Lisa Fobbe (DFL) took the oath of office on Friday to become the next state senator from Senate District 16. Congratulations, Lisa!
As your State Senator, I will work to help establish more affordable health care, safer roads and bridges and to reverse the dangerous trend of short changing Minnesota's public education system.
Working together we can make a difference.
Lisa Fobbe
I have only met Lisa once, at an open forum with other DFL candidates, but can say without hesitation that she has the knowledge and skills to do well for the people of her district. However, she will have to work hard to gain the support of her very red district.
The St. Cloud Times is reporting that after initial recounts in both the SD16 and HD16A races, both Lisa Fobbe (DFL) and Gail Kulick-Jackson (DFL) have come away victorious.
Fobbe, a Princeton school board member, saw her final margin narrow by one vote over Big Lake Republican Alison Krueger, to 84 votes in a Senate District 16 special election to replace Betsy Wergin.Kulick Jackson, a Milaca attorney, saw her final margin narrow by five votes over Rep. Sondra Erickson, R-Princeton, to an identical 84 votes in their House District 16A race.Once certified, the results would cement a 40-seat DFL majority in the House of Representatives and a 25-seat DFL supermajority in the Senate.
These are particularly gratifying pick-ups given that the area that they now represent is notably conservative. So conservative, in fact, that the Republican Party in the area was willing to turn a blind eye to spousal abuse in order to get their two time endorsed candidate. Their task now will be to govern in a manner centrist enough to keep the seats from quickly returning to the conservative column.
The word on the street, well according to my right wing nemesis Gary Gross, is that Mary Kiffmeyer will challenge Fobbe for the state senate seat. If she decides to do this will she also try to install Alison Krueger in the 16B seat? How will Mark Olson and his write in warriors react to this continued Kiffmeyer coup d'etat? Will Mark Olson run again regardless? So many questions remain about the future of that kooky conservative team in Senate District 16...
If you are a write in warrior or a member of the Olson intelligentsia I encourage you to send me an email about what is next for the Olson machine. Inquiring minds want to know...
Finally, I am hoping to have some interviews with the two new representatives from SD16 and will bring them to you as soon as possible.
Alison Krueger (R) took a parting shot at her crazy conservative write in opponent, Mark Olson in a post election article by the Sherburne Citizen.
"It is rare to see a Republican receive 22,000+votes in this district," Krueger said. "We are very grateful for that. However to those who gave their precious votes to the write-in campaign, we needed you. United we stand. Divided we fall. We Fell."
Krueger is placing the entirety of the blame for her loss on Olson rather than her inability to bring the party together in a meaningful way. Whatever you say about Olson, and the vast majority isn't good, he has the support of the party elites in Senate District 16. For Krueger to continue to drive the wedge between herself and these leaders displays a lack of interpersonal skills. As a practical matter I would say there is some serious healing that needs to take place in the district if they are to take it back but as a Fobbe supporter, I say FIGHT ON! In fact, I would encourage Mr. Olson to continue running for the senate seat and the house seat because god's representative never gives up.
A few days ago I wondered aloud whether the virulent anti-Krueger crowd would connect the dots and also punish Mary Kiffmeyer who swept in to take the Olson seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives and then installed a crony to take the Minnesota Senate seat.
Olson supporters are mobilizing against Alison Krueger with an aggressive write-in campaign. Yet, in his old House District, the Kiffmeyer Campaign has not drawn the same ire from the Olson people. Shouldn't Olson and his minions go to the root of their problems which is Mary Kiffmeyer who pushed them out of the district and forced him into this new fight for the Senate?
Today that question appears to have been answered as a blogger from the district is spreading the word to not only write in Olson for the Senate seat but also for the House seat.
I am endorsing and supporting Mark Olson to be my write in candidate for both the 16 CD Senate Candidate but also for the 16b House of Rep. Candidate.
I will let Mark choose which position he wants!
I am suggesting that members of my district to do the same!
I refuse to have this Senate Victory Fund choose my representation in my own Backyard!
