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The battle for the Minnesota House
by Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio
October 25, 2002

Along with the other offices on the ballot this year all 134 seats in the Minnesota will be decided. Republicans currently control the House with a 71 to 63 margin over DFLers. Officials with both parties say there are at least 25 competitive seats in the upcoming election. Redistricting has created a number of open seats and forced ten incumbents to run against each other.

	Candidate Jim Rhodes

While the campaigns for for governor and U.S. Senate are garnering a lot of attention in the upcoming election, control of the state Legislature is critical to both parties. The governor proposes legislation, but lawmakers decide which bills are considered.

Control of the House will come down to a number of races, but both parties say House District 44A is critical. The district, which takes up St. Louis Park and Hopkins, is 54 percent DFL. But a moderate Republican has been winning here since 1993.

On a recent afternoon, Republican Jim Rhodes campaigned in a St. Louis Park neighborhood. He says proudly that he represents more Democrats than any other sitting Republican Representative. It shows. Many homes have two signs in their yards. One supporting Rhodes. The other supporting DFL Sen. Paul Wellstone.

Rhodes says he's a moderate who supports legalized abortion and wants increased funding for transit, including commuter rail. He refuses to sign a no-tax pledge because he wants to keep all options open when it's time for lawmkers to address a budget shortfall that could hit $3 billion.

"I'm running for the office, I'm not running against anybody," Rhodes said. "I think my record speaks for itself. It sounds like I'm blowing my own horn but I've been an effective legislator that's been able to get the job done. We've carried bills because I've worked with both sides. I put people in front of politics and it works."

Rhodes hopes voters remember his moderate record, since he's running against DFL incumbent Betty Folliard. Folliard has been in the Legislature since 1996. She's telling voters that she's stronger than Rhodes on DFL issues, including education, health care and social issues. She says a vote for Rhodes is a vote to keep the Republican majority.

"His voting record has him voting 88 percent of the time with the Speaker of the House," Folliard said. "The current speaker, Steve Sviggum, is an anti-choice, anti-education, anti-environment, pro-gun speaker. (That) first vote when you walk through the door as a legislator (is) for the speaker of the house. That determines the agenda for the next two years."

House Minority Leader Tom Pugh, says the Rhodes/Folliard race is critical to DFL chances of retaking the House. It's one of five house races where incumbents are running against each other. Pugh says the key issues in the upcoming election are transportation, education and health care; issues that he thinks will help Democrats. Pugh predicts DFLers will win 70 seats in the upcoming election but admits a large number of seats are in play.

"In past elections by this time, you could have it down to six races that are going to make the difference," Pugh said. "I think it's still in the 20-25 range and it might be 20-25 races on Nov. 4th."

Republican House Speaker Steve Sviggum agrees there are a number of close contests. But he says Republicans will still control the House. Sviggum says a Republican House will safeguard against the Minnesota Senate, which is currently controlled by the DFL.

"It's very, very important for the balance of legislating in the state," Sviggum said. "If we are going to have a liberal democratic Senate, it's extremely, extremely important that the House retain its Republican nature so that we have a balance in governing."

The Independence Party is fielding 19 candidates for the Minnesota House. IP chair Nancy Jorgenson is predicting three of them will win seats.

"We're going to find that if we can pick up these seats, the Democrats and the Republicans are going to be pretty evenly split," Jorgenson said. "So they're going to need to work with the Independence Party candidates towards that sensible center."

The Green Party is also fielding 15 House candidates. One of them, Keith Meland, could have an impact in district 44A, where Folliard and Rhodes are running.

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