U.S. Republican Party

MNGOP runs out the clock on anti-bullying bill

Salon's headline says the "GOP actually bullies an anti-bullying bill." We wouldn't go that far, but however you want to describe it, MNGOP senators did whatever it took to prevent an anti-bullying bill from coming up for a vote.OUR COVER FEATURE: Gay bullying: In wake of suicides, schools face fede ... More >>

Minnesota will be one of the states least affected by sequestration, but it's still going to suck

Barring a last-minute deal in D.C., this Friday will mark the beginning of $1.2 trillion in federal budget cuts that will be gradually implemented over the next decade.SEE ALSO: Minnesota's economic recovery driven by McJobs, not middle-class jobsAll states will be affected, some more than others. A ... More >>

Conservatives stir the pot again

Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann open their mouths

Republicans sound the trumpet as Obamacare contributes to St. Jude's Minnesota layoffs

SEE ALSO:-- Supreme Court upholds Obamacare: Top 10 Twin Cities tweets-- U.S. healthcare is too costly for Kevin Steinman, so he's moving to Norway-- KARE 11 criticized for hosting "potentially harmful" health screenings at State FairYesterday, St. Jude Medical Inc. announced that it's laying off 30 ... More >>

Will Durst

Twitter study applauds MN congressional delegation, finds Republicans are best tweeters

​An impressively detailed new study looking at how Congress members use Twitter recognizes Minnesota's congressional delegation as some of the best social networkers around, but finds that Republicans, overall, use Twitter more effectively than Democrats.The study, "Capitol Tweets: Yeas and Nays o ... More >>

MNGOP Sen. Hann: Some state employees "do nothing," salaries "a clear misuse of public dollars"

Sen. David Hann: Not a fan of the state paying employees to set up the state's health insurance exchange.​Minnesota Senator David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, is upset about the public dollars being spent on a handful of employees working to setup the state's health insurance exchange.The health insuranc ... More >>

MN GOP Secretary-Treasurer David Sturrock resigns

​The almost-unwatchable train-wreck that is the Minnesotan Republican Party wrecks onward. Last night, Secretary Treasurer David Sturrock tendered his resignation, effective January 19. In his barbed letter to other Republicans, Sturrock seems to indicate that his decision was triggered by today' ... More >>

Michael Brodkorb steps down from Minnesota Republican Party to volunteer on Mike Parry's campaign

​Michael Brodkorb is resigning as deputy chairman of the Republican Party in Minnesota to volunteer on state Sen. Mike Parry's run for U.S. Congress. Parry announced Friday that he would run against Congressman Tim Walz in the First Congressional District, a major move on the part of Republicans ... More >>

Dayton signs budget to end shutdown, state employees back to work tomorrow

Dayton said he was forced to sign a budget he didn't like.​Minnesota's shutdown is over.Mark Dayton signed the nine budget bills and three spending bills at 9:00 a.m., ending the state's embarrassing, costly lockout on its 20th day. The shutdown's end is good news for the 22,000 state employee ... More >>

Business as usual for state GOP during shutdown, including salaries

Tony Sutton will still get paid during the shutdown.​With Gov. Mark Dayton and a slew of legislators not taking their paychecks during the state government shutdown, City Pages thought it would check up on the state political parties. Eleven of the 14 state senators skipping their salary are Repub ... More >>

Dayton complains about GOP using shutdown to raise money

Minnesota's shut down, but the state GOP isn't.​Mark Dayton says Minnesota Republicans are trying to mine the state shutdown for campaign money. The governor criticized the GOP for hitting up contributors while Minnesota can't pay for highway repairs and state parks. In a response to City Pages th ... More >>

Republicans demand special session to deal with budget

​With just 10 days to go until a possible state government shutdown, top GOP leaders are asking Gov. Mark Dayton to call a special session to deal with the state's $5 billion budget deficit. House Speaker Kurt Zellers says it's time. Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch says that state legislator ... More >>

Chip Cravaack stunned: Not everyone on Iron Range is a tea partier

Aren't we all Americans here? Not on the Range.​It's no wonder Republicans in control of the Legislature want to gerrymander our congressional districts to get Chip Cravaack off the Iron Range. When he shows up there, he draws rabid crowds - and not the good kind of rabid. That's hardly the k ... More >>

Pawlenty will run for president or get off the pot in two weeks [UPDATE]

