What happened to the “override six” on election day? The half-dozen Republican legislators who crossed party lines to overturn Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of the transportation funding bill last February were immediately vilified within their own caucus. The Republican apostates were stripped of leadership positions and warned of vengeance at the ballot box.

Veteran GOP Reps. Kathy Tingelstad and Bud Heidgerken opted not to run again rather than face a messy battle for GOP support. On Tuesday, Tinglestad’s post in House District 49B was won by Democrat Jerry Newton by a comfortable 57-43 percent margin. Meanwhile Paul Anderson kept Heidgerken’s former seat in the GOP column, winning by a 16-point spread.

Two other member of the override six saw their political futures snuffed out at the ballot box. Rep. Neil Peterson, a two-term Republican moderate representing Bloomington, was denied endorsement by the party faithful as punishment for his vote on the transportation bill. He then lost a primary battle against the GOP-favored candidate, Jan Schneider. Republicans may now rue their decision to turn out Peterson, however. Schneider was defeated by Democrat Paul Rosenthal in Tuesday’s general election.

Rep. Ron Erhardt (pictured above), a nine-term Republican from Edina, suffered a more complicated downfall. After also being denied endorsement by party stalwarts, Erhardt opted to run as an independent. He faced strong opposition, however, from both Republican and Democratic challengers. Ultimately the GOP-endorsed candidate, Keith Downey, prevailed in a tight three-way contest.

Downey says he was motivated to run by more than just the incumbent’s support for the transportation-funding bill. “People who are in this district know that this was a long time coming,” he says. “There was a strong interest in having a new voice.”

But Erhardt believes the outcome doesn’t reflect the district’s political composition, which tends to be fiscally conservative but socially moderate. “We had two candidates that split the moderate vote and one that got all the nutcases,” he argues. “This guy wasn’t running on transportation funding. He was running as a Christian conservative.”

While Downey kept the seat in the GOP column this year, he will undoubtedly face spirited opposition in the next election cycle. “We’re definitely going to be looking at that race a lot in 2010,” says Adam Duininck, political director for the International Union of Operating Engineers, which supported Erhardt. Duininck argues that it was tough to get their message across to voters in a year when there was a presidential contest and two high-profile Congressional races. “It gets lost in the clutter,” he says. “Maybe 2010 will be a better chance.”

Erhardt isn’t certain if he’ll run again two years from now. But he pointedly isn’t throwing away his lawn signs either.

The final two members of the override six will be returning to the Capitol in January. Jim Abeler, who represents Anoka and Ramsey, was also denied endorsement by the party. But the local GOP activists narrowly voted not to officially back his primary challenger either. Abeler handily defeated his Republican opponent in September and went on to collect 65 percent of the vote in the general election.

“It helped me that nobody got endorsed, so the party didn’t feel the need to make an example out of me,” Abeler says. He notes that the GOP has lost 34 state House seats in the last two election cycles and argues that it’s time for the party to become less ideologically rigid. “That should have a softening affect, but I don’t think it’s having a softening affect,” he says. “I think our caucus would do well to listen to some people who have been able to draw from across the aisle.”

Rep. Rod Hamilton suffered the least political consequences for his support of the gas tax. The local Republican party endorsed him unanimously and he romped to a 60-40 victory on Tuesday. Hamilton attributes this lack of repercussions to discussions he had with constituents in southwestern Minnesota prior to the vote. “I asked them what they wanted me to do,” he recalls. “They said fight like heck for Highway 60 and vote for the bill.”

More than half a year after the fateful transportation vote, only two of the override six remain state legislators. Republicans continue to hold four of the seats, but Democrats picked up two posts.

In the most infamous incident, then-Preston Mayor David Pechulis furtively recorded a phone call during which Davids threatened to sue opponents of the tire-burning plant. The state legislator was particularly incensed about a letter that had recently run in the Republican-Leader newspaper accusing him of “slimeball politics.”

“That’s not acceptable,” Davids said during the phone call, as recounted in a 2004 City Pages cover story. “That’s lawsuit city.” Davids went on to threaten other member of the main group opposing the tire-burning plant, Southeastern Minnesotans for Environmental Protection (SEMEP), with litigation. “Does this SEMEP group have insurance?” Davids asked. “You better get some. This happens again, I’ll sue them. I’ve got good attorneys. Junkyard-dog-killing attorneys that will rip their eyes out and pee in their brains.”

