It's Been Confirmed
As was reported in the Star Tribune last Friday, today Rep. Ron Erhardt filed for re-election as an independent.
Nine-term Republican state Rep. Ron Erhardt, who failed to gain his party's endorsement after bucking the party line and voting for a state gas tax increase, said Friday that he will run for his Minnesota House seat as an independent.
Erhardt, who represents Edina, was one of six Republicans to support the gas tax increase and defy a veto by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. The six votes enabled House DFLers to override the veto and push through the state's first gas tax increase since 1988.
The Strib even confirms what many Republicans suspected....
Erhardt said he would likely caucus with the majority DFLers if reelected.
Based on his voting record, it is obvious he will be more comfortable there.
Labels: Rep. Ron Erhardt
posted by The Lady Logician at
5:10 PM
7 Comments:
Recommend you contact MARK BRUNSWICK the writer of the SarTribune story. this morning, Brunswick admitted to Erhardt that he rewrote the Associated Press piece inaccurately (AP piece believed to have originally been based on an Eric Eskola tape recorded interview piece which AP has rights to thru WCCO). Brunswick told Erhardt Monday Morning when he returned Erhardt's voicemail that he would try to publish a correction or do it correctly in a followup article.
Note that many other media either got it right or just published the AP feed. Best one seems to be the MNSun rewrite.
Again - facts are fun. Truth is even better.
By
Allie, at 6:26 PM
Allie,
If you are going to allege, you had best bring proof. Please let us know what part of Mr. Brunswick's piece is untrue. Is it the fact that Rep. Erhardt is a 9 term incumbent? Or that he was not endorsed by his caucus? Maybe it was the his reporting that Rep. Erhardt was at the DFLs 3rd CD Convention?
Please enlighten us with your facts. Or should I say, the Erhardt campaign's facts?
LL
By
The Lady Logician, at 6:36 PM
Oh, oh, oh....maybe it was where he said that Erhardt was stripped of his leadership positions by the House GOP CAUCUS?
LL
By
The Lady Logician, at 6:39 PM
Feel free to confirm with Brunswick that he rewrote the AP piece the Strib originally published online to say in the Saturday paper that Erhardt SAID he would caucus with the House DFL - when Erhardt said no such thing. If, for example, you check Eric Eskola of WCCO's tape, Eskola as well as other writers heard Erhardt make a joke that he would caucus with the majority party and that Marty Seifert had assured him the the Republicans would take back the majority. Some media even noted it as a joke and another referred to Erhardt as being Coy. Check your RSS feeds. Yes, he did go to the DFL congressional convention by invitation to support Terry Boniff, a personal friend, or maybe you think people from opposite parties can't be friends. And yess he got a standing ovation. And yes, he rejected a DFL offer which would have replaced their candidate.
I'm guessing you just can't imagine a person who negotiates and compromises instead of walking in lock-step. If you want real facts then you'll appreciate Erhardt carefully polls his electorate plus knocks on every door every year and then actually votes nearly every vote the way Edina voters lean.
Representative government at its best.
Somehow in reading your blogs I thought you were a little more moderate than just leaked out. My mistake. In years of being a political analyst I've learned never to argue with a true believer.
By
Allie, at 10:57 PM
My feed just got this (No I am not a part of the campaign knowing about this letter - I just saw it roll in now.)
Just posted online a short time ago from tomorrow morning's StarTribune:
"AN INDEPENDENT ERHARDT
Open on which caucus
The July 12 article "Longtime GOP Rep. Erhardt will run as an independent" states that I said that I would likely caucus with the majority DFLers if reelected. That is misleading. What I said to the reporter was that I would likely caucus with whichever party was in the majority after the fall elections.
As a moderate, I have always believed that effectively representing the interests of my constituents should take precedence over purely partisan interests. I have been able to best serve Edina citizens by working successfully with members of both political parties on issues affecting the good of all Minnesotans. That is why I am prepared to caucus with the majority, no matter which political party it happens to be.
REP. RON ERHARDT, I-EDINA"
Somehow that matches what other media have published and is on Eskola's tape.
By
Allie, at 11:12 PM
I still cannot get anybody to give me a full accounting of the current status of the "override six." Can you help? It just seems to me they should all be in Earhardt's pickle, or worse.
J. Ewing
By
Anonymous, at 7:26 AM
Allie,
I do have an email in to Mr. Brunswick asking for clarification. However, your guy's letter of explanation makes the situation even worse. It shows that he cares for NOTHING but power - so he will caucus with whoever has the power.....
JE - Kathy Tinglestad retired, Neil Peterson was not endorsed by his caucus and is running in a primary against the endorsed candidate. Jim Abeler is also running in a primary as there was no endorsement out of his district. Rod Hamilton was endorsed by his BPOU and Bud Heidgerken is not listed as having filed for re-election so either he retired or was not endorsed.
LL
By
The Lady Logician, at 9:07 AM
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