National GOP Promises Spending In Minn. Races
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) —A national Republican group is promising "significant" spending to support Minnesota Republicans' effort to retake the state House.
The Republican State Leadership Committee spent more than $600,000 in Minnesota two years ago, when the GOP lost control of both chambers.
But with President Obama's low approval ratings in a midterm election — generally a boon to the opposing party — group president Matt Walter said the environment is ripe for Republicans to make gains in Minnesota and more than a dozen other state Legislatures.
The GOP needs to pick up seven seats to take control of the Minnesota House. State senators are not up for re-election until 2016. The DFL has an 11-seat edge in the Senate.
Walter wouldn't say how much they'll spend this time around — he would only point to their spending in 2012 as a guide for their "significant investment" in 2014. But he did talk about strategy in a conference call with reporters, and criticized Minnesota Democrats' handling of state government the last two years.
"That monopoly of Democratic control in that state has not served the people of Minnesota," he said.
He said one talking point will be a new, $90 million Senate office building complex, which he called "egregious" and "palatial." State Republicans have already made the building the poster child of what they call Democratic overspending.
State DFL chairman Ken Martin didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.
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