Image: Kevinzhengli

Rasmussen Reports released some of the first polling numbers on Minnesota’s gubernatorial race on Thursday, finding that for the most part Minnesotans are undecided about who they like for governor. And with a diluted field for the DFL, no candidate did well against both of the top Republican candidates, Tom Emmer and Marty Seifert.

Mark Dayton and R.T. Rybak fared the best against Emmer, both beating him 38 percent to 35 percent. None of the DFL candidates bested Marty Seifert, though, but Rybak tied him at 38 percent.

Among Republicans candidates, Emmer had the best net favorable rating — 38 percent favorable and 26 percent unfavorable — but 36 percent said they weren’t sure how they felt about him. Seifert garnered the support of 41 percent polled, but 33 percent found him unfavorable. Twenty-seven percent were undecided.

Among DFLers, only Rybak (49 to 37 percent) and Tom Bakk (27 to 22 percent) had a net positive rating. Mark Dayton had the highest favorable rating with 44 percent, but an even higher unfavorable rating at 45 percent. Of those polled, 39 percent liked Margaret Anderson Kelliher, but 41 percent didn’t. Matt Entenza had similar numbers with 27 percent and 31 percent. Tom Rukavina had an even split with 27 percent approving and the same disapproving.

The group has falsely claimed that immigrants from Mexico are responsible for a record increase in cases of leprosy (also known as Hanson’s disease) and has campaigned to get Spanish-language radio stations shut down. Minn-SIR is a frequent poster in the online chat group Confederate Americans for Secure Borders.

Emmer, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, and Quist, who is seeking the Republican nod to run against Rep. Tim Walz, both received a rating of “A” on the group’s questionnaire. Also receiving top scores are: Sheldon Anderson, who’s running as a Republican for House district 17B; Paul Gazelka, who is trying to oust fellow Republican Sen. Paul Koering in Senate district 12; and James Engstrand, who’s also running for the Republican endorsement to face off with Walz.

Among the items on the questionnaire:

Do you believe that current legislation, be it a “Pathway to Citizenship,” “Guest worker program”, or “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” is nothing more than another Amnesty for those who have broken our immigration laws?

Do you believe that our Immigration System is broken due to NON enforcement of our immigration laws?

Our electoral process is a voice of the American people. Would you agree with the statement, that voting is a privilege not a right and that it should be reserved for American Citizens and Legal Residents only? And, that you would vote and advocate for legislation to ensure that those illegally in the Country do not vote?

Of politicians who have not answered its questionnaire, Minn-SIR founder Ruthie Hendrycks said in an email to supporters, “They are hiding behind the political correctness curtain or maybe their Mama’s aprons. It is the sort of political action or should I say – INACTION – that must stop.”

“It just didn’t look very likely that we would be able to make sufficient progress,” Hann said.

Politics in Minnesota points out that Hann could very well have a race on his hands to keep his Senate seat, noting that his Eden Prairie district has been trending toward the DFL in recent years and voted for Obama in 2008.

Hann said he hadn’t made a decision about who he’ll support for the Republican  gubernatorial ticket for governor, and both frontrunners, Tom Emmer and Marty Seifert, offered praise for Hann following his announcement.

Tom Emmer:

Senator Hann raised the level of debate in this race considerably. He articulates the conservative message in a manner that voters can understand better than almost anyone in our party. I am glad he’s running for reelection to the Senate so this voice won’t be lost.

Marty Seifert:

“There has been no stronger voice for our core conservative principles than Senator David Hann.
David’s first-rate intellect and deep understanding of policy issues is unmatched in the legislature. David has been a champion for meaningful education reform in Minnesota – there is no greater expert on education policy. David is proof that Republicans win in swing districts when we stick to our principles.

I have admired David’s courage on the campaign trail in expressing his values – pro-life, pro-family, and faith in God. David understands that the building blocks of a strong community are faith, family, and education – a sentiment I share. I wish David all the best and look forward to working with him in the future.”

The Emmer for State Representative campaign gave the Tom Emmer for Governor campaign $2,200 at the end of the year, according to both campaigns’ finance reports. The only legal way one campaign can give to another campaign, according to Minnesota campaign finance law, is for that campaign to terminate within 12 months or face a hefty fine.

