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- Minnesota
Republican Senator loses endorsement over Profile

April 3, 2000

On Saturday, April 1^st, in a surprise political upset, the Republican Senate District 56 convention in Stillwater resoundingly rejected 28-year Republican Senate incumbent Gary Laidig as its candidate. On the first ballot, Dr. Michele Bachmann was endorsed 62% to Laidig's 38%. Dr. Bachmann herself, who arrived at her convention with no intention of running, was shocked by her victory. 

Senator Laidig is known as the Senator who for years has been opposing the Party Platform, and local activists wanted to support a candidate who would represent them at the legislature, particularly on the Profile of Learning. Laidig was a deciding vote in the Senate this year against some of the efforts to remove the Profile as a mandate from schools. He has consistently voted to support the Profile of Learning and to oppose the Northstar Standard.

The drama began to unfold as convention resolutions opposing the Profile were being adopted. It began as some delegates' desire to get a debate going with the incumbent legislator at the convention by putting up an opposition candidate.  Then it blossomed into a spontaneous and genuine draft effort by the convention delegates to endorse a credible alternative to Laidig.

"I was not expecting to be a candidate for the Senate when I left home for the convention Saturday morning," said Michele Bachmann, a tax litigation attorney who has been a powerful spokesperson opposing the Profile of Learning and School-to-Work all across the state for the past two years. "I came in wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and moccasins and I had no make-up on at all. I had not one piece of literature, I had made not one phone call, I had spent not five cents and I did not solicit one vote." 

However, Bachmann was known in her community for her high visibility on the education issue and through her race for school board last Fall. She lost that race, but, in the meantime, she has positioned herself as a formidable potential candidate with the conviction and energy to battle the onerous state Profile system in Minnesota. 

A friend offered to place her name in nomination, and one of the local Stillwater high school students, Emily Michnay, also requested to make a brief nominating speech. Bachmann followed up with a powerful five-minute speech focusing on Laidig's voting record on a number of key issues, the devastating effects of the Profile of Learning on our children and ending with an appeal to defend our freedom.

Laidig began his speech with, "Well, you've paid your $20 to get in here and now you've had your entertainment for the day." Delegates were not amused. A secret ballot followed.

After the votes were counted, a shocked Laidig huddled at length with Senate District leadership and with Senate and Republican Party staffers to plan some strategy while the convention waited in suspense for the announced results. A recount was announced instead, but the recount only served to widen Bachmann's margin of victory. The delegates began demanding results. Patience was wearing thin. 

Finally, Laidig came forward to challenge the validity of the vote, but his challenge was ruled invalid. The vote was then announced, 80 - 49, and Michele Bachmann was declared the endorsed Republican Senate candidate from SD 56.

Earlier that day, two Republican House candidates were endorsed, Mark Holsten of 56A and Peg Larsen of 56B, both incumbents. Rep. Holsten also faced a challenge, but survived the challenge after a plea from Rep. Pawlenty, House Republican Majority Leader. Rep. Larsen was endorsed unanimously.

Says Bachmann, "I am committed to winning this race. We will put together an aggressive, issue-oriented campaign and bring it to every home and voter in this district." She was meeting with supporters and Party leaders today.

Footnote: Senator Dick Day, the Republican Minority Leader from Owatonna, was first elected to the Senate in 1990 when he challenged an incumbent Republican Senator, Sen. Mel Frederick, for the endorsement. Day went on to defeat Frederick in the Republican primary by 50.3% and then won in the general election by 51.6%. The Senate Republican Caucus (the group of elected Republican Senators) opposed Day, the endorsed Republican candidate.

Day has stated his conviction that Republican Party activists should never defy the will of the Senate Republican Caucus, and that he and his Senators are 100% behind Gary Laidig in a primary battle, though Laidig routinely opposes Day's leadership on substantive issues like the Profile of Learning. 

This is a time for all of us to urge Republican Senators like Dick Day and others to support the endorsed candidate in SD 56, or, at a minimum, to stay neutral on that race. Senators who are truly committed to ending the Profile should welcome the opportunity to replace their colleague with someone who will vote with them on this crucial issue. 

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