|
|
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
|
|
Koering re-elected SENATE DISTRICT 12 Associate Editor Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, won re-election to the state Senate Tuesday.
Becoming Minnesota's first openly gay Republican to win a legislative seat, the first-term senator was leading Crow Wing County Commissioner Terry Sluss 9,514- 7,045 with 75 percent of the precincts reporting.
Told at one point after his April 2005 announcement of his sexual orientation that he was "all done," Koering said he went through a tough endorsing process and primary challenge to emerge as a big Republican winner on a night when many of his fellow GOP incumbents struggled.
Koering, 41, the owner of a funeral car service, said he received his share of hate mail after coming out as a gay man and Tuesday's victory was a satisfying one.
"Does it feel good?" he asked. "Of course it does."
Koering said he wasn't sure when asked if the electoral struggles of his Republican District 12 colleagues in the House, Rep. Paul Gazelka, R-Brainerd, and Rep. Greg Blaine, R-Little Falls, might have been partly due to their reluctance to support him.
|
|
|
|
Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, laughed with his sister, Brenda Cooper, late Tuesday night at the Brainerd Dispatch. Brainerd Dispatch/Nels Norquist
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
|
|
|
|
|
"I don't know but it would be interesting to know that," he said. "I don't have a theory on that."
Koering attributed his victory to hard work in the last four years and providing good constituent services. He said he proved he can work for everybody in the district.
"I'm not a partisan person," Koering said.
He said he thought he successfully healed the wounds that were apparent earlier in the year from Republicans who were unhappy with him.
The Associated Press projected Koering as the winner of the race at 12:38 a.m.
Koering overcame a primary challenge from Brainerd City Council member Kevin Goedker, defeating his opponent 3,956-3,270. That victory came on the heels of a seventh-ballot victory at the GOP's Senate District 12 endorsing convention in Little Falls. Koering won the required 60 percent of the votes without the support of Gazelka and Blaine. At the convention Gazelka said he supported Goedker while Blaine declined to say who he supported.
The first-term state senator was criticized by Goedker for not signing a pledge to support the Defense of Marriage Amendment. Two family advocacy groups targeted Koering before the primary with similar criticisms. The Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage mailing claimed Koering had refused to oppose a radical homosexual agenda that included "trying to force us to accept their lifestyle and silence anyone who dares to disagree."
MIKE O'ROURKE can be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.
|
|
|
Thinking about a New Job?
These employers want you!
|
|
Schools has an opening fo...
|
|
not a
9-5 person,
how about
11-2, 4-...
|
|
CASH!!
Independent Carrier need...
|
|
position plans sales trai...
|
|
is hiring for the following
...
|
|
|
|
Bids Being Accepted
call...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Today's Best Classifieds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Overcast, 19°