It's make-your-mind-up time.​Tim Pawlenty says he will decide once and for all in the next two or three weeks whether he'll make a 2012 run for the White House. After three epic campaign commercials, a national book tour, frequent-flyer excursions to New Hampshire and Iowa, and incessant sucking ... More >>

Norm Coleman could fight Reince Priebus for GOP leadership

Will Norm Coleman save the GOP from the insidious influence of Wisconsin?​Norm Coleman, who has been doing his will-he-won't-he dance for months now, appears to be one step closer to running for Chairman of the Republican National Committee.Today an anonymous "close source" told the press that Col ... More >>

Emmer petitions MN Supreme Court over ballots. [UPDATES]

Every vote should count, right?​Tom Emmer's legal eagles are taking another shot at helping their candidate beat Mark Dayton in court. They have petitioned the Minnesota Supreme Court to order every election judge across the state to prove that the number of voters and the number of votes ca ... More >>

Michele Bachmann had the worst week in Washington

Cooper vs. Bachmann: It didn't help.​It didn't help Michele Bachmann's recent power play for a leadership position among Republicans that she chose the very same moment to once more climb aboard the crazy train. By Wednesday, she figured out she was better suited to softball sessions with Se ... More >>

Did Fox News just call Tim Pawlenty a wimp?

Fox News thinks Tim Pawlenty is small fry.​Fox News news is up with a feature called "12 in 2012," a kind of working list made up of potential Republican challengers to President Barack Obama in the next general election. The good news for Tim Pawlenty is that he made the list. The bad news i ... More >>

Bill Clinton and Mark Dayton welcome George W. Bush to their side

Photo via WikipediaMiss him yet? Bill Clinton said the Republicans would barely recognize him.​Bill Clinton blew into town last night for a $1000-a-head fundraiser benefiting Democrat Mark Dayton's run for governor. George W. Bush wasn't with him, but Clinton suggested that maybe he would hav ... More >>

GOP complaint against Tom Horner nixed by board. (That was fast)

​Who says the government isn't efficient? It took the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board just a day to consign a Republican complaint against IP gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner to the "out" box. The complaint alleges that former Republican Horner received an illegal cam ... More >>

Michele Bachmann dances on Ted Kennedy's grave

A Republican may win the late Ted Kennedy's Senate seat.

Palin trounces Pawlenty as GOP standard bearer in new poll

The governor has been racking up a lot of frequent flyer miles lately, but not a lot of love.

Republicans called "pro-rape" for Franken amendment vote, but what about the White House?

Republicans were called "pro-rape" for voting against Franken's amendment, but what about the Department of Defense and the White House? They were against it too.

Pawlenty: Yep, the GOP has 'bottomed out'

Sounds like the Repubs were steamrolled by the Hope Express. toot toot. Next stop: Socialism (right Bachmann?!)

GOP not complaining about Minnesota's empty seat

Those silly Republicans are finally admitting what we knew all along: They don't mind having Minnesota's Senate seat empty for now.

Are Republicans losing interest in the race already?

Mitt Romney gets into DNC ... on someone's press pass

MC Rove Will Be in Da House Tomorrow

Elephant Droppings

Why it is a terrible time to be a Republican

Working Girl

Michele Bachmann celebrates longer hours, worser grammar

A raucous Iowa caucus

The Wizard of Odds: Iowa begins the road to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul

6/7 Morning Communiqué

1/26 Morning Communiqué

McCain and Pawlenty, sittin' in a tree?

11/15 Morning Communiqué

Fade to Blue

Five or six things about last week's winners and losers

Night of the Short Knives

As the GOP suffered the death of a thousand cuts last Tuesday, CP staffers captured scenes from the victory party that (mostly) wasn't

Michael Brodkorb exposed during the GOP's endless night

Elephants on West Seventh

Courting Trouble

Judicial candidates in Minnesota can now be endorsed by a political party. The money hasn't flowed yet, but some races have already been politicized.

Savage Love

Bar owner butts into governor's race

“They talk about freedom and values, but they really don't believe in representative government.”

Former Minnesota Senator and lifelong Republican Dave Durenberger on the rise of the new Bush Republicans in Minnesota and elsewhere

Fear of a Liberal Planet

GOP telemarketers harass the elderly, groove on hip hop, and scream like monkeys

Log Cabin Fever

Gay Republicans invite themselves to the party

Hot Air

Fred Phelps and federal lawmakers blast homosexuals

Playing Hardball With Soft Money