A Closer Look at MN 2

By Jeff Fecke
Friday, October 27, 2006 at 12:00 am

The second congressional district was not projected to be the closest race in Minnesota this year, and it has not been; incumbent Rep. John Kline has been reasonably safe in this largely conservative district since beating Bill Luther in 2002. But the Democrats have had an intriguing challenger in former FBI agent and 9/11 whistleblower Coleen Rowley, who has run a spirited campaign. While this race is still not the barnburner that, say, MN 1 and MN 6 are, it is not without drama; a recent poll shows Rowley trailing Kline by just 8%.

The tightness of the race has led to a bit of dreaming by Democrats in the second. 2006 may be the best chance they’ll have to oust Kline until the district lines are redrawn in 2012. And the tightness has also been reflected in a series of of attacks, most notably from the Kline campaign–which has run a series of ads attacking not just Rowley, but her campaign staffers. The Kline campaign has come under its own attacks for its own staffer’s filmed use of a racial epithet.

But for all the rancor, the second will be decided on the issues. Here’s a look at where Kline and Rowley stand.

Rep. John Kline, GOP, incumbent

Energy: Supports drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as drilling offshore. Supports Federal assistance for the purpose of promoting ethanol and other biofuels.

Iraq War: Has voted against immediate withdrawal from Iraq and setting a timetable for withdrawl from Iraq.

Social Security: Supported President Bush’s plan to partially privatize social security.

Health Care: Supports Health Savings Accounts. Opposes greater government role in health care.

Immigration: Voted in favor of House bill to build a wall on the border. Opposed Senate bill that would have offered limited amnesty to some illegal aliens. Believes English should be America’s official language to “make sure the melting pot melts.”

Coleen Rowley, DFL

Energy: Opposes drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. “It’s not a real solution. It will take five, six, seven years for us to use that oil, and it will fuel the United States for a couple, or maybe just a few months.” Supports research on alternative fuels.

Iraq War: Supports a phased withdrawal, placing troops in Kurdistan and Kuwait, “just over the horizon.” “We need to disavow a magic bullet, ‘cakewalk’ plan…It didn’t exist [before the Iraq invasion], and it doesn’t exist now.”

Social Security: Suports raising the $90,000 cap on taxable wages to finance Social Security.

Health Care: Supports universal health care, expanded prescription drug coverage under medicare, funding of stem cell research.

Immigration: Supports establishing English as an official national language. Supports a guest worker program similar to that proposed by President Bush. Supports the McCain-Kennedy bill passed by the U.S. Senate.

Other notes: Kline issued fliers attacking Rowley aide David Bailey for his support of legalizing drugs. Rowley, who opposes legalizing drugs, stood by Bailey, asking, “Why would you even imply that people in your campaign should be in lockstep with you?”…Kline aide Michael Osskopp also came under fire after he was captured on tape referring to Japanese cars as “Jap cars.” Osskopp, who works as Kline’s District Director, was forced to apologize….There have been only two polls released in the second, both by SurveyUSA. In September, Kline led Rowley 55% to 35%, in October, the margin had shrunk to 50%-42%.