The election proved to be one of the most tightly contested in the state, with Tschumper eking out a 52-vote upset victory. The triumph was one of many for Democrats in 2006, as they picked up 19 seats, giving the party a 85-49 majority. This year the DFL is hoping to add at least five more seats, establishing a veto-proof majority in the House, while Republicans will seek to stop the electoral bleeding.

Among this year’s marquee contests is a rematch between Tschumper and Davids in House District 31B. In the ensuing two years, Tschumper has developed a staunchly progressive legislative track record, while Davids is a largely doctrinaire conservative. “This is perhaps the most ideologically striking contest in the state,” says Sarah Janecek, publisher of Politics in Minnesota. “Ken Tschumper voted his liberal conscience, which is not necessarily the greatest politics for 31B.”

The Democrat has also picked up some baggage of his own. He’s twice been ticketed for allowing his cows to escape.

Tschumper v. Davids is perhaps the most intriguing rematch of the electoral season, but it’s far from the only one. There are at least seven other competitive state House contests that pit foes against each other for a second — or even third — time. Here’s a rundown of the electoral rematches from 2006:

House District 8B: Rep. Tim Faust (DFL) v. Judy Soderstrom (GOP). During the last two election cycles, voters in 8B have rendered a split decision in this contest. In 2004 Soderstrom retained her seat by less than 100 votes against first-time candidate Faust. But two years later the Democrat turned the tables, winning by a 52-48 percent margin. Now Soderstrom is hoping to regain her post at the Capitol. She argues that Faust’s vote to increase the gas tax doesn’t sit well with voters in the district. “I hear that all the time,” she says. “There’s a lot of people in our district that travel a long distance to their jobs.” Faust counters that he’s spoken to roughly 4,000 or 5,000 people in the district while campaigning this year and only a handful have been critical of the transportation bill. “To claim that there’s a huge pushback is certainly not correct,” he says. “If that’s the best issue they’ve got I feel pretty good.” 8B includes parts of Isanti, Kanabec and Pine counties, and is considered a swing district. In 2006 Amy Klobuchar took 54 percent of the vote in the U.S. Senate race, but Pawlenty narrowly defeated Mike Hatch in the gubernatorial contest.

House District 16A: Rep. Sondra Erickson (GOP) v. Gail Kulick Jackson. (DFL). The Democratic challenger is hoping that the third time is the charm. In 2004 Kulick Jackson took 44 percent of the vote, but two years later upped her margin to 49 percent, coming to within 500 votes of victory. Erickson (pictured) is a retired English teacher who has been her church’s organist for 34 years (according to Politics in Minnesota). Kulick Jackson is an attorney based in Milaca. 16A includes parts of Benton, Mille Lacs and Morrison counties, and is solidly Republican. Pawlenty defeated Hatch by 13 points in 2006, while President Bush bested John Kerry by 17 points two years earlier. One wildcard factor: the shenanigans of former GOP Rep. Mark Olson, who is running as a write-in candidate in Senate District 16. Will his behavior tarnish other Republican candidates in the area?

House District 30B: Rep. Andy Welti (DFL) v. Bill Kuisle (GOP). This is another race in which the candidates are facing each other on the ballot for the third time. The first two rounds went to Welti (pictured), who won by just over 700 votes in 2006. But Bruce Kaskubar, co-chair of the Olmsted County Republican Party, points out that Kuisle was suffering from colon cancer when he was ousted in 2004 and drowned in a nationwide Democratic tidal wave two years later. “Frankly I was surprised by that,” Kaskubar says. “I didn’t think our local Republicans deserved those coattails, but they got them in spades.” He argues that Kuisle is a better ideological fit for the district. “Welti votes with the left-leaning Democrats,” Kaskubar says. “Kuisle will vote for smaller government and low tax rates.” But while Olmsted County has traditionally been a GOP stronghold, in recent years it has trended strongly Democratic. All three state legislative spots in Senate District 30 are now held by DFL’ers. Lynn Wilson, chair of the Olmsted County DFL, doesn’t see that trend changing this election cycle. “Because of a lot of hard work, grassroots politics, people have learned they can have another voice down here and they have liked the opportunity to vote for Democratic representation,” she says. “Andy has won the trust of the same electorate twice. I think this district has shown where it wants to go and we intend to prove it again on November 4.”

