Republican State Convention 2009

I was a delegate to the 2009 Minnesota Republican State Convention this past weekend.  The agenda for the off-year convention was full of bylaws and constitution changes—real “inside politics” stuff that most folks find particularly and annoyingly boring.  I’m not most folks (I read zoning ordinances for fun) and I’m grateful for my neighbors giving me the opportunity to represent them in St. Paul.

The big event for most folks was a non-binding straw poll among announced contenders for the GOP’s nomination for governor in 2010.  I’m evaluating the field, but  Rep. Marty Seifert from nearby Marshall is my early favorite son.  He did well.

The Forum‘s Capitol Chatter blog has the basics here:

Marty Seifert took an early lead in the first statewide measure of Minnesota’s Republican 2010 governor race.

The state representative from Marshall collected 37 percent of the vote in a GOP state convention straw poll, a convincing victory in a nine-candidate field.

Finishing second was Rep. Tom Emmer, getting 23 percent in the non-binding poll. In third with 14 percent was former State Auditor Pat Anderson.

Seifert, who resigned as Republican House leader to run for governor, said he was surprised to receive such a strong showing from both urban and rural convention delegates.

Many rural delegates who may have supported him were “duck hunting or farming” Saturday, he said after it took two and a half hours to count slightly more than 1,000 votes.

Seifert said his victory will help him raise money and attract volunteers.

Took lots of notes that will have to wait.  Strange as it might seem in today’s instant news cycle, some ideas do grow better with contemplation.  Mostly, tho, my purpose in waiting is to re-phrase the political debate in a way that may be more interesting to the purpose of this blog.  How do the big ideas of the day relate to the places and communities you and I live in.

Hope that’s an idea worth waiting for.