From the relevant statute:

A principal campaign committee that makes a contribution to another principal campaign committee must provide with the contribution a written statement of the committee’s intent to dissolve and terminate its registration within 12 months after the contribution was made. If the committee fails to dissolve and terminate its registration by that time, the board may levy a civil penalty up to four times the size of the contribution against the contributing committee.

Ben Harper, finance director for Emmer’s gubernatorial campaign, told the Minnesota Independent, “He hasn’t made that decision yet.”

But when he does make his decision public, $8,800 could be in the balance. That’s the fine for violating campaign rules should he opt to run for the House again.

The bill would create identification cards that voters would apply for at county auditors’ offices.

“This would help to lessen the voter fraud in MN and keep our elections honest,” an email from the Minnesota Tea Party Patriots said. The group is urging Tea Partiers to contact their representative in order to get the bill passed out of committee.

Republicans have been trying –unsuccessfully– for years to tighten Minnesota’s voting laws. Minnesota has the highest voter turnout in the nation and outside observers have noted the elections here are also among cleanest in the country.

Clockwise from top left: Bakk, Rukavina, Rybak, Pawlenty, Emmer and Seifert

A straw poll results from Tuesday night’s political caucuses continue to trickle in, gubernatorial candidates RT Rybak and Margaret Anderson Kelliher are taking the top spot in the DFL, while Marty Seifert is garnering a large number of votes on the Republican side. Early results for the Independence Party show Tom Horner taking the lead, but voting for that straw poll will continue online until Feb. 28.

Turnout was generally low despite a large number of candidates vying for the seat soon to be vacated by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. But DFL turnout was a bit higher than the GOP’s, bucking pundits’ expectations that an energized GOP base in the wake of the Tea Party movement and a win by Scott Brown in the Massachusetts Senate race last month would deliver more GOP caucus-goers.

A number of the 26 or so gubernatorial candidates have responded to the straw poll results.

Iron Range DFLer Tom Bakk maintained a positive outlook despite placing 7th in the poll (8th including uncommitted) out of 11 candidates. “My campaign has continued to build momentum throughout the last year,” he said in a statement. “We have worked hard to gain the support of Minnesotans across the state and from Hallock to Houston County we are seeing the results. The straw poll results reinforced what we have known for months. There will be a number of strong candidates vying for the DFL endorsement at the convention in April.”

Tom Rukavina, who shares an Iron Range background with Bakk, fared a bit better in the straw poll, coming in 4th.

“I’m humbled and energized by last night’s results,” he said in a statement. “This goes to show that a little money and a big, refreshingly honest message has made me a contender at the DFL convention. When I entered this race last November, few people gave me a chance. Last night, we exceeded expectations, and I’m just getting going.”

Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak said his campaign appeared to be the straw poll winner with 80 percent of DFL caucuses reporting by mid-afternoon Wednesday. The campaign released a statement saying that Rybak had done well outside Minneapolis.

“[I]t shows that people are connecting with us in every corner of Minnesota, from Duluth to Hutchinson to Minnetonka to Eagan,” said Rybak. “We’ve been out meeting folks in every corner of our state, talking honestly about what we can accomplish together when we change our politics and put people and jobs first.”

Among GOP candidates, Marty Seifert barely won a majority votes among caucus-goers at 50.03 percent.

Seifert used the opportunity to slam DFLers:

It is amazing that nearly as many Republicans turned out for caucuses as Democrats last night. Just two years ago, DFL turnout was three times higher than Republican turnout. As I travel the state, it is clear that the DFL message of higher taxes, increased spending, and more government intrusion is falling flat with Minnesotans. Last night’s DFL caucus turnout confirms this.

He doesn’t note that a heated primary between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama may have had something to do with the record-breaking 2008 turnout.

Seifert continued, “At this point in the race, our campaign is the only GOP campaign with a statewide grassroots network and the financial resources necessary to wage an aggressive campaign for the endorsement and for the general election.”

Seifert’s primary competition, Tom Emmer, got 40 percent of the Republican vote. The Emmer campaign noted that “Emmer actually polled four points better than Governor Pawlenty did in 2002, going on to win the nomination against a better funded opponent.”

Emmer Campaign Manager David FitzSimmons said, “The race begins today. We are closing the gap and feel really good about our momentum as we head to the all-important delegate phase. These results exceeded our expectations.”

