Ramstad May Not Retire in MN-3

[Adlai Stevenson]

Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-MN) "is seriously reconsidering his previously announced decision to retire in 2008 and could reverse course and run for re-election," Roll Call reports.

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), "who is one of Ramstad’s closest friends in the House, said on Tuesday that Ramstad is indeed having second thoughts about his decision to leave the House. Ramstad and Kennedy have been champions of mental health parity legislation and the Rhode Island Democrat said the possibility that Congress could pass the legislation next year was weighing on Ramstad."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2007/12/19/ramstad_may_not_retire_in_mn3.html

[WalterMitty]

i hope he doesnt retire.  he is one of my favorite rrepresentatives.

[MarkWarner08]

i hope he doesnt retire.  he is one of my favorite rrepresentatives.

His role as a model legislator who works with both sides of the aisle is worth much than electing a Democrat to his spot.

The difference between 233 and 234 seats is minuscule, but the difference between a moderate Republican who is a champion of mental health and a robotic Democrat is huge.

[ilikeverin]

Drat.  And I was looking forward to an exciting election.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

He's reiterated again that he has "no plans" to run for reelection.

[Cubby]

Ramstad should stay. We don't want all the Republicans in MN to be defeated.

Defeating Michelle Bachmann should be the number one priority of the DFL next year in MN. Her election totally ruined the joy of defeating Mark Kennedy. I still can't believe that happened.

With the national political environment being what it is, we shouldn't have to worry too much about Wright, Anoka, etc. dragging the state into the R column.

[ilikeverin]

Ramstad should stay. We don't want all the Republicans in MN to be defeated.

Defeating Michelle Bachmann should be the number one priority of the DFL next year in MN. Her election totally ruined the joy of defeating Mark Kennedy. I still can't believe that happened.

With the national political environment being what it is, we shouldn't have to worry too much about Wright, Anoka, etc. dragging the state into the R column.

Yes we should.  Trust me, they're going Republican.  In fact, I'd say that Bachmann is one of the few candidates who could be defeated... she's just so stridently pro-Bush and conservative that they might throw her out just out of spite.  If she were somehow replaced with some vaguely sane person, the district would be safe Republican.

In my district, on the other hand, things are looking decent (not at all saying we're going to win, but... at least there will be a race)

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Counties like Wright, Sherburne, Carver, etc. aren't really much of a problem because they're easily outvoted. They're fast growing, but don't have enough population yet to be a huge factor.

Bush's margin of victory in District 2: 33,834
Bush's margin of victory in District 6: 54,973

Kerry's margin of victory in District 4: 82,154
Kerry's margin of victory in District 5: 144,621

So you see, the exurbs barely cancel out even St. Paul, and then you throw in Minneapolis and they're way way behind again.

[War on Want]

i hope he doesnt retire.  he is one of my favorite rrepresentatives.

His role as a model legislator who works with both sides of the aisle is worth much than electing a Democrat to his spot.

The difference between 233 and 234 seats is minuscule, but the difference between a moderate Republican who is a champion of mental health and a robotic Democrat is huge.

I have to agree.

[Cubby]

Ramstad should stay. We don't want all the Republicans in MN to be defeated.

Defeating Michelle Bachmann should be the number one priority of the DFL next year in MN. Her election totally ruined the joy of defeating Mark Kennedy. I still can't believe that happened.

With the national political environment being what it is, we shouldn't have to worry too much about Wright, Anoka, etc. dragging the state into the R column.

Yes we should.  Trust me, they're going Republican.  In fact, I'd say that Bachmann is one of the few candidates who could be defeated... she's just so stridently pro-Bush and conservative that they might throw her out just out of spite.  If she were somehow replaced with some vaguely sane person, the district would be safe Republican.

That was my problem last year. I know its a Republican district, but she is so far off the deep end it just boggles the mind that she could get elected and Kennedy defeated by such a large margin at the same time.

The MN 6th seems to be an island of Southern-type religious conservatism in a generally left wing region. Are people moving there directly from Atlanta and Fort Worth or something?

On a side note, James Oberstar doesn't seem to be as liberal as I thought. I know that Minnesota is more anti-gun control than its DFL voting history lets on, but why is he so strongly pro-life? If its personal convictions, does he represent how the district feels?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Bachmann's district is weird. She's actually from the least religiously conservative part of it, she only won her old State Senate seat by 4 points with less than 50%, was slaughtered in her home town, lost her State House district, and almost lost her county, and in fact would've lost it if the southern third wasn't in the 2nd district instead, which is the most Democratic part of the county. She didn't fit the area at all. Unfortunately the outer exurban counties didn't seem to mind her so much, those areas were fairly strong on religious fundamentalism before the sprawl came and it's seemed to keep that nature, plus when fundies from outstate Minnesota get jobs in the metro that's the area they'll move to.

As for Oberstar, he's what northern Minnesota is like, other than the somewhat socially liberal pocket of Duluth. Fits the district well. There's lots of blue collar Catholic Democrats, which is basically his roots. He's better than most southern Democrats on social issues though, when the Federal Marriage Amendment was becoming a big deal he came out against it and openly in favor of civil unions (and of course voted against it).

[Cubby]

As for Oberstar, he's what northern Minnesota is like, other than the somewhat socially liberal pocket of Duluth. Fits the district well. There's lots of blue collar Catholic Democrats, which is basically his roots. He's better than most southern Democrats on social issues though, when the Federal Marriage Amendment was becoming a big deal he came out against it and openly in favor of civil unions (and of course voted against it).

And here I am thinking all of Northern Minnesota is socially liberal. Guess I confused economic leftism in the Iron Range with the social kind. Guess I should be happy with Oberstar then.