Vekich dealing with Republican Party finances for now

The turn-around specialist and businessman will not be a candidate to be chair of the party

December 12, 2011 at 6:58PM
Mike Vekich
Mike Vekich (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

It's Mike Vekich to the rescue. Again.

The turn-around specialist and businessman will "head up the Party's efforts to deal with its finances relative to its priorities in the 2012 election cycle," according to a GOP release.

"My role is assessing the situation and quickly defining the organization's strengths and weaknesses," Vekich said in a statement.

Mike Vekich
Mike Vekich (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Vekich had been a go to guy for Republican former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who appointed him to seven different state spots. Vekich was also on Republican Tom Emmer's would-be gubernatorial transition team.

The party is a financial mess and currently lacks an elected chair. It is more than $500,000 in debt and its chair, Tony Sutton, resigned this month.

The party elected deputy chair Kelly Fenton just over a week ago and she immediately became the interim chair.

The Republican party is due to elect a new chair the morning of Dec. 31. Both Fenton and Vekich say they will not be candidates in that election.

Vekich, who is taking on the finance examination as a volunteer, will report to Fenton until a new chair is elected.

Meanwhile, the candidates for the chair spot have started to emerge. Brendon Sawalich, vice president at Starkey Hearing Technologies and 2009 candidate for chair, has announced a run and MPR says former state Rep. Mike Osskopp is "leaning towards" running.

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