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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

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Walz shows up to look at option

Independence Party

By JODIE TWEED

Staff Writer

BREEZY POINT - Hank Mullen of Nisswa said he'd never attended a caucus before. The only other political event he'd attended was the Tea Party last summer.

But Mullen said he and his wife, Rosie, became so impressed with Independence gubernatorial candidate Joe Repya that they wanted to become more politically involved.

On Tuesday night the Mullens joined 13 others at the Independence Party Precinct and Legislative District Convention at Billy's Bar and Grill in Breezy Point.

The caucus was open to residents of eight area counties, including Aitkin, Beltrami, Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods and Morrison counties. Most of those who attended were from Crow Wing and Cass counties.

Also attending Tuesday's caucus was Dale Walz, who resigned from the Crow Wing County Republican Party's executive committee Monday night.

"I just decided to come here and see what the Independence caucus is all about," said Walz. "I'm not abandoning my beliefs or anything. I just wanted to see what it's like. I've always been affiliated with the Republican Party and was disappointed with what was going on in the Republican Party in Crow Wing. É Sometimes change isn't always bad, is it?"

Walz said he's a friend of Repya's and he asked him to drop off campaign literature at Tuesday's caucus in Breezy Point.

During the straw poll vote, people voted for their first-, second- and third-choice candidates. Candidate Tom Horner received eight first-choice votes while Repya was a close second with seven first-choice votes. Rob Hahn receive no first-choice votes. Horner also received three second-choice and one third choice vote, Repya received two second-choice votes and two third-choice votes while Hahn got three second choice votes and five third choice votes.

"This guy is a true American," Hank Mullen said of Repya. "He's not a lawyer and he defended our country. This is the kind of guy we need. I want to get involved. I have to. I'm sick and tired of it. This party doesn't walk around like the other two parties with blinders on."

"Well, welcome to the party," caucus chair Charlie Makidon of Backus told Mullen. "It's for everyone by anyone."

Makidon, a disabled veteran, also left the Republican Party last June over a controversial veterans' issue, although he did run for the House District 67A seat as an Independence Party candidate in 2000. He was not elected.

"The Republican Party state party leadership is killing the party," said Makidon, adding that he wasn't surprised that Walz showed up at the Independence Party caucus. "Dale is dedicated to the Republican Party and the people here in Crow Wing County are attempting to destroy the Republican Party on the Paul Koering issue."

Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, is being challenged for the GOP endorsement to the Senate District 12 seat by Paul Gazelka, a rural Brainerd Republican.

Since there were only 15 people who attended the caucus and 50 delegates from each House District may be named delegates, everyone there was named a delegate to the state convention as long as they wanted to be. Two people declined the offer.

No resolutions were offered for consideration for the state convention.

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