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Senate
Senate District 1
DFL Party | ||
Jual Carlson | F* | |
Kip Fontaine | F* | party endorsed |
Republican Party | ||
Edwin Hahn | A-(P) | |
Mark Johnson | F* | party endorsed |
In the northwest corner of the state, Sen. LeRoy Stumpf, DFL-Plummer, is retiring after 36 years in office. Two DFLers and two Republicans are vying for the position. Both House districts in the area are served by Republicans, so the seat is truly up for grabs.
The Republicans are Jual Carlson and and Kip Fontaine. Neither Fontaine, the Republican-endorsed candidate, nor Carlson, completed the candidate questionnaire. Fontaine’s web site makes no mention of the Second Amendment; Carlson has no web site.
The DFLers are Mark Johnson and Edwin Hahn. Johnson, the endorsed candidate, did not complete the questionnaire. On his campaign web site, he writes, ” When I read what the Constitution says about gun ownership, I don’t see room for interference by the State or Federal government. In Minnesota, gun ownership is a tradition we must promote and protect.”
Hahn did complete our questionnaire, and scored a provisional A-, usually the highest possible grade for a candidate without a voting record.
Senate District 5
Republican Party | ||
Pedie Pederson | F* | |
Justin Eichorn | A- | (P) |
In SD 5, two Republicans hope to end DFL Senator Tom Saxhaug’s tenure in St. Paul.
One, Pedie Pederson, filed for office as a DFLer, then switched to the Republican ticket days later. Pederson seemed equally confused about gun rights, and failed to complete our questionnaire.
The other Republican (this one for the whole time) candidate, Justin Eichorn, did complete our questionnaire, earning a provisional grade of A-, usually the highest possible grade for a candidate without a voting record.
Senate District 15
DFL Party | ||
Chilah Brown | F* | |
Rob Passons | F* |
Republican Party | ||
Andrew Mathews | A- | (P) |
Dan Whitcomb | B+ | (P) |
In this heavily Republican-leaning district, the retirement of Senator David Brown has brought out four candidates: two DFLers and two Republicans.
According to Mathews’ web site, he “Supports the expansion of law abiding citizens exercising their 2nd Amendment rights. Will fight against any efforts to expand mandatory government background checks, gun registration, or any other attempt to curtail the 2nd Amendment freedoms.”
Whitcomb’s web site says, “I support the individual right to bear arms for the protection of life, home and property.”
Read more: http://unioneagle.com/2016/07/27/district-15-senate/ http://unioneagle.com/2016/07/27/district-15-senate-2/Senate District 23
DFL Party | ||
Barbara Ann Lake | F* | |
John M. Lillis | D | (P)(party endorsed) |
Lillis doesn’t appear to have a web site; Lake never set up hers.
The winner of the primary will face Republican incumbent Julie Rosen in this strongly GOP-leaning district.
Senate District 24
DFL Party | ||
Rich Bailey | B+ | (P) |
Vicki Jensen | F | (incumbent) |
Incumbent Senator Vicki Jensen, a confirmed opponent of gun rights, is being challenged by Rich Bailey, who indicates on his questionnaire that he supports the Second Amendment, writing, “I believe we have an individual right to keep and bear arms.”
Read more: Mankato Free PressSenate District 27
Republican Party | ||
Gene Dornink | F* | |
Cynthia Gail | F |
While Dornick didn’t complete a questionnaire, leaving us to guess his views, Cynthia Gail left no doubt: almost all of her answers used weasel words and “need more info” and “we may need to consider.” The winner in this primary race will be up against incumbent, A-rated DFL Senator Dan Sparks, in the general election.
Read more: http://www.albertleatribune.com/2016/05/sparks-seeks-5th-term-gets-new-challenger/ http://www.albertleatribune.com/2016/06/albert-lea-woman-seeks-district-27-senate-seat/Senate District 32
Republican Party | ||
Mark Koran | B+ | (P) |
Sean Nienow | A | (incumbent) |
Senate District 52
DFL Party | ||
Matt Klein | F* | |
Todd Podgorski | F |
While neither Democrat returned our candidate questionnaire, Podgorski, who is a police officer, believes that cops should have fully functional firearms to protect his life, but other private citizens should not. He also supports gun registration disguised as “enhanced background checks.” That earns him an F.
Senate District 59
DFL Party | ||
Bobby Joe Champion | F | (incumbent) |
Patwin Lawrence | F |
Champion is an established opponent of Second Amendment rights. Lawrence seeks to replace him and do the same, calling for “Sensible regulations on the purchase and ownership of firearms….”
Senate District 62
DFL Party | ||
Mohamoud Hassan | F* | |
Jeff Hayden | F | (incumbent) |
An unknown quantity takes on a known opponent of Second Amendment rights. Hayden was implicated last in a controversy involving misspent nonprofit funds, later repaying almost $3000.
Read more: Star Tribune: Hassan Star Tribune: Nonprofit scandalSenate District 64
Republican Party | ||
Sharon Anderson | F | |
Ian Baird | B+ | (P) |
While neither candidate in this overwhelmingly DFL district stands much of a chance, we should point out that Ian Baird turned in a very pro-2A candidate questionnaire, and that Sharon Anderson, who runs for office every couple years, but never wins, sends us incoherent, babbling emails.
