Related article: "Rep. Tim Walz, Minnesota DINO"



After taking a thumping in 2006 and facing the prospect of Democratic control of Congress and the presidency next year, several top Republican leaders engaged in some public political soul-searching on the last day of the party's two-day state convention.
They offered different explanations for why the party's political fortunes have sagged. Gov. Tim Pawlenty, considered on a short-list of vice-presidential candidates, argued that Republicans have a higher burden to meet, especially when Democrats are giving away what he called "free stuff."
Pawlenty, in a speech before the convention, acknowledged that the party still battles the perception that "Republicans aren't for the working person." "Now, you know that not to be true. But that shows you the perception we've got to get over. We've got to have our ideals connect and be meaningful with people," Pawlenty said.
If there was a consensus on what Republicans need to do to restore their political footing, it was the view that Republicans have to not only talk like Republicans, but they have to behave like Republicans.
Karl Rove, the architect behind President George W. Bush's two presidential election triumphs, spoke at the close of the two-day convention held in Rochester. He urged delegates to speak boldly about what the party stands for, including free markets, low taxes and limited government.
"Now is not the time to take our colors and roll them up and put them in the closet," Rove said.
"We believe that there ought to be a limit on what government can take from any one individual, because if government can take anything from anyone, it can take everything from everyone," Rove said.
The staying power of those principles will likely be tested in the 1st Congressional District, where the party's endorsed candidate, Brian Davis, is challenging U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, a Mankato Democrat, on an unabashedly conservative platform.
Davis opposes embryonic stem-cell research, is against civil unions for gay people, and believes the country must focus on developing domestic oil reserves, including drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve.
He rejects out of hand the notion that the globe is warming due to human activity.
"Let me be clear: I totally reject the man-made global warming religion," Davis said to loud applause on Saturday.
Davis, a Mayo Clinic physician, must still survive a primary challenge by state Sen. Dick Day of Owatonna. But Davis has already made clear that if he does prevail, he plans to pursue a campaign of sharp contrasts with Walz, whom he calls a liberal in moderate clothing.
He says Walz has done little to bring down gas prices with his opposition to drilling in ANWR. He says the first-term Democrat consistently votes for measures that would expand government and that, according to one ranking, is 394th out of 435th in Congress in terms of taxing and spending.
He also chides Walz for supporting the Employee Free Choice Act, legislation that would make it easier for workers to join unions, but that Davis calls "simply un-American," because it would deprive workers of a secret ballot.
"In 2006, Tim Walz ran against George Bush and the Iraq war. In 2008, he's going to have to run on his record, and if I were him, I would run from it," Davis said.
Chris Schmitter, a spokesman for Walz, said it was sad and unfortunate the Republicans in general resort to attacks on Walz. He said voters rejected those negative tactics in 2006 and expressed confidence that they would do so again this year.
"The Congressman is busy serving the people of southern Minnesota, and he's running a positive campaign, talking about his agenda and the change he's bringing to Washington: Fighting to strengthen the economy, lower gas prices, reduce the cost of health care and provide for our nation's veterans. And he's doing that in a way that's exciting people," Schmitter said.
(news.postbulletin.com)