Mary Kiffmeyer and Alison Kreuger, you both should be ashamed of yourselves for selling out!
You are selling out me and your fellow Republicans!
The question remains, how much influence does this particular blogger have within the district and can he muster enough write in votes to take down both Krueger and Kiffmeyer? If he is able to muster a dual write in campaign, how much could that help my good friend, Steve Andrews, as he tries to become the DFL Representative from District 16B?
I wonder how Alison Krueger feels about having her chances of being elected destroyed by a wife beating guy who hates government but will take his party down with him in order to remain in that government?
A vote for Michele Bachmann is a supportive vote for Mark Olson!
In a matter of two short years, Mark Olson has gone from being "God's Representative" in House District 16B to desperately clinging to the hope that a write-in campaign for Senate District 16 will keep him in the government he detests so much.
In his bid for the District 16 seat, Olson and his supporters are looking for a paltry 300 brave souls to become "write in fighters". Unfortunately, he appears to be only 1/3 of the way toward that goal:
How far have we fallen when "God's Representative" can only attract 100 people to spread his message? Come on people, you cannot let the triumvirate of Mary Kiffmeyer, Alison Krueger, and the state party deprive you of such a holy wife placing representation!
Olson supporters are mobilizing against Alison Krueger with an aggressive write-in campaign. Yet, in his old House District, the Kiffmeyer Campaign has not drawn the same ire from the Olson people. Shouldn't Olson and his minions go to the root of their problems which is Mary Kiffmeyer who pushed them out of the district and forced him into this new fight for the Senate?
Kiffmeyer, on her website, slams Olson by referring to herself as the "trusted conservative" and stating that "integrity counts".
The only message to be gleaned here is that Kiffmeyer believes that Olson has no integrity (I cannot believe I agree with Mary Kiffmeyer on something!) and that he is not to be trusted.
For the Olson supporter there has to be a serious conflict of interest in voting for both him and Kiffmeyer who holds a very low opinion of Olson, is to blame for Olson losing his House District seat, and who put in place the woman that won the primary for the Senate District seat. Shouldn't you be actively trying to take down Kiffmeyer as well? Hopefully, someone in the Olson column will help explain this one to me...
God's Representative (out of deference, I will no longer refer to him by his Earthly name) who is hoping to become God's Senator is full steam ahead with a new site to go along with his write-in campaign for Senate District 16. Coining the clever phrase, "write fighter" (like YOU could do better!), he is asking his disciples to go out and recruit others for this ambitious task.
A couple of quibbles:
First, I am somewhat concerned that people aren't going to take God's Representative very seriously when he is unable to spell the word "write" correctly. What is a Wright-In campaign? Shouldn't a future Senator ordained by the almighty be able to spell?
Second, God's Representative describes himself as "not being a career politician". Really? Let's see, after 16 years in government and a desperate campaign almost certain to fail in order to remain in that government is NOT a career politician? I would love to see a definition of a career politician if this one doesn't fit!
With yard signs popping up heralding the "Wright-In" candidacy of God's future Senator, we may yet see divine justice.
If anyone following the Bachmann saga right now need evidence of the evangelical conservative nature of the 6th District, they need to look no further than to the saga of one Mark Olson in local Senate District 16. The convicted spousal abuser has, for the SECOND TIME, been endorsed by Republican Party leadership despite having lost the primary election to challenger Alison Krueger.
Delegates voted 61-18 on the first ballot to endorse Olson over Alison Krueger of Big Lake, who won the Sept. 9 primary and will be the Republican candidate on the ballot, said Dave Wilson, Senate District 16 Republican Party chairman.
God's Representative still has a lot of support in Senate District 16 and his candidacy does nothing more than hand this election to DFL candidate, Lisa Fobbe.
Join me and my right wing nemesis, Gary Gross, for a bipartisan celebration to mark the end of our long local nightmare. We will be meeting at Granite City Brewery here in St. Cloud at 8:30pm to raise our glasses to the fact that no matter who wins in Senate District 16, we have all won a little something by not having Mark Olson in the legislature.