The winner will face F-rated DFLer Richard Cohen in November.
House
House District 1B
DFL Party | ||
Mike Moore | F | |
Erv Rud | D | (P) |
In House District 1B, two DFLers are hoping for a chance to unseat incumbent Republican Debra Kiel in November.
Erv Rud completed our our candidate questionnaire, giving many “right” answers, but his “issues” page suggests taxing and suing gun owners. He calls this a “smart approach.” (http://www.ervrud.com/issues.html)
Mike Moore, who was endorsed by his DFL district, did not complete the questionnaire, which is often a sign of hostility toward Second Amendment rights. His silence earns him a provisional grade of F.
Read more: Crookston TimesHouse District 6A
DFL Party | ||
Julie Sandstede | B- | (P) |
Tom Whiteside | F* | |
Ben DeNucci | F* | |
Mike Thompson | F* |
No candidate received a party endorsement in this race, triggered by the retirement of Rep. Carly Melin.
Only Julie Sandstede cared enough about gun owners’ votes to complete our questionnaire.
Whiteside is a former aide to anti-2A Congressman Rick Nolan. If he has a differing opinion on Second Amendment rights, we can’t find it.
Read more: Duluth News TribuneHouse District 7B
DFL Party | ||
Bryan Jensen | F* | |
Liz Olson | F* | (endorsed) |
Both candidates in this primary are silent on — and therefore presumed hostile to — Second Amendment rights.
House District 13A
DFL Party | ||
Jane Leitzman | F* | |
Anne Buckvold | F* |
The winner in this race will face A-rated Republican incumbent Jeff Howe in November.
House District 15A
Republican Party | ||
Sondra Erickson | A | (incumbent) |
Tom Heinks | B- | (P) |
Incumbent Sondra Erickson has a 100% pro-2A voting record in the last biennium. Heinks, while he did not complete a questionnaire, has a strong pro-2A statement on his web site.
House District 31A
Republican Party | ||
Kurt Daudt | A | |
Alan Duff | B | (P) |
House Speaker Kurt Daudt has a 100% pro-2A voting record, and led the House as we passed five pro-2A bills in 2015. Duff has been sending a long series of deceptive attack mailings against Daudt.
House District 31B
Republican Party | ||
Cal Bahr | B | (P)(party endorsed) |
Tom Hackbarth | A |
A-rated incumbent Tom Hackbarth has a 100% pro-2A voting record in the last biennium, and has a long history of working with GOCRA to pass pro-rights bills. Bahr’s candidate questionnaire shows strong support for the Second Amendment as well.
House District 40B
DFL Party | ||
Debra Hilstrom | B | |
Jim Richards | B- | (P) |
A county prosecutor, Hilstrom doesn’t hold back in committee hearings, cross-examining our testifiers on gun-related bills. While she has never been a gun rights activist, she is intellectually honest and seems to understand the difference between gun owners and criminals.
Although unproven, challenger Jim Richard’s candidate questionnaire casts him as a pro-2A candidate.
Read more: SunPost NewspaperHouse District 48A
Republican Party | ||
Kris Newcomer | F* | |
Mary Shapiro | B+ | (P)(party endorsed) |
House District 50B
DFL Party | ||
Andrew Carlson | F* | |
Christopher Seymore Sr. | F* |
The winner in this race will face Republican incumbent Chad Anderson
House District 56A
DFL Party | ||
Jared Christiansen | F | |
Dan Kimmel | F* |
Kimmel kept us guessing; Christiansen gave us enough awful answers to earn his “F.” We appreciate his candor.
The winner will challenge Republican incumbent Drew Christensen in the general election in November.
House District 59A
DFL Party | ||
Joe Mullery | F | |
Fue Lee | F* |
Mullery, a 72-year-old attorney, has consistently earned an F from GOCRA for his anti-2A votes. In 2015 he broke his streak, voting FOR a small pro-2A measure, earning a 9% pro-2A voting record for the biennium.
Challenger Fue Lee, 24, is Carleton College grad, and currently works for Secretary of State Steve Simon.
Listen to an interview with Lee: KFAI RadioHouse District 60B
DFL Party | ||
Phyllis Kahn | F | (incumbent) |
Mohamud Noor | F* | |
Ilhan Omar | F* |
Phyllis Kahn has been a state representative since Biblical times (okay, since 1973), and has a perfect record voting AGAINST Second Amendment rights. She was challenged by two candidates for her party’s endorsement, and consistently came in second place, although in the end no endorsement was made.
Challenger Mohamud Noor is executive director of the Somali Confederation of Minnesota and a former member of the Minneapolis school board, and was endorsed by the Star Tribune to replace Kahn.
Challenger Ilhan Omar is a community organizer who favors strong police and criminal justice reform.
The winner of this primary will face Republican Abdimalik Askar in the overwhelmingly DFL district.
Read more: Star TribuneHouse District 65A
DFL Party | ||
Rena Moran | F | |
Rashad Anthony Turner | F* |
Confirmed anti-2A Representative Rena Moran faces Black Lives Matter organizer Rashad Turner in Tuesday’s primary. Turner has not expressed to us his views on the Second Amendment.
Read more: Pioneer Press