October 14, 2004
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Candidate Review
state politicsJUDGE – COURT OF APPEALS 3
(i) DAVID MINGE vs PAUL ELLIOT ROSS.I am choosing to vote for David Minge
I do like the fact that Ross was associated with the effort to eliminate laws preventing judicial candidates from speaking their minds on specific political issues. I also respect Minge’s statements regarding why he will not make these comments.I noted that Ross was involved in creating a questionnaire asking candidates on their stances on specific issues. The questionnaire appears to cover a number of specific Republican concerns. I couldn’t find evidence that Minge or Ross answered the questionnaire.
There is definitely a concern that Minge (appointed by Ventura) no longer lives in the district that he is representing. He was appointed a week before the redistricting was announced. However, while this suit could have been raised long ago, it was only raised after the filing was closed. Had it been judged against Minge at that point, Ross would have won the seat by default.
I am rather concerned about a post I found on the Free Republic by a Paul Ross:
That is not credible when DeLay opposes the Defense of Marriage Constitutional Amendment. 99% of everybody here understands that we need to break the POLITICAL back of the pro-gay marriage movement. Not just the legal. By making this an electoral referendum, we force these guys out from their cover, and give us the best chance in some time to do some political & maybe even judicial house-cleaning. Can anyone say “judicial impeachment”?
If we don’t get the Amendment going now, then we are looking at a political fait accompli’ being created by the otherside, just as with abortion. DeLay appears to be showing his true colors on this issue. And they are not conservative.
I’m not positive that this is the same Paul Ross, but judging by a general review of comments, mentions made of being from Minnesota, and similarity between things said here and mentioned in other news articles, he doesn’t look like someone I wish to support.
I posted a mention of this article to the state politics list and no one stated that I was mistaken in the assumption that this is the same Paul Ross. It doesn’t prove that it is, but it makes me more comfortable in assuming that it is.
Minge did answer a questionnaire by the Minnesota Newspaper Association to some extent. He also responded to the questions of The League of Women Voters. Paul Ross did not reply to either of them. I find it somewhat strange that Ross went through so much effort to get information about Judicial candidates publicly stated, but did not state his own information.
Other Inputs:Jordan Kushner from the MPD (State Politics Discussion) List:
David Minge was appointed by Ventura only two years ago and therefore has not established an extensive record. Based on several of his opinions that I have read, he appears very reasonable and competent. He certainly has ample legal and legislative experience.
I cannot find information about Ross as he does not appear to have responded to questionnaires. I would be curious as to the reasons he is challenging Minge.
Susan Rego from the MPD:
One year, when David Minge was running for re-election to Congress, I walked with him from the parking lot to the building where a debate between him and his opponent was to take place. It was a rainy, blustery October day. He had brought his campaign sign to put up outside the building.
I helped him put the sign in, and then we noticed that his opponent’s sign had blown down in the strong wind. He put it back up, and stuck it into the ground really well so it wouldn’t fall over again.
Tom Searles from the MPD:
David Minge was a US Representative for my district before he was voted out in favor of the Republican candidate, Mark Kennedy. I did not agree with many of Minge’s votes, but a Democrat may feel differently. I don’t know anything about Paul Ross
After consideration of all the above, I am voting to keep Minge.
