Inside the smoke-free room of SD44

The SD44 BPOU convention on March 24 pretty much filled the upper level of the cafeteria at Wayzata High School. Like the first day of spring training, the convention offered an opportunity to reconnect with old and new friends, start with a clean slate, and enjoy the optimistic feeling you get before the first game of the season is played. The parliamentarian geek in me enjoys hearing credentials committee reports, voting on temporary rules of the convention, and looking up the order of precedence of motions, but part everyone actually enjoys is the camaraderie and talking politics.

Tom Gerrety was elected BPOU chair, hopefully to build on previous chair Larry Thompson's recent successes in the areas of fundraising, organization, and candidate support. Jim Unterseher is the new BPOU treasurer, and Geoff Shipsides will serve as secretary. Six vice-chairs were also elected to the board. The full board of directors and all delegates and alternates to the GOP Congressional District and state conventions are listed on SD44's new website at www.sd44gop.org.

BPOU favorite son and District 7 Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson told delegates that at the end of his first term, his view that the county has more than enough money has not wavered. As the latest piece of evidence, Johnson pointed to the $25 million purchase of the 18-story office tower at 701 4th Avenue South. It made Hennepin County, what the seller might call a "motivated buyer" in the transaction, the first county in Minnesota to enter the commercial leasing business, in direct competition with the private sector. Johnson says that the county must lease 150,000 square feet — over half the total — to private tenants or operate at a loss. The county's purchase also removed it from the property tax rolls, increasing the burden on the rest of downtown Minneapolis. You can read more about this 11th Golden Hydrant Award winner (and the other ten) at Johnson's Hennepin County Taxpayer Watchdog blog.

As a frequent lone vote on the board, Jeff Johnson could use an ally. The Twin Cities Daily Planet reports that there are now five candidates for the Hennepin County board to replace the retiring District 2 Commissioner Mark Stenglein ("Five up for Hennepin County post so far," March 11, 2012). They are a member of the Minneapolis School Board, a five-term DFL state senator, a former policy aide to Stenglein, a Northwest Hennepin Human Services board member, and Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels. Something tells me that there will be more Golden Hydrant Awards in the county's future. Johnson is also running for re-election this year — throw the Watchdog a bone at his campaign web site.

Endorsement candidate for U.S. Senate Kurt Bills gave the most rousing speech of the day. The first-term state representative and high school teacher from Rosemount wowed delegates with an impassioned defense of conservative values, a perspective of unions from his memberships in labor and teachers unions, and a mission to bring "Econ 101" to Washington. His credentials include serving on the Rosemount City Council and on the Minnesota House Taxes, Education Finance, and Capital Investment committees.

After his speech, Bills quickly took the microphone back and admitted that his wife had just given him a sharp elbow, telling him that he forgot to end his speech by repeating his name to the west metro delegates. He repeated his name, to laughter and applause. Judging by the several well-wishers who subsequently approached him and took away a piece of campaign literature, all was forgiven.

Rep. Sarah Anderson (R-Plymouth), who represents the old HD43, touted the Republican-controlled legislature's successful effort to turn last year's $5.2 billion state budget deficit into this session's over $800 million surplus. She also pointed to the Republican House Caucus's Reform 2.0 initiatives that she hopes to help to advance if reelected. Anderson ended by publicly (and belatedly, at her admission) recognizing her number one supporter and campaign volunteer: her husband.

Third District Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN3) discussed the need to repeal the medical device tax and the Obamacare legislation. Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek reported on the continued decline in violent crime in the county, and state-of-the-art technology that is reducing costs and more swiftly bringing criminals to justice.

Counting the numerous ballots for BPOU officers and delegates is always time-consuming. As a teller, I hope that a future convention will use machine-read or computerized balloting, at least for the Congressional district and state conventions delegate election. This year's manual tally with computer spreadsheet support in the delegate elections wrapped up around 4:00 pm, long after just about everyone else had emerged into the bright sunlight to enjoy the rest of an unseasonably warm Saturday in March.

