It's been more than a decade since the death of Brainerd's most prominent Republican, former Minnesota Gov. C. Elmer Anderson, and the changes on the political landscape since his political heyday are many.
Anderson governed in the 1950s when the infant medium of television was just starting to show interest in political conventions. Aided by a good Scandinavian name, Anderson served two stints as lieutenant governor, from 1939 to 1943 and then from 1945 to 1953. He was the longest-serving lieutenant governor in the state's history.
The congenial former governor was proud to be a Republican but worked easily with Democrats and independents. Republican Gov. Arne Carlson attended Anderson's funeral and one eulogy was delivered by a longtime family friend who described himself as a Wellstone Democrat.
C. Elmer Anderson made a hobby out of politics.
As Brainerd mayor he kept abreast of what was on his citizens' minds by faithful attendance at a number of coffee shops in Brainerd. He sometimes would meet with Baxter's mayor at the now defunct Westside Cafe on Washington Street because it came close to straddling the border between the two cities.
His love of coffee and conversation prompted a speaker at his funeral to ask how many people had ever shared a cup of coffee with the governor. Just about every hand in First Lutheran Church shot up.
He was generally easygoing and amiable, but every once in awhile a topic would raise his ire and he would address the council with uncharacteristic emotion. One issue that was sure to get him going was the issue of employee residency. He felt that a Brainerd city employee should live in the city, a restriction the rest of the council did not feel comfortable implementing. On more than one occasion he spoke with passion on that topic although he was never able to sway the council to his point of view.
Although not openly partisan, Anderson wasn't above a little scheming to keep his image in front of his constituents. He once confessed to a news photographer that he always tried to position himself next to Miss Brainerd during ribbon-cutting photographs, figuring that eyes would be drawn to the young attractive girl and it was unlikely he'd be cut out of the photograph.
The stereotype of stuffy Republicans has been disproved in most of my professional contacts with the Crow Wing County GOP. There are countless longtime Republicans such as Dianna Jenkins, Mary Koep and Alvina Kennedy, who are outgoing and friendly - even to reporters.
Dale Walz, a former Republican state representative, once startled a reporter at a caucus by informing the journalist that he had just been elected as a delegate. He further endeared himself to the same reporter by approaching his desk and engaging in small talk before serving him with a legal summons.
Herb Thiesse, a former Crow Wing County commissioner, has been around Republican politics long enough not to get too rattled about candidate skirmishes. He was a delegate at the 2006 Senate District 12 endorsing convention in Little Falls, which was probably the most contentious Republican endorsing convention in the last 30 years. The contest pitted Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, and Brainerd City Council member Kevin Goedker in a contest that went seven ballots before Koering hit the required 60 percent mark.
Nine colleagues of Koering from the state Senate traveled to Little Falls to show their support, but Goedker termed the appearance of the out-of-town visitors as "insulting" to the Morrison and Crow Wing County Republicans.
It had been a long night that started with a 30-minute delay because of microphone noise from an adjoining room at the Little Falls VFW where sponsors of a turkey hunt for Disabled American Veterans were auctioning off muskets.
Although many delegates were caught up in the emotion of the moment Thiesse exuded calm during a break between balloting.
When a reporter met him he was enjoying a soft drink and watching the Twins game in the bar. Rather than engaging the reporter on the merits of his candidate Thiesse was eager to regale him with the news that his grandson had hit a two-run homer for Brainerd High School that afternoon in the Warriors' victory against Little Falls.
Many Grand Old Party members would argue you that Thiesse was exemplifying Republican values at their best.
MIKE O'ROURKE, associate editor, may be reached at mike.orourke@brainerdispatch.com or 855-5860.
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