Ramstad

U.S. Reps. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.) and Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) won passage of legislation requiring health insurance companies to cover mental illnesses just as they cover physical ailments. The House on Tuesday approved the Sen. Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act by a vote of 376 to 47.

This post relies on reporting by my Minnesota Monitor teammate Joe Bodell as well of my own.

There’s a fresh wave of discussion in Washington and Minnesota of the possibility that U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad may change his annnounced plans to retire and seek another term. A very good source of mine has stated that this [...]

To the surprise of no one, state Sen. Terri Bonoff, D-Minnetonka, officially entered the race for the Third District congressional seat currently held by Republican Jim Ramstad.

Surrounded by friends and family, in a well-staged event at Hopkins High School, Bonoff paid tribute to Ramstad, described herself as a fiscal moderate/conservative and social liberal, and roughed [...]

Signs point to yes: U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad has left the door open to retracting his retirement announcement.  If he does, it will be a blockbuster development in Minnesota politics with possible consequences in the national race for Congress. (And it would mess up several folks who were preparing to run for the open 3rd [...]

The Associated Press is reporting that U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad will shortly announce that he will not seek another term.

Ramstad, 61, a moderate Republican representing the suburban Third Congressional District, is in the middle of his ninth term. Ramstad, who once described himself to me jokingly as a RINO (that’s “Republican in name only) was [...]

It’s been two months since the November elections. The new Congress has been at work for almost two weeks, and after many long years has finally passed a bill authorizing the federal government to negotiate with drug companies on behalf of Medicare recipients. “Foul!” cry many Republicans. “It’s anti-competitive! Socialist! Contrary to free market principles!”

“Now [...]