House District 22B: Rep. Rod Hamilton (GOP) v. Richard Peterson (DFL). Hamilton was a member of the “override six” who voted to overturn Pawlenty’s veto of the transportation bill during the last legislative session. But unlike some of his GOP colleagues (most notably Rep. Neil Peterson, who was defeated in a primary contest), Hamilton (pictured) doesn’t seem to have paid much of a political price for straying from Republican orthodoxy. The vote has even helped him pick up endorsements from some labor groups such as Education Minnesota. Even so he’ll face a tough contest from third-time challenger Richard Peterson. The DFL’er has twice garnered at least 48 percent of the vote, but has so far failed to knock off his Republican nemesis. The district, which includes the Turkey Capital of the World, tilts slightly GOP. Pawlenty carried the area by four percentage points in 2006, while Bush won by an 11-point spread two years earlier. Few observers, however, believe Hamilton is in serious danger. “I would think that even if it’s a DFL blowout year that Rod Hamilton will be re-elected,” says Janecek, of Politics in Minnesota.

House District 26B: Rep. Patti Fritz (DFL) v. Otto Luknic (GOP). Fritz is used to repeat opponents. It took her two tries to knock off conceal-and-carry poster child Lynda Boudreau, succeeding in 2004. This year Fritz will face Luknic for the second consecutive election. Two years ago the Republican garnered 48 percent of the vote, falling roughly 500 votes short. The district, which is centered around Faribault, leans slightly Republican. While Klobuchar won the area handily in the 2006 senate contest, both Bush and Pawlenty have scored victories there in the last two election cycles. “It’s a tough district,” concedes Brandon Rettke, political action specialist for Education Minnesota, which is supporting Fritz. “It’s never going to be a safe district for her. But I think she’s going to pull it out.”

House District 2B: Rep. Brita Sailer (DFL) v. Doug Lindgren (GOP). This will be the third contest between Sailer and Lindgren. The Democrat squeaked out a 50-48 victory four years ago, but increased her margin to eight points in 2006. So it’s somewhat surprising that Lindgren is taking another crack at the post. Former House Speaker Steve Sviggum has called Sailer a “liberal, leftist extremist” and Republicans have clearly targeted the seat. But the northwestern district, which includes Park Rapids, will not be easy to swing. Hatch, for instance, won the area by six percentage points in 2006.

House District 50B: Rep. Kate Knuth (DFL) v. Lori Grivna (GOP). This open seat was tightly contested in 2006, with Knuth ultimately prevailing with 54 percent of the vote. Grivna is again running a vigorous campaign, but faces an uphill battle in a suburban area that leans Democratic. All three state legislative posts in Senate District 50 are currently held by DFL’ers. Few political observers view Knuth as facing much danger.

Al Franken will comfortably advance from today’s primary election to take on Norm Coleman in the U. S. Senate race. With more than 80 percent of the results in, Franken is carrying 67 percent of the vote in the seven-candidate field. His most credible challenger, attorney Priscilla Lord Faris, is currently garnering support from 29 percent of voters.

Dean Barkley will be joining Franken and Coleman on the ballot as the Independence Party candidate. The former Senator, having served briefly after the death of Paul Wellstone, is routing the seven-candidate field with more than 60 percent of the vote.

In House races, only Reps. Michele Bachmann and Keith Ellison faced primary opposition. Both incumbents are earning support from more than 80 percent of voters in results so far reported by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office.

A pair of House districts featured primary battles to determine who will take on the incumbent. In the most intriguing showdown, GOP-endorsed challenger Brian Davis currently leads state Sen. Dick Day by a 62-38 margin in the First Congressional District and will advance easily. Less interesting is the contest in the Seventh Congressional District, where Glen Menze and Alan Roebke are battling to see who will run against nine-term incumbent Collin Peterson.

There were a handful of intriguing state-legislative contests taking place today. It appears to be a split decision for the override six. Two-term incumbent Neil Peterson is paying the price for his vote to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of the transportation bill earlier this year, losing to GOP-endorsed challenger Jan Schneider by a 57-43 margin. Rep. Jim Abeler, however, is headed to the general election, carrying 64 percent of the vote.

