Why GOP convention is in Democrat country
Bob Kelleher, 5/31/96

(intro:)

Minnesota Republicans gather (today) in Duluth for their Biennial convention. Duluth and the Iron Range have long been considered the heart of Minnesota's organized labor and the Democrat-Farmer-Labor party. Hubert Humphrey once said winning in Minnesota required a win in Northeastern Minnesota's 8-th Congressional District. This part of the state has been home to influental Democrats including long-time Minnesota Congressman John Blatnik and his succesor, Jim Oberstar, and the late Governor Rudy Perpich. But Minnesota Republicans have long worked to crack the Democrat's stronghold in the 8-th, and say then can show some successes. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Kelleher reports from Duluth...

(script:)

According to Duluth Attorney Andy Larson, the DFL has no legitimate claim on Duluth or the Iron Range. Larson is a former 8-th District Republican Chairman and is now challenging Incumbent Jim Oberstar for his Congressional seat. Larson points to recent 8-th district wins by Republicans Rod Grams and Arnie Carlson, and he says, the belief that the district belongs to the DFL is a myth perpetuated by the DFL party and the Duluth newspaper ...

says is historically republican, lists some ...30 sec "we're at"

Still, with the rare exception, 8-th District voters almost exclusively choose Democratic Representatives, even though residents often think and vote conservatively. Long time Democratic Congressman Jim Oberstar speaks fluent Republican when he opposes gun control and abortion, and sides with Republican U-S Senator Rod Grams to rewrite the managment of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park. Oberstar says he introduced land management bills now to take advantage of the Republican majority in Congress and it's intent to weaken Federal controls.

Are Republicans rapidly gaining ground in the land of Rudy Perpich? Not necesarily, according to DFL activist and University of Minnesota-Duluth political Science Professor Craig Grau. But Grau says the DFL's absolute power in the region may be waning...

"it appears so"..lists some Republicans..

Grau says there have always been pockets of conservatism in the District, such as Carlton and Cook Counties and East Duluth precincts. He says Republicans who succeed in the district do so by avoiding extremes...

are moderates....gives examples

Grau says redistricting spread the Northeastern Minnesota 8-th District into northern Twin Cities suburbs, letting Rod Grams capture the District's U-S Senate vote in 1994 even though the traditional core in Duluth and on the Iron Range still favored Democrat Ann Wynia.

Regardless, Republicans will be welcomed in Duluth. Renee Appel with the Duluth Convention and Visitors Bureau says the Republican convention is one of highlites of the summer...

Appel says Duluth will also benefit by bringing lawmakers to town ... something that's been difficult to do since strict ethics rules were adopted two years ago...

(chamber used to sponsor big legislative weekend)

And, she says, politics aside, the visiting Republicans are expected to pump about half-a-million dollars into the region's economy.

This is Bob Kelleher, Minnesota Public Radio, Duluth.