Minnesota Independent

Franken, Klobuchar, Madia press for DADT repeal

By Andy Birkey | 11.19.10 | 11:31 am

Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar pushed for a repeal of the military’s ban on openly serving gays and lesbians on Thursday and urged the U.S. Senate to pass a defense authorization bill that contains a repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” At the same time, former congressional candidate Ashwin Madia is using his new position as head of VoteVets to get a ban passed during the lame duck session.

Pawlenty PAC funds homies as Paulsen rival unveils radio ad

By Chris Steller | 01.04.10 | 12:52 pm

Gov. Pawlenty’s national ambitions haven’t led his political action committee, Freedom First, to forget his fellow Republicans on the home front in Minnesota. In an email to supporters, the PAC says it has donated to U.S. Reps.…

Meffert signs on for ‘culture’ war to unseat Paulsen

By Chris Steller | 12.01.09 | 1:32 pm

Updated: Something worth fighting for: “a culture that says helping our neighbors in difficult times is a good thing.” That’s the credo of DFLer Jim Meffert, who officially announced Tuesday he will make a run at unseating first-term U.S. Rep.…

AM.MN: GOP shuns the hyphenated-name vote

By Chris Steller | 10.20.09 | 8:30 am

“Is the door closed? No it’s not,” State Sen. Terri Bonoff said to Minnesota Public Radio’s Polinaut yesterday, clarifying what the DFLer told the Minnesota Independent last week about another run for Congress in the Third District: “The…

AM.MN: No one said merchandising Michele Bachmann would be easy

By Chris Steller | 10.13.09 | 8:30 am

Two ventures that commodify U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann are demonstrating just how demanding the market can be in a down economy. The maker of a Bachmann action figure complains they’re not selling like hotcakes — or even…

Bonoff still weighing challenge to Rep. Paulsen

By Paul Demko | 08.19.09 | 4:58 pm

Terri Bonoff is not running for Congress — yet. But the Democratic state senator, who lost a tough endorsement battle to Ashwin Madia in 2008, is seriously considering a challenge to freshman Republican Rep. Erik Paulsen. “I’m certainly not being lighthearted about it,” Bonoff says. “I love public service and I have a lot of work to do, whether it be for this state or at the national level.”

Pelosi’s visit links her first Frisco days, recent Republican razzing over Gitmo

By Chris Steller | 06.07.09 | 9:45 am

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s visit to an American Indian jobs center in Minneapolis today carries special (if little-known) resonance with either end of her political career, from the time she arrived in what later became her California…

Paulsen vulnerable in 2010, but no Dems challenging yet

By Paul Demko | 05.29.09 | 12:05 pm

Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District is one of two 2010 House races that analysts view as competitive in the state. But whether the district attracts significant attention — and money — from Democrats will probably hinge on how strong a challenger emerges.

Paulsen campaign paid his wife, nicked Dem rival for not having one

By Chris Steller | 05.13.09 | 3:04 pm

U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen’s campaign paid his wife more than $10,000 in the last five months of 2008, according to Federal Election Commission records. (No such revelations about his DFL opponent, a bachelor.)

Ashwin Madia campaigns again — this time for an end to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

By Chris Steller | 03.05.09 | 4:17 pm

Ashwin Madia’s campaign for Congress ended on Election Day with his loss to Erik Paulsen in Minnesota’s Third District. This week the former Marine embarked on another campaign: overturning the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.