It Looks Like a Knock-Out in the Third

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[you can read my review of the 8 Congressional Districts of Minnesota here]
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In the third Congressional District of Minnesota you will find the incumbent is Erik Paulsen. He is a Republican first termer.

He won the open election in 2008 for the House seat that was vacated by the retiring Jim Ramstad [R]. He grew up in Minneapolis, graduated from Chaska High and Saint Olaf college, majoring in mathematics. Erik was in the Minnesota House of Representatives for some time, and became the House Minority Speaker after Tim Pawlenty left that post when he was elected Governor.

[Tim opened up the Governors race when he announced last year he was not seeking re-election.]

The DFL has chosen, in their primary race, a candidate named Jim Meffert. He grew up in Marshall graduating high school there, and also went to Saint Oaf college, majoring in political science. Jim is executive director of the Minnesota Optometric Association and the past president of the Minnesota Parent Teacher Association.

This race, like the one in the second district, also could have been more exciting.

Jim has all the typical issue statements you might expect.
For the economy Jim wants WPA type jobs, increased unemployment extensions and tax hikes.

Jims' energy plan calls for fighting global warming {read: phantom menace}, promoting green jobs[?], insuring greater government oversight in the energy industry, and a carbon-tax or, cap-and-trade; or both.

Jims' education plan calls for fighting the "teaching to tests", promoting energy efficient and retrofitted schools, and insuring much less government oversight in the education industry.

Jim says, concerning the recent health care bill; "...this bill is a first step towards achieving universal and affordable health care as a right, not a privilege."

These are all classic DFL positions, and you can see more lock-step DFL issue statements at his website.

For me Erik is way too willing to couch his positions to appease the sensibilities of the cynical leftists in the press.

However, he has voted wisely in the last Congress and therefor receives the incumbent bonus. He has said straight forward that we should repeal the recently passed "Health Care Bill".

This is a very hot, pivot point issue, during an extremely polarized election.

Here, as in other issues and most other races; there is a clear distinction that is easily understood by an increasingly attentive electorate.

Jim is for the new law and Erik is against it.

The new political blood that is reflected in the "tea party" movement has made it easier for the Republicans to sound more Constitutional in their discussions.

This can be witnessed in Erik.

He too can tell which way the wind is blowing.

I think that Erik has at least ten-to-one odds of holding his House seat against Jims' challenge.

For Erik however, this election may prove to be an easier battle than the one he will find himself in after the election.

It is difficult for a soft Republican, in a hail-storm of special interest groups fighting each and every budget cut, to remain strong.

The Democrats favorite Republican, [and one of my least favorites...] Teddy Roosevelt said; "Cowardice is the only unpardonable sin".

Bully For You.