Rep. Keith Ellison got some cheers and some jeers in editorial pages this week, as pundits put their spin on politics at the end of the year. The Nation called him the “most valuable representative,” while the Star Tribune’s Jon Tevlin told him to pack his bags and move to New York. Tevlin gave Reps. Michele Bachmann and James Oberstar their marching orders as well.
Rep.-elect Chip Cravaack told the Duluth News Tribune that he will not serve more than four terms in Congress and says he’s concerned he might only get one. Cravaack is the first Republican to represent the 8th Congressional District since World War II and made term limits a part of his campaign. His predecessor, Rep. James Oberstar, held the seat for 36 years.
Rep. James Oberstar, chair of the powerful House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, had big plans for transportation in the nation, and in Minnesota in particular: a proposed high-speed rail line from St. Paul to Chicago and a high speed rail line from Minneapolis to Duluth, to name but two. But how well will these projects fare after the 18-term congressman’s defeat last week and a shifting of leadership in Congress?
Religious right groups in Minnesota and around the country said that Tuesday’s landslide victories for Republicans were due to their efforts — and they might be right. Anti-abortion groups claim they ousted incumbents who were previously “pro-life” but voted for health care reform, which the groups inaccurately stated will fund abortions. And massive anti-gay marriage campaigns throughout Minnesota preceded losses by same-sex marriage supporters at the Legislature.
“I go in peace of mind and heart but with sadness,” Rep. James Oberstar told reporters at a press conference in Duluth Wednesday as he tried to hold back tears. “I loved the opportunity to serve the people of this district.” Oberstar, the longest serving member of Congress in Minnesota’s history, was defeated by Republican Chip Cravaack by a margin of fewer than 2 percent.
A KSTP/SurveyUSA poll released Friday evening has Rep. James Oberstar ahead by just 1 percent over Republican challenger Chip Cravaack: Oberstar took 47 percent to Cravaack’s 46 percent, with 7 percent undecided. Oberstar’s communications director John Schadl criticized the poll: “Survey USA’s methods generally swing anywhere from two to six additional points to Republican candidates in a given race,” he said. A two- to six-point range is far from the 35 points Oberstar won by two years ago.
With a week before the election, major daily newspapers and high-profile officials are making their picks for Nov. 2. Democratic state Sen. Tarryl Clark and U.S. Rep. Tim Walz both grabbed endorsements from the state’s largest newspaper on Sunday, while Independence Party candidate for governor Tom Horner gained the support of the Pioneer Press. Walz also got the nod from Republican former Gov. Arne Carlson over the weekend, while GOP candidate Chip Cravaack picked up the endorsement of the Duluth paper.
National anti-abortion groups are targeting Rep. James Oberstar with a series of mailings criticizing his support for health care reform. The groups point to Oberstar’s vote for the Affordable Health Care and Patient Protection Act of 2010 to claim he supports federal funding for abortion and therefore is no longer “pro-life.” But as fact-checkers have pointed out, health care reform does not include federal funding for abortion.
A Tuesday debate in Duluth spotlighted the excitement that Republicans are feeling as they try to unseat Rep. James Oberstar, an 18-term congressman who has won reelection with more than 59 percent of the vote for decades. The crowd was raucous, repeatedly interrupting the candidates, and Oberstar’s barbs at the audience have become soundbites for the national media. Oberstar has ramped up his campaigning in the district, while his opponent, Republican Chip Cravaack, is even taking heat from some conservatives for being too liberal.
Citing Rep. James Oberstar’s support for the federal health care reform law, the anti-abortion group Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life pulled its support from the incumbent congressman and announced it’s backing Republican Chip Cravaack. MCCL says the health care reform bill funds abortions, but Oberstar points out that’s not the case.
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
