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House Speaker Kurt Daudt, Senate Minority Leader David Hann and House Majority Leader Joyce Peppin join other Republicans seeking seats in the Legislature for a mass filing news conference. 

Dozens of candidates who will be the local faces of a statewide contest for political control of the Minnesota House and Senate filed paperwork and paid required fees Tuesday, the last day to file for election in Minnesota.

All 201 legislative seats will be on November's ballot, but only a small fraction of them are expected to be truly competitive. Some candidates, including House Speaker Kurt Daudt, must navigate a party primary before getting to the general-election ballot.

Republicans will be working to keep their hold on the House and flip the majority in the Senate. That party's candidates organized a mass-filing event Tuesday, with the current caucus leaders extolling their incumbents and new recruits.

House Majority Leader Joyce Peppin, R-Rogers, highlighted a GOP campaign theme that Republican majorities in the Legislature are a check on DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's agenda.

"Two years ago we had one-party control, and that did not serve Minnesota well," she said, adding, "Divided government is a good thing. I know that the governor would like to say we should have Democrat control everywhere. We think that we brought balance to the state of Minnesota and we would like to bring more balance by also taking the majority in the Senate."

Republicans gained House control on the strength of victories in rural Minnesota. Several candidates who came close in the suburbs are making repeat runs, which Daudt stressed as a sign his 73-member majority is looking for expansion opportunities.

"We are also optimistic we are not going to make the mistake the Democrats made two years ago and be only on defense," Daudt said. "We will be on offense. There are a number of seats we can be competitive in."

The DFL caucuses didn't hold an event to have their candidates file together.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook,

nor House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis

, didn't immediately return a phone message about his party's fall prospects. Senate Democrats have a 39-28 majority, meaning surrendering more than six seats would relegate them to the minority.

House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said he doesn't buy into the theory that people set out to vote for divided government.

"I think our candidates are going to be running on how well they've served their communities in the past and their visions for the future. I think that's what this election is going to be about," he said. "Republicans are trying to defend a status quo that I don't think is working very well. And Democrats are for the most part going to be out there saying we need a change for ordinary Minnesotans who are getting the short end of the stick."

Candidates who signed up by the close of business Tuesday have until Thursday to change their mind and withdraw.

As of midday, neither of the major parties had full slates for every district. And in some cases, it will take a primary to sort out nominees.

That includes Daudt's Isanti County district. Alan Duff, a small business owner who emphasizes his military service, filed to challenge Daudt in this August's primary. Duff was a former colleague of Daudt on the county board.

“It was during my time on the county board where I learned that Kurt Daudt is not a principled conservative. He voted to increase the county tax levy and grow government," Duff said. "That’s why I wasn’t surprised when Kurt Daudt proposed raising taxes in the Minnesota Legislature with a license tab fee increase."

Daudt proclaimed himself "up for the challenge" and predicted a runaway victory. Daudt laughed off Duff's suggestion that his conservative credentials were in question.

"I served with that gentleman on the county board and I would say the same about him," Daudt said.

One of the day's last-minute filers was state Sen. Sean Nienow, R-Cambridge. Nienow had been noncommittal about his plans after losing the GOP endorsement in District 32 to Mark Koran. The two will now face each other in the primary.

Nienow said he made his decision to run again only Monday night.

“It had a lot to do with almost universal suggestion from at least by GOP colleagues of saying ‘you need to run again. We need your skills and ability here.’”

Politics and Government News

Capitol View®

Brian Bakst

Author

Tuesday's deadline to submit candidate paperwork to run for Minnesota office establishes the playing field for control of Legislature.

Hopefuls for House, Senate seats reach starting line

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