Tomorrow is Primary Election Day here in Minnesota and really the only race to watch is in Senate District 16 where convicted abuser Mark Olson is trying to keep his place in the government he detests so much. Will the voters in the area turn out to support him and thereby destroy their claims of moral superiority or will they do what should be done and politely nudge Olson back into the private sector?
While I hesitate to promote the work of Gary Gross because frankly, he has been a testy old crank towards me lately, he has been doing a good job going after Mark Olson in this series of posts:
Gross may be doing everything he can to see Alison Krueger gets a win out of the primaries but I am certainly not confidant enough to discount the level of craziness in Senate District 16. I have said it before and I say it again, that there is a large number of voters in the area that firmly believe that Mark Olson is GOD'S REPRESENTATIVE and there is nothing Gross or I or anyone else can say to change that. So, I offer this wager:
If Alison Krueger pulls off an upset and wins this primary, I will gladly buy Gary Gross a beer. However, if Mark Olson wins I will gladly accept my Gross purchased beer and will enter into a one time only unholy alliance to defeat Olson. I await the response of the curmudgeon...
In general election match-ups, the evidence is clear that Krueger is also the stronger candidate to go up against Lisa Fobbe (DFL).
A couple thoughts:
1. While Fobbe leads in both of these polls, I would say that the more important information is in the amount of that lead within each poll. If she leads by only 8% to Alison Krueger you can guarantee that this match up is far closer and far more to Krueger's advantage given the make of the district.
2. This is a highly conservative district and very difficult for the DFL to compete in but the nearly 50% advantage Fobbe shows against Olson shows that she can win if SD16 Republicans show up to the Primaries to get back at the Republican Party for snubbing their choice. While these polls don't necessarily reflect an absolute snap shot of the race, they do indicate a certain level of competitiveness between a Fobbe/Krueger race and a Fobbe/Olson race.
Over the past couple of weeks I have been conducting three separate polls to try determine the state of the race in Senate District 16.
While Mark Olson supporters have been loud and very vocal about supporting him despite his personal problems, it appears as though his opponent is garnering more support from the general population. According to our poll, Krueger is leading Olson 56% to 43%.
There is an excellent LTE in the Sherburne Citizen posted yesterday. It takes Mark Olson to task and essentially portrays him as someone who is running for office simply because he needs a job and the health care benefits that go along with that job. It is ironic that the man who so vehemently hates government is trying so desperately to stay in that government.
The Aug. 2 letter from Mark Olson displays no remorse for his past behavior. He blames others by saying that he is the victim of "misinformation and politically malicious lies".
He judges others but is incapable of self judgment. He wants to convince us, as he has convinced his wife, that his re-election is "so important" that he must run. He sees his "eight victorious elections" as a sign of God's support. History proves that political success is not a sign of righteousness. Marks self love has led to the false pride, arrogance and ambition that will eventually undo his political career. He needs private, not public redemption.
Mark is a carpenter who, as a legislator, has participated in creating an economy in which it is difficult for a carpenter to find enough work to support a family. This, I believe, is the real driver behind Mark's need to run.
A legislator receives excellent pay for the hours worked and high quality health care and retirement benefits all paid for by the taxes that Mark claims he doesn't like. The job doesn't need Mark, Mark needs the job.
There are other good people running for this position that are more deserving.
The Republicans have been accusing the Democrats of exploiting Marks legal problems and until now that was a weak case as Democrats have not commented on the internal problems of the Republican Party inSD16.
Now they can point to letters like this one and unite their party against the Democrats.
Thank God this guy steps up and writes a letter that may end the internal Republican fighting and unite their party.
The author is a director of the Sherburne Co DFL which makes this letter even worse. Instead of sticking to facts and sighting quotes from Olson, he plays DR. Phil and wildly speculates about Olson’s motives for running.
This is a text book example of how not to win votes and influence people. A 100% negative letter against a candidate never works with undecided voters or swing voters. It may make the base happy but they were already with you.
Let’s hope in the future both sides will speak for a candidate instead of confining themselves to being wholly negative.
