? Anderson didn't specify but need to get back to constitution.
Q: How many of the candidates plan to abide by the endorsement? All raise their hands except for Davis.
Q to Herwig: Wll you cut the size of state government. Herwig said absolutely. He said they can downsize education.
Q to Kohls; How do you wrestle control of education from unions and St. Paul? Kohls said they need to return more of decisions to local units of government.
Q to Anderson: Do you support the elimination of the Met Council. Anderson: Yes. Said she fought the gov org during time as Eagan Mayor.
Q for Haas: How do you reduce mandates to counties and cities. Haas said he will analayze mandates. Complains of duplication.
Q for Hann: How do you balance investment in infrastructure with entitlements? Hann said they have to have a higher priority of roads.
Q to Emmer: What would you do protect the inegrity of votes? Emmer said photo id law is the answer. He gets a standing ovation.
Do you support prolife plank? Seifert, yes I do. He also said he authored more prolife legislation than the other candidates.
Sutton asks how many candidates want to raise taxes. No one raises their hand.
Q to Haas: What's the plan to bring in more jobs. Hann said streamline state government. Families know best on how to spend your money.
Question to Pat Anderson: What is your stance on LGA? Anderson: It's a place that "we need to dramatically reform." Said she's pleased she made an enemy of DFL Rep. Tom Rukavina during time as State Auditor.
Question: What will you do with a bonding bill? Kohls: I hope Gov. Pawlenty is clear that he does not sign a pork laden bill. He said "we have to stop funding hockey rinks and bike paths."
Question for Tom Emmer: What is the largest state program that you plan to eliminate. Emmer: We're no longer going to have a Department of Health and Human Services and a Department of Health. he said the sky is the limit for cutting government. He asks why there are so many people working in the MPCA communications department.
Question to Phil Herwig: What will you do to stabilize income? Herwig: Cut spending bc it's driving businesses out of the state.
Question to Marty Seifert: What is the plan to get more jobs. He bashes permitting process. Said he wants to roll back taxes.
What are the top five things state gov't does? Hann said public safety, transportation, education, welfare (good) of the state is preserved.
Davis said he supports the party platform except for 10% of it. Said he supports protection of the unborn and 2nd amendment.
Herwig said he filed because he could not see a person calling himself a conservative. We are the state that has the highest taxes. He bashes Tim Pawlenty for not being conservative enough. He gets some applause.
Phil Herwig said he's running because the "GOP agenda has not been realized." "They get elected and nothing has happened at all."
Kohls said "I'm the only candidate to come forward with a plan" to cut government."
Kohls said he has experience as a legislator and private sector experience. He called himself a "recovering lawyer."
Seifert also said he's the only candidate who is not taking money from lobbyists.
Marty Seifert said the party needs someone who is principled. He touts his leadership in the MN House. He said government will be smaller because of his success and Governor Pawlenty's vetoes.
Davis also said "don't underestimate me."
Davis is talking about his success as a businessman. "I am exactly what you need as your next governor."
Leslie Davis said no one on the podium can match his experience.
Hann also said "I can win the election next year." He said candidate needs to attract middle of the road voters. He said Obama won his district last year.
Hann says he wants to reform education. He said there is nothing more important than education. "We are failing our students," Hann said.
GOP state Sen Michael Jungbauer is not here.
Anderson said the state is at a crossroads. She touts her experience as mayor and as State Auditor. She also said she has business experience. Anderson also said there needs to be full structural reform of state government.
Former state Rep. Bill Haas said the next governor can not have "on the job training." He said the governor is going to have a lot of challenges. "I stand before you as a candidate who has experience. He said he passed more legislation and chaired more committees than the other candidates.
Emmer is first. He said the next governor has to have some outside perspective. Someone who has outside experience and knows how to meet a payroll. He also "said it's about passion."
First question: Why do you think you're the best person to be governor?
Forum is starting. MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton said the governor's seat will stay in GOP hands. He said activists can write questions that will be asked of the candidates.
A MNGOP staffer just asked if I saw GOP state Sen. Michael Jungbauer. Rumor has it he'll drop out this weekend.
State Sen. David Hann is touting his MN Taxpayer's League rating. Lit says "Highest lifetime score 94% from the Taxpayer's League of Minnesota of any of the candidates."
His lit also said he "continues to be an advocate from defining traditional marriage as one man, one woman at the State Legislature."
State Rep. Paul Kohls is giving out flyers to party activists. He touts that he has a 91% from the Taxpayer's League of MN. The lit also said Kohls has "some of the highest scores from conservative groups including the NRA and MCCL."
Former State Auditor Pat Anderson's lit says she's focusing on structural tax reform and the "redefinition" of government. The li also touts "individual liberty" and limited constitutional government in her #mn2010 lit. It's directed at Ron Paul backers.
GOP state Rep. Marty Seifert has a handout to activists touting experience and fundraising.
The lit piece says he raised "six figures" for the #mn2010 campaign. Key question is if the figure is closer to $100k or $1 million.
I'm attending the MNGOP candidate forum tonight in St. Paul. Former State Auditor Pat Anderson, Leslie Davis, state Rep. tom Emmer, former state Rep. Bill Haas, state Sen. David Hann, Phil Herwig, state Sen. Michael Jungbauer, state Rep. Paul Kohls and state Rep. Marty Seifert are participating. I'll try to liveblog (even though I'm awful at it).