Gaither to challenge Bonoff in SD44

The former Republican state senator from Plymouth, David Gaither, will challenge incumbent Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka) in SD44 (the former SD43). Gaither was the incumbent in SD43 until then-Governor Tim Pawlenty named the freshman senator his chief of staff in 2005. Gaither was endorsed by acclamation at Saturday's BPOU convention at Wayzata High School in Plymouth.

In a demonstration of unity, Gaither yielded the floor during his acceptance speech to previously-declared SD44 endorsement candidate Norann Dillon. Dillon told the convention that she withdrew her candidacy because she did not want to be used as "an excuse" by some for a continued rift in the BPOU. The conservative activist will manage the campaign of Mark Stefan, who was endorsed to run against Rep. John Benson (DFL-Minnetonka) in HD44B. Dillon has always been politically involved to advance a conservative agenda, not personal ambition. On Saturday she showed this again with grace and class.

In his endorsement candidate speech, Gaither hit the right notes with delegates, starting with his community roots as a  Wayzata High School alumnus and a youth football program coach, member of the Wayzata public school district's Citizens Financial Advisory Council, member of the Plymouth Planning Commission, children in the Wayzata schools and Providence Academy, his wife on the Wayzata School Board, executive in the private and not-for-profit sectors. Gaither was also assistant minority leader in the Minnesota Senate.

Gaither's statements about equal opportunity over equal outcomes and his pledge to wage a war of ideas and facts also resonated with delegates.

Contrary to stereotypes portrayed by the DFL and media, what Republicans may not be able to match is the apparently unlimited source of money from wealthy donors like Alida Messinger (who was mentioned by name a couple of times at the convention), state-protected labor unions, and Alliance for a Better Minnesota. Instead, said Gaither, Republicans must win by making the case to Minnesota voters with better ideas rooted in the principles of The Founders, individual responsibility, and government that lives within its means.

The majority caucus in the Minnesota Senate will need all the help it can get to retain its majority, not to mention recover from a season of scandal and advance the conservative agenda. If the Ron Paul and Tea Party supporters in Dillon's brigade join with BPOU activists from the former SD33, a rejuvenated SD44, and Gaither's get-er-done, pragmatic A-Team, Gaither will be a force to be reckoned with in 2012 and beyond.

Dillon would be new sheriff in town

Norann Dillon is running for the Republican endorsement for State Senate in SD44 (relatively unchanged from its SD43 boundaries prior to this year's redistricting court ruling).

"My priorities are to pass a truly balanced budget without borrowing, shifts or other accounting gimmicks," said Dillon in an e-mail to SD44 delegates. "We also need to reduce the tax and regulatory burdens on employers. Together, these changes will signal certainty to the marketplace and should restore the confidence needed for investment and expansion.

"Additionally," added Dillon, "let's simplify the funding and mandates on local school boards to return more control to the people best placed to judge the values and needs of the children in their communities."

The eventual Republican candidate for Senate will face Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka).

The SD44 BPOU will have to get past some contentious intramural battles if it hopes to turn its full attention and energy to defeating Bonoff and Rep. John Benson (DFL-Minnetonka), who represents the southern "B side" of the district. A campaign lit miscue by Dillon in 2010 involving former Governor Al Quie and the resignation in 2011 of Brian Grogan as BPOU chair left party regulars split and newcomers bewildered.

SD44 convenes its 2012 BPOU convention at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 24 at Wayzata High School in Plymouth.

Grassroots cultivated at caucus

Some folks showed up over an hour before our precinct caucus was called to order Tuesday night. Either they were excited to vote in the presidential straw poll, or they relied on a postcard they received with the incorrect time shown! By 7:00 pm, when state law dictates the caucus is to be called to order, our convener had misplaced his agenda which specifies several items that must be addressed, also per state law. The room where we met had no American flag, but fortunately our convener brought a desk-sized flag for just that contingency.

The rest of the caucus went much more smoothly!

Our voting in the presidential straw poll reflected the statewide totals: Rick Santorum, 23 votes; Ron Paul, 15; Mitt Romney, 10; Newt Gingrich, 4. If anyone wondered whether the Tea Party is still relevant in Minnesota (or Missouri or Colorado), there's your answer.