While weighing in on the infighting between Krueger supporters and Olson supporters, this blog has also tried to inject positive press for the DFLcandidate in this race. This blog, while liberal in nature is by no means beholden to the DFL or its candidates and if those candidates or their surrogates screw up I will be more than willing to report that. That being said, is this a strategic blunder by Thiessen and the Democratic Party in SD16? Is it a strategic blunder for Democrats to weigh in at all on this situation? You be the judge...
In primary polling news, Krueger supporters have swung the numbers back in her favor and she is now leading Mark Olson 54% to 46%. I will keep this poll open for another few days so that we can get more respondents. If you live in Senate District 16, and have not yet taken the polls, you can click on them in the top left sidebar. Comments on the state of this race are welcomed and for other coverage I would encourage people to stay tuned to myself, Lloydletta's Nooz, Dump Mark Olson, Blue Man, MNPublius, and what appears to be the Mark Olson Defense Team blog. Oh, and if you want to find some strategic outrage you can visit the Brodkorb blog.
There is an excellent LTE in the Sherburne Citizen posted yesterday. It takes Mark Olson to task and essentially portrays him as someone who is running for office simply because he needs a job and the health care benefits that go along with that job. It is ironic that the man who so vehemently hates government is trying so desperately to stay in that government.
The Aug. 2 letter from Mark Olson displays no remorse for his past behavior. He blames others by saying that he is the victim of "misinformation and politically malicious lies".
He judges others but is incapable of self judgment. He wants to convince us, as he has convinced his wife, that his re-election is "so important" that he must run. He sees his "eight victorious elections" as a sign of God's support. History proves that political success is not a sign of righteousness. Marks self love has led to the false pride, arrogance and ambition that will eventually undo his political career. He needs private, not public redemption.
Mark is a carpenter who, as a legislator, has participated in creating an economy in which it is difficult for a carpenter to find enough work to support a family. This, I believe, is the real driver behind Mark's need to run.
A legislator receives excellent pay for the hours worked and high quality health care and retirement benefits all paid for by the taxes that Mark claims he doesn't like. The job doesn't need Mark, Mark needs the job.
There are other good people running for this position that are more deserving.
Ron Thiessen
Becker, Mn
In primary polling news, Krueger supporters have swung the numbers back in her favor and she is now leading Mark Olson 54% to 46%. I will keep this poll open for another few days so that we can get more respondents. If you live in Senate District 16, and have not yet taken the polls, you can click on them in the top left sidebar. Comments on the state of this race are welcomed and for other coverage I would encourage people to stay tuned to myself, Lloydletta's Nooz, Dump Mark Olson, Blue Man, MNPublius, and what appears to be the Mark Olson Defense Team blog. Oh, and if you want to find some strategic outrage you can visit the Brodkorb blog.
The Republican Party is at odds about whether or not Mark Olson deserves support after his endorsement by Senate District 16. While most able minded individuals would have little internal struggle over supporting or shunning a convicted abuser, Republicans are having a difficult time on the support vs. shun question.
In order to continue his meme of attack on Al Franken, Michael Brodkorb decided to throw Olson under the bus early last week. He urged the Senate Republican Caucus to join him in shunning a locally endorsed candidate. Hearing that order from on high, the caucus took the appropriate action and told voters in Senate District 16 that their endorsed candidate was undesirable and would not be welcome within the party. In addition to that, Norm Coleman took the unusual step of taking the wheel of the bus Olson had been thrown under and backing it up to make sure that he and Brodkorb were cleared of any charges of hypocrisy and could resume their attacks on what a person writes and jokes about.
You might think that these actions would make it clear that the vast majority of Republicans do not support the election of a convicted abuser but you would be wrong. First, the Republican Party has already stated that it is a party of local control and refused to denounce the actions taken by Senate District 16.
"We are a party of local control, and the Senate District 16 Republicans have endorsed Mark Olson, and we respect that decision," said Minnesota Republican Party communications director Gina Countryman.
