Minnesota Independent » Tom Scheck http://minnesotaindependent.com News. Politics. Media. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:22:23 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 PoliTweeps: From financial disclosures to a general’s love of Bud Lite Lime http://minnesotaindependent.com/60649/politweeps-from-financial-disclosures-to-a-generals-love-of-bud-lite-lime http://minnesotaindependent.com/60649/politweeps-from-financial-disclosures-to-a-generals-love-of-bud-lite-lime#comments Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:15:41 +0000 Paul Schmelzer http://minnesotaindependent.com/?p=60649 Political tweets are all over the place these days, with comments ranging from GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer’s apparent refusal to disclose financial information to Mayor RT Rybak’s sweaty visits to a Northeast Minneapolis parade and Rock the Garden…]]> Political tweets are all over the place these days, with comments ranging from GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer’s apparent refusal to disclose financial information to Mayor RT Rybak’s sweaty visits to a Northeast Minneapolis parade and Rock the Garden concert to Tim Walz’s campaign manager remarking about the biggest bombshell in Rolling Stone’s expose on Gen. McChrystal — his choice in beer.

—Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio reporter

—Republican Party of Minnesota

—Colin Lee, DFL candidate for state House (District 36A), Lakeville, referencing a recent Emmer comment

—Richard Carlbom, campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Tim Walz

—Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak

—The Minnesota Independent

]]> http://minnesotaindependent.com/60649/politweeps-from-financial-disclosures-to-a-generals-love-of-bud-lite-lime/feed 0 Pawlenty expected to bow out of 2010 contest http://minnesotaindependent.com/36049/pawlenty-expected-to-bow-out-of-2010-contest http://minnesotaindependent.com/36049/pawlenty-expected-to-bow-out-of-2010-contest#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:09:04 +0000 Paul Demko http://minnesotaindependent.com/?p=36049 Tim Pawlenty will announce whether he plans to seek a third term as governor this afternoon. The early word: he’s not running for re-election. Both WCCO (Channel 4)  political reporter Pat…]]> pawlentyTim Pawlenty will announce whether he plans to seek a third term as governor this afternoon. The early word: he’s not running for re-election. Both WCCO (Channel 4)  political reporter Pat Kessler and Minnesota Public Radio’s Tom Scheck cite sources that indicate Pawlenty has decided against seeking a third term and is dialing up national Republican leaders to deliver the news.

Running for re-election in 2010 would be a risky proposition for Pawlenty. He’s twice won office with less than 50 percent of the vote, and in 2008 he benefited from the implosion of Democrat Mike Hatch’s campaign in the final week before election day.

Furthermore, it’s unknown what kind of political blowback Pawlenty will receive once the dust has settled on the state’s ongoing budget problems. Early polling by SurveyUSA suggested that the Republican governor came out of the session with reasonably good prospects for re-election. But that’s before he unilaterally cuts roughly $1 billion from the budget. Losing a re-election bid would almost certainly derail Pawlenty’s national political ambitions.

Speculation will now turn to who will fill the gubernatorial void for the GOP. It’s likely to be a crowded field. Some names expected to be in the mix: former U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad, former Pawlenty chief of staff Charlie Weaver, House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, former House Speaker Steve Sviggum, state Rep. Laura Brod and state Sen. Julie Rosen.

Pawlenty’s decision will also undoubtedly ramp up speculation that he’s going to run for president in 2012.

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