Old hand's comeback helps GOP in quest for House control

ST. CLOUD – Rep. Zach Dorholt has held office for nearly two years, but his opponent, Jim Knoblach, is calling him inexperienced.

That may seem odd, except for Knoblach's background — the Republican represented a similar district in the Minnesota House of Representatives here for more than a decade before stepping away for an unsuccessful 2006 run for Congress.

Dorholt, a DFLer, is quick to shoot back that Knoblach would be part of an effort to roll back what DFLers view as the Legislature's 2013-14 accomplishments, including an increase in the minimum wage, legalized gay marriage, and money for schools, universities, nursing homes and other priorities.

Republicans, who need to flip seven seats to win the majority in the House, see Dorholt's seat as theirs. Money is pouring in, and attack brochures are showing up daily in District 14B mailboxes.

Over lunch at one of the city's two Perkins restaurants, Knoblach, a real estate professional, recounted his record in the House. During his career, which included a stint as head of the bonding committee, Knoblach brought home $100 million for area projects, much of it for St. Cloud State University and the local technical college.

As chair of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, which is in charge of fiscal issues, he helped steer the state out of a $4 billion deficit and into surplus, while preserving worthwhile programs.

Knoblach, like other Republican candidates this year, said state government has taken a leftward, anti-business turn that has private firms considering leaving the state or reconsidering whether to expand here.

Knoblach's prior legislative experience would count toward his seniority, which means that if Republicans take the House, he would become a committee chair and wield influence for St. Cloud, he said. He contrasted his experience with Dorholt's freshman status.

"Look at how much I got done as a freshman," Dorholt replied. He points to $11.6 million for the River's Edge Convention Center, $18 million for the state prison complex, and $2 million for local parks and transit, among other projects. Dorholt said transportation would be a key priority for him and his DFL colleagues next year.

As the lone DFL legislator who lives in the deep red Sixth Congressional District, Dorholt said he has significant leverage because GOP colleagues need his help with local priorities.

Dorholt co-owns Old Capital Tavern, a bar and grill in St. Cloud with 50 beer taps, so he said he knows how hard it is to run a business against the competition while also paying taxes and abiding by regulations. But he said it's important that Minnesota retain its status as a "brainpower state."

"That's how we weathered this tough economy," he said.

As a mental-health counselor, Dorholt said he would use his expertise to rethink Minnesota's mental-health-care system.

At the St. Cloud library, which features a giant curved facade of granite, copper and glass, Knoblach's name recognition as a former legislator was on display. Harold Wiehoff, the pastor of a local church, knows Knoblach and plans on supporting him for his conservative views.

Dorholt is organizing St. Cloud State hard.

Brian Peterson, a third-year statistics major who is backing Dorholt, said rounding up supporters is harder this year: "It's a little trickier to get people to listen or even care, to get them to know that it matters."

Patrick Coolican • 651-925-5042