Second, Olson supporters are fighting back through letter writing campaigns and the blogosphere to explain away the abuse and express outrage that outsiders in their own party would interfere with an endorsement that saw Olson garner 90+ votes (well over the two-thirds needed).
Finally, Jason Lewis took some time out of his show to devote to slamming Brodkorb and others who he deemed "elitist party hacks" (h/t to Dump Mark Olson) for jumping in to a local election. During the show, to further confuse the issue, 6th District Republican Chair, Mark Swanson called in and refused to denounce the candidate or the endorsement. So, as of right now you have the local and state party at odds with the Senate Caucus, Coleman, and Brodkorb.
The support vs. shun question remains unchanged for Republicans despite the best efforts of Brodkorb, Coleman, and the Senate Republican Caucus. However, the Great Divide asks a pertinent question: Don't Wackos Deserve Representation, Too?
In polling news, Mark Olson is currently leading Alison Krueger 55% to 45% on the primary election question. Olson supporters appear to be coming out in droves to support the man and his actions. You can continue voting on this and the two general election polls located at the top of the left sidebar.
As the Republican Party trips over itself to make it clear that perhaps the most reliably conservative district in the entire state does not actually represent their values, it is important to note that there is another choice in this special election that does not involve bible throwing or abuse convictions. Lisa Fobbe (DFL), has her campaign site up and running:
Fobbe has tried to cast herself in the role of the bipartisan candidate and with the endorsement of Mark Olson on the Republican side, it is becomes an even easier case to make. Olson is so far out on the fringe of his party that most within his party would like little or nothing to do with him.
A DFLer, Fobbe said she’ll work hard to continue the bipartisan approach Wergin, a Republican, championed during her six years in office.
“The political bomb-throwers are the ones who get all the attention,” Fobbe said. “But they’re not getting anything done for Minnesota. What I always admired about Betsy was her willingness to look beyond party labels. She always understood that Minnesotans don’t care who’s a Republican and who’s a Democrat. They’re looking for leaders willing to do the hard work to get things done and that’s the approach I’ll bring to the Capitol.”
This is an extremely difficult district for the DFL to run in and even with a Mark Olson endorsement and possible Primary win (believe me, it can happen!), Fobbe is going to have to work her tail off in order to win the district. However, you have to wonder how the drama and division of the endorsement process will play out in the district. If Olson is defeated in the Primary, will Olson supporters revolt and stay home? If Olson wins, will Krueger supporters stay home or even come out to support Fobbe? Will Krueger be breaking her pledge not to campaign?
I am currently running three polls for those people living in the district:
Also, if you are a Republican living in SD16, I would love to hear your reactions to being essentially thrown out of the Republican Party by everyone from the Senate Caucus, A Republican Senator, and Republican Bloggers.
With the Republican Party ripping itself limb from limb to both denounce their endorsed candidate and justify his run at the same time, I thought it was high time we had another poll to determine the state of things. You are on the honor system to take this poll ONLY if you live within Senate District 16.
In the Primary Election match up of Krueger vs. Olson:
In the General Election match up of Fobbe vs. Olson:
In the General Election match up of Fobbe vs. Krueger:
Poll results will be shared when a sufficient number of respondents have participated. So, tell your friends, your neighbors, and your casual acquaintances in the district to have their voice heard.
Michael Brodkorb took some time out of his busy anti-Franken day to excoriate fellow Republican, Mark Olson and the Senate District 16 voters who endorsed him. While it is laudable for him to throw Olson under the bus because he is a poor example of what a public servant should be, it also is a strategic need given the story line he is trying to create for Al Franken.
An editorial in the Star Tribune makes a good point:
Whatever their reasons, the GOP delegates of District 16 have put their state party -- and particularly the Norm Coleman reelection campaign -- in an awkward spot. How can Republicans fault DFL Senate candidate Al Franken for writing jokes they deem antifemale when they have put their official arms around a candidate convicted of assaulting his wife?
