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Capitol View®
Catharine Richert

National conservative group plans anti-Dayton push

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The local branch of the conservative Americans for Prosperity says it's launching a campaign to oust Gov. Mark Dayton from office.

“Gov. Mark Dayton continues to portray himself as a ‘libertarian’ frustrated by layers of bureaucracy, all the while his constant march towards more spending, higher taxes and bigger government is sucking the taxpayers’ wallets dry,” said  AFP-MN state director John Cooney.

Cooney said recent reports about MNsure, the state's new health insurance exchange prompted the effort.

The campaign will include radio, direct mail, digital advertisements, and volunteer phone calls.

Cooney wasn't immediately available to say how much the group plans to spend. 

Cooney said the group plans to spend around $200,000 on the effort.

Americans for Prosperity is a national group with branches in many states. It was founded by conservative businessmen Charles and David Koch. The brothers have used AFP to influence elections from the local level to the White House.

In the past, AFP-MN has worked to elect Republicans in the 8th Congressional District and in legislative races.

UPDATE: AFP took issue with Capitol View's characterization of its Minnesota campaign against Dayton. AFP is technically a non-profit, so that means it can't expressly advocate for or against a specific candidate. Rather, the group says it is trying to educate Minnesota voters about Dayton's record. Here's a comment from AFP spokeswoman Heather Ginsberg:

“Americans for Prosperity- Minnesota is an issue advocacy group that works to promote the benefits of economic liberty for Minnesotans. Governor Dayton’s actions undermine those benefits and we are encouraging Minnesotans to tell him to change his policies.”