GOP HD 17B: Bring the mud

In House District 17B, a tense primary is brewing with no small amount of mudslinging.

Republicans in the district on the northern-most fringe of the Twin Cities metropolitan area have endorsed Hazelden Foundation executive Bob Barrett. Wyoming Mayor Sheldon Anderson has reversed his initial pledge to abide by the endorsement and is running in the Aug. 10 primary.

Anderson is making a number of claims against Barrett. And Barrett is responding to those claims directly.

Amid the rancor, the seat, which is being vacated by two-term Rep. Jeremy Kalin, DFL-North Branch, stands as a prime takeover opportunity for the House GOP Caucus.

District 17B voters in 2008 supported both GOP presidential nominee John McCain and GOP U.S. Senate candidate Norm Coleman by wide margins. But Kalin worked hard on the campaign trail and won re-election over his Republican challenger, Chisago City Mayor Don Taylor.

Kalin isn’t seeking a third term. Chisago County DFL Chairwoman Cindy Erickson and Independence Party candidate Curtis Lendt don’t have primary challengers.

Barrett, of Shafer, beat out Anderson, Wyoming City Council member Russ Goudge and Taylor for the GOP endorsement on April 17.

Anderson and Barrett were the last two candidates standing in a convention showdown that lasted four ballots. Barrett won when Anderson withdrew and pledged to support him.

After the endorsing convention, however, Anderson said he got wind of questionable dealings at the convention.

A story in the Forest Lake Times reported on Anderson’s contention that rumors were spread about him at the convention.

Barrett denied the accusations of dirty campaigning.

“There have been 134 endorsing conventions throughout the state this year. I’m not aware of any other race where this has been an issue. …I know to be true that there was no unethical behavior by anyone,” Barrett said.

Anderson, who is serving his third term as mayor, said he’s a tougher campaigner and his experience in public office as mayor better prepares him to govern in an age of budget austerity. He also criticized Barrett for running for the state House as a DFLer in 2000.

“I’ve been a conservative Republican my entire life, not just the last few years,” Anderson said.

Barrett ran as a DFLer in District 17B when it was in a different location, prior to the Legislature’s last round of redistricting. Barrett said he ran against the DFL incumbent Leslie Schumacher of Princeton in the DFL primary on a platform of limited government because Schumacher was too liberal.

Barrett noted that he has extensive background in finance and has helped manage a $20 million budget at Hazelden, where he is executive director of market research and marketing analysis. Regarding Anderson’s contention that he’s not tough enough to win, Barrett points to his successful bid for the endorsement as evidence to the contrary.

“The fact is, I came from nowhere to beat two current mayors, who both ran before, and a city council member. If you look at the national patterns, people want change, they don’t want politics as usual,” Barrett said.

Anderson is known for camping overnight on the Wyoming City Hall roof during winter to raise money for the Forest Lake Teen Center. He also chaired McCain’s 2008 campaign in the district. Still, he drew criticism, according to the Times story, from some Republicans for serving as campaign manager for St. Paul police chief Bill Finney’s run for Ramsey County sheriff. Finney had support from DFLers.

Since the race will be decided in a partisan primary in the middle of summer, the turnout is likely to be decidedly conservative, notes one political observer who lives north of the Twin Cities but isn’t affiliated with the GOP. The winning candidate will have to convince voters that he is the strongest conservative.

Chisago County GOP Chairman Jim Stein said the two candidates aren’t extremely different on the issues. The differences are more a matter of personality, he said.

“If you’re looking for political or philosophical differences between the two, I’m not aware of any,” said Stein, who is backing Barrett. (Shaw)