Third District GOP backs Paulsen's run for Congress

The legislator hopes to succeed U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad, his ex-boss. It was one of three party endorsements Saturday.

By NEAL ST. ANTHONY, Star Tribune

Last update: April 19, 2008 - 7:05 PM

Veteran state Rep. Erik Paulsen was endorsed Saturday for U.S. Congress by Third District Republicans.

Paulsen, of Eden Prairie, hopes to succeed U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad, a nine-term Republican who is retiring.

Ramstad, 60, is a political moderate who has said he was tired of congressional partisanship that trumped good policy.

Ramstad endorsed Paulsen, a former Ramstad aide who ran unopposed, as a "leader who has the integrity, energy, vision, experience and character."

Paulsen, 42, said he considers himself a fiscal conservative who can reprise Ramstad's ability to connect with Democrats.

"The district that I've represented within the Third Congressional District, both Eden Prairie and Edina ... is very much a microcosm of the Third District and I've done very well with conservatives and moderate voters," he said. "Jim Ramstad is a mentor of mine. I am cut from the same cloth on many issues, particularly fiscal issues."

Also Saturday, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum won the DFL endorsement in Minnesota's Fourth Congressional District.

McCollum, who was unopposed, is seeking a fifth term. She will face Ed Matthews, an attorney who won the St. Paul-area Republican endorsement earlier this month.

"Your endorsement carries with it a responsibility," McCollum told supporters. "For me, it affirms my work to advance our common values -- social justice, civil rights, equal opportunity and investing in peace rather than war."

In the Seventh Congressional District, Glen Menze, 49, an accountant and farmer from Starbuck, won the Republican endorsement to challenge Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson. Menze lost to Peterson by a wide margin in 2000.

Third District battle

Last Saturday, DFLers in the Third District chose lawyer Ashwin Madia, a onetime Republican who began his campaign after serving in Iraq with the Marines. Madia said he will appeal to independents and moderate Republicans fed up with President Bush.

"Our venture into Iraq has been badly mishandled," Paulsen acknowledged in an interview. "It's important for the United States to draw down responsibly. We created a mess. But we should not have a precipitous withdrawal that's going to create a vacuum ... for extremists to take over who could be a threat to the United States."

Paulsen also criticized the Bush-approved federal tax rebates, saying that they will increase the budget deficit and that he preferred lower tax rates for individuals and businesses.

State DFL chair Brian Melendez said Paulsen is trying to distance himself from his conservative record as the House majority leader, a post he lost when the DFL took control of the Legislature in November 2006.

Neal St. Anthony • 612-673-7144

Recent U.S. House stories

Bachmann and Ellison trade barbs - April 19, 2008

Bachmann and Ellison trade barbs - Minnesota's congresswoman from the Sixth District has taken on the congressman from the Fifth District. More

Comment on this story | Read all 11 comments | Hide reader comments

The Whistleblower blog has moved

The Star Tribune is still blowing the whistle, but our look and location have changed. Click here to get to the new blog. If you want the actual URL, it’s www.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower.html. Our blog posts will now be easier to search on the web site, but you’ll need to register to post a comment. In the [...]