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Bob Collins

Maybe a stadium is no longer a political poison pill

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So the Twins stadium bill has emerged from its years-long death sentence and now looks like a certainty at the Capitol. There were some interesting things about this afternoon's vote.

One thing I always chuckle over is the legislators who don't cast a vote until they get a better sense, I guess, how the legislation is faring in the vote. Rep. Ron Erhardt and Rep. Larry Howes, both passed on their turn to vote, and eventually voted no, after it was assured that the bill would pass. Or maybe they just couldn't decide after 20 hours of hearings over three days.

Second, since I'm sort of "in" to streaks, political combatants Phil Krinkie and Jim Knoblach are now 9 for 9 voting the same way on issues this legislative session that Votetracker is watching. Who'll blink first?

And finally, it's always interesting to me when DFLers stand arm-in-arm with their GOP counterparts at the Capitol. Here's the breakdown of the vote sorted by party, courtesy of the fabulous MPR Votetracker. That's some good-old-fashioned bipartisan ... something.

Legislator Party District Vote
Document Irv Anderson Democrat 03A FOR
Document Joe Atkins Democrat 39B FOR
Document Connie Bernardy Democrat 51B AGAINST
Document Jim Davnie Democrat 62A AGAINST
Document David Dill Democrat 06A FOR
Document Mike Jaros Democrat 07B AGAINST
Document Lyle Koenen Democrat 20B FOR
Document Ann Lenczewski Democrat 40B AGAINST
Document John Lesch Democrat 66A FOR
Document Paul Marquart Democrat 09B FOR
Document Joe Mullery Democrat 58A AGAINST
Document Tom Rukavina Democrat 05A FOR
Document Katie Sieben Democrat 57A FOR
Document Ron Abrams Republican 43B AGAINST
Document Laura Brod Republican 25A FOR
Document Gregory M. Davids Republican 31B FOR
Document Chris DeLaForest Republican 49A ABSTAINED
Document Dan Dorman Republican 27A FOR
Document Ron Erhardt Republican 41A AGAINST
Document Larry Howes Republican 04B AGAINST
Document Jim Knoblach Republican 15A AGAINST
Document Paul Kohls Republican 34A AGAINST
Document Philip Krinkie Republican 53A AGAINST
Document Morrie Lanning Republican 09A FOR
Document Peter Nelson Republican 17B FOR
Document Dean Simpson Republican 10B FOR
Document Ray Vandeveer Republican 52A AGAINST
Document Andrew Westerberg Republican 51A FOR
Document Kurt Zellers Republican 32B AGAINST

And, finally, the non vote by Rep. Chris Delaforest is puzzling to an outsider. He voted on several amendments during the day, participated in the three days of hearings, but when it came time to vote, he either wasn't still at the hearing or decided not to vote. I have no idea which. Or why.