Republican caucus goers pick Seifert to challenge Dayton, Ortman to take on Franken

Minnesota Republicans have narrowly picked former state Rep. Marty Seifert as their early favorite to challenge incumbent DFL Gov. Mark Dayton this fall, and they like state Sen. Julianne Ortman to take on U.S. Sen. Al Franken.

GOP officials conducted nonbinding straw polls Tuesday night during precinct caucuses. Those neighborhood meetings are the starting point for parties to endorse candidates. But this year several GOP candidates in both contests have said they plan to run in the August primary, with or without the party endorsement.

Seifert, who is making his second gubernatorial bid, had received support from about 29 percent of caucus goers late last night. He was followed closely by state Sen. Dave Thompson at about 25 percent. Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson was third in the six candidate field at about 17 percent.

Seifert had a strong caucus night showing in 2010, but he ultimately lost the GOP endorsement to Tom Emmer. During an appearance at Eden Prairie High School, Seifert said the candidates who don't do well need to re-evaluate their campaigns.

"If you can't break 10 or 15 percent at the caucuses, how on earth are you going to put a primary campaign together? You do have to have people put up your signs, make your phone calls, knock on the doors. I'm just being honest. The primary had 9 percent turnout two years ago, in a presidential year," he said. Seifert is not ruling out running in a primary if he doesn't win party backing.

Thompson, who was also in Eden Prairie, is one of only two GOP candidates for governor who have said they'll drop out if they aren't endorsed. Johnson is the other. Thompson said he believes the endorsement still matters.

"I think it's really almost disingenuous to come here and say, 'I would love your support, I want you to endorse me, you're really important to me unless you pick someone else and then you don't matter to me at all.' I don't understand how candidates can do that," he said.

In the race for U.S. Senate, Ortman had a straw poll showing of about 30 percent, in another six-candidate field. She was followed by businessman Mike McFadden at about 23 percent. Ortman said she will abide by the GOP endorsement. McFadden repeated his intention to seek the endorsement but also run in the primary.

"I think I'm the best candidate to beat Franken, and as long as I believe that we're going to stay in this race. We're really happy where we're at right now. We've worked really hard," Ortman said.

Primary or not, Republican caucus goers appear ready for the campaigns ahead. GOP Senate District 51 chairman Jeff Schuette, who was caucusing at Apple Valley High School, said people are interested.

"It is a Republican year and we're excited, there's absolutely no doubt about that," he said.

Gov. Dayton was supposed to greet DFL caucus-goers in St. Paul with and his new lieutenant governor running mate, Tina Smith. But his ailing hip kept him at home. Smith had to deliver the message on her own.

"I want to talk about the governor, that we have made great progress over the last three years. But we have a lot more work to do, and I want to ask for their support to get that work done," she said.

Smith spoke to the St. Paul Democrats who are trying to choose from six candidates who want the House seat being vacated by Representative Michael Paymar. Caucus participant Lyn Burton wouldn't say which candidate she's backing but she said it's important for her party to retain control of the Minnesota House.

"We need to keep working on education, on the issues of income disparity, equal opportunity, job creation, all the things that I think Democrats understand that we need to do," she said.

Tempers flared in the Minneapolis precinct where DFLer Mohamud Noor is challenging incumbent DFL Rep. Phyllis Kahn. A heated argument over procedural matters prompted police to shut down the caucus. A DFL spokesman says it's never happened before, and party officials aren't sure what to do next.