Minneapolis Rep. Willie Dominguez is finished serving at the Capitol after just one term. He was trounced by challenger Bobby Joe Champion, who garnered the DFL endorsement. Meanwhile veteran Reps. Phyllis Kahn and Joe Mullery have handily beaten back intra-party challengers.

Finally it looks unlikely that Rep. Mark Olson — who was kicked out of the Republican caucus and denied endorsement after being arrested for domestic assault — will be headed to the state senate. He’s currently trailing Alison Krueger in a contest to see who will represent the GOP in the general election.

(Photo courtesy of cursedthing)

The lone challenger to receive the nonprofit group’s backing was Paul Rosenthal, who is looking to unseat two-term GOP incumbent Neil Peterson. The pair also squared off in 2006, with Rosenthal garnering 47 percent of the vote. Peterson is among the six GOP legislators who bucked their party to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of the transportation bill in February. The Republican party responded by endorsing Peterson’s GOP challenger, Jan Schneider. The GOP rivals will likely square off in a primary contest. 

All four candidates were backed by more than 85 percent of TakeAction’s members present at the screening. The only controversy stemmed from Rep. Madore’s support of an amendment requiring voters to show a valid state ID in order to vote. “I think that her vote in favor of a photo ID strikes at the heart of our democracy,” noted one member. The group’s board of directors is expected to sign off on the endorsement recommendations next week.

TakeAction Minnesota has become a significant political player in the last two state election cycles, helping DFLers take comfortable control of both legislative bodies. Democrats are within five votes of establishing a veto-proof majority in the House and hold a 44-23 advantage in the Senate.

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison was also endorsed for re-election by a unanimous voice vote. TakeAction Minnesota will hold four more screenings over the next two months.

By kicking them unceremoniously to the curb.

The Senate District 41 Republican endorsing convention was held on Saturday, and delegates from 41B endorsed Jan Schneider, an executive business consultant, over two-term State Rep. Neil Peterson. Schneider criticizes Peterson for voting with the DFL on the transportation bill override as well as the Twins Stadium bill and says on her Web site, “Republicans win when we provide an alternative – not an adjustment” to the DFL majority.  Peterson’s colleague from the other side of SD41, Ron Erhardt, was also punished in favor of Keith Downey.

Peterson told WCCO-TV that he would run in the GOP primary, while Erhardt said he wasn’t sure whether he would run in a primary or as an independent candidate. These two scenarios will play out in interesting ways for the incumbents, their Republican-endorsed challengers, and the DFL. DFL candidate Paul Rosenthal won 46 percent against Peterson in 2006. If he holds his 2006 votes and garners extra votes due to increased presidential turnout, he could benefit from a split Republican base. If the primary between Peterson and Schneider gets nasty, no matter who wins, some voters will be turned off and likely to stay home on Election Day. This is especially poignant given how late Minnesota’s primary date is — eight weeks between a September primary and the November general election isn’t much time to solidify one’s base and reach out to independents to build a winning coalition.

Peterson faced a primary in 2006, when a Republican challenger won about 33 percent of the primary vote.

Erhardt’s decision could carry even more weight. If he chooses to run as an independent, he can bypass the primary altogether and run in the general election. This would almost certainly cleave the Republican base in two, with some supporting the endorsed candidate, while others — those not as tightly engaged with the party apparatus and its endorsement — support the veteran representative. If Erhardt splits the Republican vote, and the DFL candidate (who has not yet been endorsed) wins, the DFL gets one vote closer to a veto-proof majority. If Erhardt wins, then a veteran legislator who’s willing to work in a bipartisan way to improve the general welfare returns to the House with few if any political debts to the Republican leadership. If Schneider wins (probably the least likely outcome, given Erhardt’s advantages as a well-known incumbent), then the Republican minority has moved itself even further to the right than it already finds itself, and no caucus membership numbers have really changed as a result of the race.

This would be a win-win-win for the DFL.

Elsewhere in the state, other override-supporting Republicans suffered as well: Jim Abeler was denied an endorsement (although no challenger was endorsed in his place), and a decision on whether to endorse Kathy Tingelstad was delayed. It’s clear that the Republican base is not happy with the Override Six — the question is whether the punishments they are meting out over the transportation bill override are ultimately in the best interests of their party.