CD3 News & Opinions
The news and opinions posted below are intended to cover events and issues of potential interest to conservatives in the 3rd Congressional District of Minnesota
Want to be a Delegate to the 2024 Republican National Convention? Here is How!
The Republican Presidential Candidate debate in Milwaukee last week was the first step toward selecting our next President. A select number of Republicans will gather in the same city over three days, July 15-18, for the 2024 Republican National Convention (2024 RNC). If you want to be a delegate or alternate to that convention and cast a vote for our nominee, here are a few things you might want to know:
Minnesota is allotted 39 Delegates and 36 Alternates.
Three Delegates are already determined (the State Party Chair, the Republican National Committeewoman, and the Republican National Committeeman).
Each of Minnesota's eight Congressional Districts elect three Delegates and three Alternates.
The remaining 12 Delegates and 12 Alternates are elected "at-large" at our Republican State Convention May 16-18.
To learn more about becoming a 2024 RNC Delegate or Alternate, CLICK HERE
Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill -- Bad Policy Wrong for Minnesota
The Paid Family and Medical Leave Act was approved last week by the Minnesota legislature by votes of 68-62 in the MN House, 34-32 in the MN Senate. All Republicans voted against it.
Why? Because it imposes a government mandate on all employers in Minnesota without regard to the impact it will have ultimately on employment. It increases the cost of labor, reducing the incentive to hire additional employees. Employers in struggling enterprises may have to let employees go that are not significant contributors.
Rep Andrew Myers (R, Tonka Bay) pointed out that this new law is funded by a brand-new tax on employers and employees. "It will cost billions of dollars to get up and running and will require as many as 400 new full-time employees to develop and administrate the program."
Rep. Danny Nadeau (R, Rogers) wrote to his constituents on May 5 that he supports expanded access to paid family and medical leave, but "had serious concerns about the details of this proposal, including new payroll taxes, ever-growing government bureaucracy, and troublesome mandates."
As an alternative, Republicans proposed the Minnesota Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FaMLI) Plan. As Rep Nadeau stated on the floorof the house, the FaMLI Plan was "clear, stable, affordable, and flexible plan that serves families" rather than promote an activist agenda. It was defeated.
CLICK HERE to continue reading specifics of the law provided by Rep. Myers
Meet the CD3 Executive Committee Members
Following are short background summaries of a few of the new Executive Committee members. Additional member biographical summaries will be published in subsequent newsletters and will be posted on the CD3 website. Check back periodically for additional summaries.
Randy Sutter -- Chair
- House District -- 50B
- Served as CD3 Chair since 2022
- Background – Technical Program Management
- Previous Political Experience – Campaign Treasurer, BPOU Chair, Communications Chair
- Passions – Writing, Leadership Development, Candidate Support, Voter Turn-out
Jake Moroshek – Deputy Chair
- Contrarian at heart.
- Work at UnitedHealth Group. Digital Product Director. Enjoy technology.
- Passionate about history, love to travel.
- Three-year-old girl and one-year-old boy at home.
- Tucker is a person who I look up to politically. He had a way of speaking about "third rail" topics that was erudite and respectful and opened up millions in America to many controversial topics. I want us to have the difficult discussions in Minnesota and to do so while assuming we're coming into this with positive intentions.
To read additional biographical summaries, please CLICK HERE
Time to Roll Up our Sleeves
By Randy Sutter
The margin of the DFL victory in our state last year was very small. Yet, our DFL legislature is brazenly acting like they have a popular mandate.
They are enacting laws that do not reflect our values or those of a majority of Minnesotans. They feel that they can host public drag queen performances in the rotunda of our capitol. They feel no need to return the massive state budget surplus to us. Rather, they intend to spend it like there is no tomorrow.
Well, there will be a tomorrow. We need to ensure that it will be the tomorrow that we and the hard-working people of this state deserve.
We must work to restore a rational, realistic government to our state. We must work to return legislators to St. Paul who will demand
- strong oversight of welfare programs,
- performance in our public education system, and
- accountability in the management of our state departments and agencies
We cannot rely on a "red wave" to make it happen. We cannot rely on simply recruiting good candidates and holding rousing rallies, although these are important. The key to making a difference in the tomorrow of 2024 is the work that we do starting today.
CLICK HERE to continue reading
Looking for Volunteers for the State Fair
The MN GOP has created a Standing Committee to plan and oversee the MNGOP’s State Fair booth. MN GOP Deputy Chair Donna Bergstrom is a Co-Chair of the committee, and she is asking for a volunteer from the 3rd Congressional District to be on the committee.
The set-up and operation of the booth depends on volunteer support. There will be several opportunities:
- CD3 Day at the Fair - Saturday, September 2. This is our day to help run the booth. Volunteers are need over three shifts (8:30 am to 12:30 pm, 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm, and 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Up to five volunteers can sign up for each shift.
