Mediaboss Marketing

OWATONNA For area Republicans, Saturday was filled with energy, celebration and optimism after a election cycle that gave the party control of the Minnesota Legislature, U.S. Congress and the White House.

Its a great day to be a Republican. Every day is, said Carol Stevenson, First District Republican chairwoman, before calling to order the First District Republican Convention at Trinity Lutheran Church in Owatonna.

The convention drew more than 150 delegates from at least 20 south central and southeastern Minnesota counties to vote on party business, elect new district officers and hear from GOP legislators about what the party is doing locally, regionally and nationally in the aftermath of a momentous election.

Sen. Carla Nelson, R-Rochester, was the first of several area legislators to address those in attendance about the work Senate Republicans have been doing at the state capitol this session, including passing a health insurance premium relief bill and a transportation bill that funds the four-lane expansion of Highway 14 from Owatonna to Dodge Center.

Nelson said the next big issue Senate Republicans plan to address is an omnibus budget bill, which they hope to release Monday or Tuesday.

It gives us a full month to work with the House, but really our biggest adversary is Gov. Dayton. He has a totally different view as weve seen the last six years, and we know how devastating that is to Minnesotans, she said.

Jabs were taken at Gov. Mark Dayton, Congressman Tim Walz, who announced his candidacy for governor early last week, and the Democratic Party and policies and actions theyve supported throughout the event, including the Affordable Care Act.

When Minnesota Speaker of the House Kurt Daudt took the stage with a warm welcome, he recognized the districts representatives, including John Petersburg, Brian Daniels and Peggy Bennett, who are a part of the largest Republican majority in history following a presidential election and acknowledged the Republican Senate majority, too, before expanding upon Daytons very different vision for Minnesota.

He touched on Daytons support of transit, universal Pre-K and doing everything he can to give licenses to undocumented immigrants and voiced the Republicans' resistance to the governor and state DFLs wasteful spending.

If we let [Gov. Dayton] spend what he wanted to, we would have a $3 billion deficit, but this year we have new battles on our hands and this wont surprise you a bit. Even with this record surplus Gov. Dayton is proposing $1.3 billion in new taxes. Thats his vision for Minnesota, Daudt said.

Daudt garnered applause and cheers when he provided two pieces of good news in which one included the next two years are Daytons last before calling for a unified commitment to electing a Republican governor in 2018.

If we can do that it will be the first time in state history that Republicans have had complete control of state government and that would be our opportunity to make Minnesota great again, he said.

Because of that Daudt believes the 2018 election cycle will be really exciting, energetic.

Outgoing Minnesota GOP Chairman Keith Downey agreed and said hes highly optimistic about the future of the party in the state.

Downey, whose second two-year term as state party chair ends May 1, said when he was elected party chair in 2013, the Republican party was very much in the ditch, but things have turned around.

We have the potential to make Minnesota red in 2018, he said, noting with Walz running for governor in 2018, the first district has a great shot at picking up the congressional seat and holding onto it.

On April 29, state Republicans will elect a new chair and a new deputy chair at the state central convention in St. Cloud. Each of the candidates for those positions Jennifer Carnahan, Chris Fields, David Hann and Rick Rice spoke at the convention Saturday. Andy Aplikowski, Jennifer Dejournett and David Pascoe are the candidates for state deputy party chair.

At the convention Saturday, the district elected its officers. Jeremy Munson was elected chair, Joel Hanson was elected deputy chair, Chris Styndl was elected treasurer, Spencer Krier was elected secretary and Josh Anderson was elected state executive committee representative.

Reach reporter Ashley Stewart at 444-2378 or follow her on Twitter.com @OPPashley

Read more from the original source:
Area Republicans optimistic about future in Minnesota, nation - Southernminn.com