While Brodkorb can now claim that he does not support Olson and that he has done the right thing in distancing himself from Olson, the Republicans in Senate District 16 have sent a clear message that assaulting ones wife does not exclude you from being on their ticket and the Republican Party of Minnesota has all but confirmed their support for the decision by not denouncing it:
"We are a party of local control, and the Senate District 16 Republicans have endorsed Mark Olson, and we respect that decision," said Minnesota Republican Party communications director Gina Countryman.
So, while Brodkorb would like the people of Minnesota to consider the fictional writings and off color jokes as disqualifiers for a DFL candidate, the party he shills so vehemently for would like the people of Minnesota to look past actual examples of actual abuse for one of their chosen candidates.
In my absence this last week, the Republican Party in Senate District 16 chose to endorse our good friend, Mark Olson. Despite his bible throwing, his autistic child harassing, and his spousal shoving, they chose him anyway. No longer can the party in that area claim to be the party of family values as the last time I checked, these were far from the family values I or anyone else I know were taught in church or by our parents.
That being said, I knew full well that they were going to do this as the word on the street was that it was owed to Mr. Olson after not endorsing him for the 16B position. So, in honor of our newly endorsed "family values" candidate, I bring you "I Can't Quit You Baby" by Otis Rush:
Over at the Sherburne Citizen, there is another glowing Olson letter:
This letter is to address concerns from Jennifer Edwards' news article on July 19, 2008. Newspapers and their advertisers provide an important service to our communities and should be appreciated. Ms. Edwards' article however looks more like an editorial and appears slanderous towards Rep. Olson. It does not reflect well on this paper nor the advertisers who support it.
Slanderous? I am pretty sure it isn't slanderous to tell the truth about someone but I will check into that. This is simply the blinders nature of Republicans in the area. They will make every excuse in the world to cover for God's Representative.
Repeating negative and exploited events as supposed news without even allowing that person to respond in the article might fit the agenda behind this newspaper. It may even be construed as your right of free speech. It is however difficult to accept as newsworthy and a service to our community.
The only negative reported in the article referenced here was to repeat that Olson was convicted for domestic abuse. If this writer doesn't believe that the domestic abuse conviction of an elected official is newsworthy, then I have to wonder what in the world is newsworthy? Or, could it be that it isn't newsworthy simply because it shines a light on her chosen one?
Then there's Alison Krueger's remark in the article on July 26, 2008, about as a woman she could not support Mark Olson for State Senate. This was one of her reasons for running. This is very disturbing to me.
Well, Ms. Krueger, as a woman, Mark is the only candidate I would support because he knows the issues and has an excellent voting record. There isn't anything that has happened to diminish Mark's qualifications and ability to serve. (Emphasis Mine)
Nothing? Apparently, domestic abuse convictions are irrelevant now. That is precisely what the Republican Party in Senate District 16 and anyone who votes for Olson will be saying come November if this man is allowed to win.
I first met Mark about the time I was doing an intensive study of Outcome-Based-Education. Being a teacher, I had great interest in this. I ran for school board and Mark was running for the Legislature with the same goal of trying to keep our education system the way it should be.
OBE and all that followed: Profile of Learning, School to Work, No Child Left Behind, etc... have effectively and significantly reduced the quality of our educational system. Education is a foundation of our freedom. You can't control the people if they have knowledge.
I trust Mark completely with the issues because I know he studies to find the truth. Mark is the only politician I know who hasn't sold his soul for political contributions nor does what is politically correct just to get elected. We need Mark at this time in history, with the impending depression, uncontrolled spending, and wars and rumors of wars.
Dawn Carlson
Monticello, MN
I would be interested to learn what Ms. Carlson is or was "teaching" as it appears as though she is readily able to accept domestic abuse and what I have long claimed was an example of child abuse for the sake of ideology. What would this woman have us teach our children and more specifically, our daughters, about abuse?
You can go check out Blue Man for more coverage of the absolute lunacy of District 16 Republicans and of the Republican Party of Minnesota.
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I, Political Muse, will be your host and my hope is to provide a dash of political commentary, a sprinkle of policy wonkishness, and a double dose of snarkiness to the blogosphere in Minnesota.
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