Elsewhere in Minnesota news this morning …

STATE CAPITOL: Tom Emmer feels Carol Molnau’s love. The lieutenant governor and former transportation commissioner flirted with running for governor herself; guv rival Marty Seifert finds favor among some other Republican women. [Politics in Minnesota; Hot Dish Politics]

DULUTH: Ness favors Rybak. Duluth’s boy mayor (he’s 36) likes Minneapolis’ boyish mayor best in the race for governor. [Duluth News Tribune]

STATEWIDE: DFL voter lists can’t stay out of trouble. This time they somehow got into the hands of Minneapolis police and firefighter PACs, who ravaged Rybak in a mailing to likely caucusers. [Star Tribune]

STATEWIDE: Norm Coleman will be back. And, says an editorial, he’ll bring his “reservoir of goodwill,” mark our words. [Forum Communications]

SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA: Governor calls out National Guard. Wind-whipped snow closed roads, stranding travelers.  [WCCO]

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA: Student shot. It happened outside his dorm. [Minnesota Daily]

Elsewhere in Minnesota news this morning …

OWATONNA: Al Franken stumps for Jason Engbrecht. Massachusetts’ isn’t the only special senate election. [Waseca County News]

MINNEAPOLIS: Something besides benefit concerts. Freelance musicians can get annual checkups through new program. [Workday Minnesota]

MARSHALL: Marty Seifert preens. He’s on top among GOP guv candidates now that Coleman’s out. [Star Tribune]

DELANO: Tom Emmer begs to differ. He’s working his University of St. Thomas connections to close the gap with Seifert. [Politics in Minnesota]

MINNEAPOLIS: Teamsters back Mark Dayton. It’s his second union endorsement; six DFL guv candidates can lay claim to labor support.  [Politics in Minnesota; Polinaut]

STATEWIDE: Everything’s earlier on electoral calendar. And Seifert can’t wait for the State Fair. [Minnesota Public Radio]

Bradlee Dean

“Homosexuality is against the law in the United States,” says Bradlee Dean, the head of the “punk rock” ministry You Can Run But You Cannot Hide, which brings its overtly religious message to public schools at taxpayer expense. Therefore, he concludes, the appointment by Barack Obama of Minneapolis’ Sharon Lubinski, a lesbian, as a U.S. Marshal is illegal.

On his radio show on AM 1280 The Patriot on Saturday, Dean said, “Sodomy is against the law in the United States. Homosexuality is against the law in the United States.”

“…But, what did Obama do and Amy Klobuchar do? They nominated Sharon Lubinski to the U.S. Marshal in the state of Minnesota,” he continued. “Not only is she the first woman, but she is the first lesbian to serve in such a position. Again folks, this is against the law.”

A bit later, he chides Gov. Tim Pawlenty for not stopping the Lubinski appointment:

“Why are these laws not being enforced? Why was a lesbian just nominated for the U.S. Marshal nominated for the U.S. Marshal on your watch? Don’t sit there and tell me you don’t have any power to do anything about it. You have all the power to do something about it.”

Dean’s ministry has plenty of political support from big names in Pawlenty’s party. U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann has been involved in You Can Run fundraising efforts, and GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer was among attendees at the group’s most recent fundraiser. Congressional candidate Allen Quist and Republican Mary Kiffmeyer, former secretary of state, are among the organization’s backers.

Lubinski, sworn in Friday, is widely believed to be the first openly lesbian Marshal in U.S. history.

Listen:

ST. PAUL: Public-employees union knows what to cut: political appointees’ jobs. [Workday Minnesota]

STATE CAPITOL: Budget talks. Today is the day Gov. Pawlenty agreed to meet with DFL leaders on the state budget. [Associated Press]

STATEWIDE: Don’t run, Norm. Former Minnesota GOP Party Chair Ron Eibensteiner says Norm Coleman should butt out of the race to replace Pawlenty. [Star Tribune]

ST. CLOUD: It’s between him and his god. The man who posted anti-Muslim cartoons outside a mosque and a Somali-owned store won’t face charges. [St. Cloud Times]

MINNEAPOLIS AND DELANO: More candidates say what they got. Gubernatorial hopefuls Paul Thissen and Tom Emmer raised $370,000 and $115,000, respectively, last year. [Politics in Minnesota]

MINNEAPOLIS: House speaker raised $254,000 in 2009. Margaret Anderson Kelliher still faces a hearing Tuesday on charges she violated campaign-finance laws. [Polinaut]