Former Sen. Ray Vandeveer, who represented the Forest Lake area in the Legislature for more than a decade, is getting back into the election business.

Vandeveer, a Republican, has been a paid consultant to the Minnesota Senate Victory PAC, the state Senate Republicans' federal campaign arm, since early this year.

According to federal records, Vandeveer was paid $1,500 a month for consulting services through May. Sen. David Hann, Senate Republicans' leader, said the consulting is ongoing.

Former Sen. Ray Vandeveer/source: Minnesota Senate photographer's office

Former Sen. Ray Vandeveer/source: Minnesota Senate photographer's office

 

Hann said that as a former member of the state House and the state Senate Vandeveer, whom he considers a friend, has a good political sense of the Minnesota electorate. Hann said that he talks to Vandeveer, who did not run for re-election last year, "fairly often" and he has taken on various tasks to prepare Senate Republicans for the 2016 elections.

Hann said that he did not know if Vandeveer, whose occupation was last listed as real estate appraiser in state directories, had previously been paid for political work.

Hann, of Eden Prairie, said he talked over Vandeveer's hiring with others but the decision was ultimately his.