We had over fifty persons sign in, plus one observer. In non-presidential election year caucuses, attendance is sometimes so low that we can't elect our allotted number of delegates. No such problem this year: we elected a full roster of delegates and alternates, who will represent our precinct at the first post-redistricting BPOU (Senate district) convention in March.

The youngest attendee will turn 18 in time to vote in November. Several Vietnam veterans were there, as was a Russian immigrant who fled Communism—only to encounter, to his chagrin, ever-growing statism from both American political parties. I recognized many from previous years, but as always there were also many first-time caucus goers.

Judging by the conversations, the top issues that brought folks out on Tuesday night seemed to be election integrity, the national economy, the right to life, and right-to-work. We had so many sign up to be election judges that we had to use a couple of pages from a yellow legal pad when the printed sign-up sheets were full.

In addition to the presidential candidates, several local candidates had letters, literature, or signs at our caucus: Congressman Erik Paulsen, Rep. Sarah Anderson, state Senate candidate Norann Dillon, and Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek.

Resolutions to the party platform were mercifully few this year. My resolution to greatly streamline the platform failed on a close vote that required a division of the house. A resolution calling for a constitutional amendment to make Minnesota a right-to-work state also failed on a close voice vote. While I recognize the need for a party platform, I find the current platform too long and detailed, and the resolutions part of the convention agenda a marathon exercise in contentious hair-splitting.

Our biggest challenges will be, as always, fundraising and volunteer recruiting, and forming a new BPOU after the redistricting maps are released (by February 21). It seemed on Tuesday that there is enough dissatisfaction with President Obama and the economy, and positive energy from the Tea Party, to keep the grassroots fed and energized through the next nine months of conventions and campaigns.

Precinct caucus survival guide

The 2012 campaign season officially begins in Minnesota next Tuesday, February 7, at ground level with the grassroots of the political parties: the precinct caucuses.

I love senate district-level politics, but few people actually want to go to their precinct caucus. Judging by the plethora of YouTube videos on how to attend a precinct caucus for Democrat candidates going back for years, the Democrats and unions seem to be doing their best to get their folks out of the house every election cycle. That's because the caucuses are a prime opportunity to identify campaign volunteers, get their cell phone numbers and Twitter handles, and mobilize them for the long ground game to Election Day.

Plato once said that one of the penalties for not getting involved in politics is that you become governed by your inferiors; or as many have said, in a democracy, the people get the government they deserve. If you are a conservative or libertarian who sat out the 2008 presidential election because you couldn't bear to vote for John McCain, or the 2010 election because you couldn't stomach Tom Emmer, how is that working out for you?

Since clearly the world is run by those who show up to the meetings, what do you need to know to influence the 2012 elections on caucus night? I thought you'd never ask!

1. Figure out where to go. The Minnesota Secretary of State's office has an interactive precinct caucus page that helps you locate your caucus location, probably a school or church in your neighborhood. It's a good idea to bring this page with you in a printout or on your mobile device, because it will list your precinct number.
2. Show up early. Caucuses for all parties in Minnesota will begin at 7:00 pm, but registration will begin around an hour before that to allow everyone to get registered. Aside from my earlier comment about people not wanting to attend their caucus, 2008 was a record-breaker, straining parking lots, site capacities, and volunteers. My senate district's precincts will be split among three sites on caucus night to accommodate the anticipated attendance.
3. Get engaged. Meet your neighbors. Help party volunteers get your name and contact information updated.Volunteer for something.

The main events for the evening will be a Presidential straw poll (which, unlike a primary election, will have no bearing on how delegates are allocated to the candidates), electing delegates to the senate district convention, and debating changes to the party platform. See the always informative Senate District 42 website for more on what to expect on caucus night.

By getting involved in the 2012 campaigns, you'll help influence and elect the candidates you believe in, meet some very interesting and informed people, and have a lot of fun. It all starts on Tuesday.