To volunteer, please email Michael Bang at northstardancestudio@yahoo.com and copy Randy Sutter at randywacs@aol.com. To secure your preferred slot, please volunteer early.
For more information, please CLICK HERE.
Study finds Claims in favor of Ranked Choice Voting Seriously Lacking
Passage of a Ranked Choice Voting bill in the MN Legislature is no longer a sure thing. At the end of March, the DFL chair of the Senate Election Committee abruptly cancelled a meeting to debate and pass SF1635, which included full implementation of RCV. The Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota had just published a study calling into questions several assertions of RCV supporters.
In fact, many of the claims made were found to be seriously lacking, according to a post in the online political blog, Checks & Balances. In addition, Senate President Bobby Joe Champion (DFL, Minneapolis) is an ardent opponent.
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) advocates believe this method encourages interest among potential voters and reduces the influence of special interest lobbies. However, upon inspection of pro-RCV advocates’ websites such as fairvote.org, one finds that it is the special interests that support this voting scheme.
RCV presents an alarming risk that voters’ actual will is usurped, thus disenfranchising voters. The RCV/IRV system does not ensure ‘one person, one vote’, and does not even ensure that a majority candidate will win. The League of Women Voters notes that RCV may allow a candidate to win even without a majority “if enough voters did not give any votes to their lower choices.”
CLICK HERE to continue reading how RCV does not deliver on its promised benefits
3rd Congressional District Convention Set for April 29
Delegates and alternates elected to represent their BPOUs across the 3rd Congressional District have been sent the official call to attend our annual CD3 Convention. Planned this year for Saturday, April 29, the convention will be held at the Wayzata Central Middle School auditorium, 305 Vicksburg Lane N, Plymouth.
The business of the convention this year will be to:
• Hear from legislative representatives and party leaders
• Elect Executive Officers (Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and seven (7) Vice Chairs
• Consider and vote on amendments to the CD3 Constitution and Bylaws
• Conduct other district business
Republicans in the 3rd Congressional District who wish to be considered as candidates for CD3 Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, or Vice Chair should CLICK HERE and indicate for which officer position they would like to be considered. A representative of the Officer Review Committee will reach out and schedule an interview. The deadline for candidate submissions is April 15.
Executive Committee Has Plans for CD3 in 2023
The CD3 Executive Officers and volunteers actively supported Republican candidates in races in 2022. Door-knocking in Plymouth's Senate District 42 and in Bloomington's Senate District 51 (depicted above) were just two examples. We also had some great volunteers who staffed a district campaign office in Maple Grove, turning it into an active call center.
Unfortunately, door-knocking and phone-calling was not enough to elect many of our outstanding Republican candidates. We need to do more. The margins in both the Minnesota House and Senate remain very small, and the CD3 Executive Committee is preparing to implement new strategies to make a difference in 2024.
We have ambitious plans to improve the election outcomes in our district. The CD3 Executive Committee have adopted a strategic plan, and each officer will lead the execution of a key area of that plan, including:
• Party infrastructure building and growth
• Collaboration with community organizations
• Local candidate/campaign training & support
• Outreach
• Event planning and support
• Communications & messaging
• Fundraising
Going forward, the executive officers will be reach out to the CD3 senate district leadership. Together, we hope to recruit and engage volunteers in pursuit of these objectives. We are also making strong connections with conservative action groups to set up training and organizing programs.
We are not waiting and hoping for new candidates to step forward. Join us to lay the groundwork now.
CLICK HERE to continue reading about CD3 Executive Officer roles and opportunities.
Study finds Claims for Ranked Choice Voting Seriously Lacking
Passage of a Ranked Choice Voting bill in the MN Legislature is no longer a sure thing. At the end of March, the DFL chair of the Senate Election Committee abruptly cancelled a meeting to debate and pass SF1635, which included full implementation of RCV. The Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota had just published a study calling into questions a number of assertions of RCV supporters.
In fact, many of the claims made were found to be seriously lacking, according to a post in the online political blog, Checks & Balances. In addition, Senate President Bobby Joe Champion (DFL, Minneapolis) is an ardent opponent.
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) advocates believe this method encourages interest among potential voters and reduces the influence of special interest lobbies. However, upon inspection of pro-RCV advocates’ websites such as fairvote.org, one finds that it is the special interests that support this voting scheme.
RCV presents an alarming risk that voters’ actual will is usurped, thus disenfranchising voters. The RCV/IRV system does not ensure ‘one person, one vote’, and does not even ensure that a majority candidate will win. The League of Women Voters notes that RCV may allow a candidate to win even without a majority “if enough voters did not give any votes to their lower choices.”
CLICK HERE to continue reading how RCV does not deliver on its promised benefits.
