Minnesota State Senator attended pro-conversion therapy event on Pride weekend.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Certainly this guy must be from a far right very socially conservative district...oh wait he's from one of only two Hillary-won R-held State Senate seats?

https://twitter.com/ActorAaronBooth/status/1143940764726112258?s=19
Meet Minnesota's Barbara Comstock. Or perhaps that was Erik Paulsen...so the Erik Paulsen of the Senate.

[Politician]

D+1

44 is a guaranteed flip, 56 is favored to flip, we just need to hold 27/58, and if we lose one, pickup one of 14/25/26/34.

[R.P. McM]

MN Republicans: dumbest Republicans in the entire nation. Two senate seats away from being gerrymandered into oblivion, can't even feign moderation. I don't doubt the DFL is an exceptionally effective state party, but this is just absurd. Reminds me of the 2018 AG election. Ellison was beatable, but the MN-GOP just had to nominate a strident social conservative. Welp, they dug their own grave, and now they're doing it again.

[smoltchanov]

MN Republicans: dumbest Republicans in the entire nation. Two senate seats away from being gerrymandered into oblivion, can't even feign moderation. I don't doubt the DFL is an exceptionally effective state party, but this is just absurd. Reminds me of the 2018 AG election. Ellison was beatable, but the MN-GOP just had to nominate a strident social conservative. Welp, they dug their own grave, and now they're doing it again.

Absolutely. But - why?  Not so long ago they had governors like Arne Carlson, and substantial number of reaonable pragmatic moderates in legislature.... The same question applies to Michigan too, BTW. And suburban Illinois. And lot of other Midwestern states and areas..

[Pericles]

MN Republicans: dumbest Republicans in the entire nation. Two senate seats away from being gerrymandered into oblivion, can't even feign moderation. I don't doubt the DFL is an exceptionally effective state party, but this is just absurd. Reminds me of the 2018 AG election. Ellison was beatable, but the MN-GOP just had to nominate a strident social conservative. Welp, they dug their own grave, and now they're doing it again.

Absolutely. But - why?  Not so long ago they had governors like Arne Carlson, and substantial number of reaonable pragmatic moderates in legislature.... The same question applies to Michigan too, BTW. And suburban Illinois. And lot of other Midwestern states and areas..

Today's GOP is no party for reasonable, pragmatic moderates.

[smoltchanov]

MN Republicans: dumbest Republicans in the entire nation. Two senate seats away from being gerrymandered into oblivion, can't even feign moderation. I don't doubt the DFL is an exceptionally effective state party, but this is just absurd. Reminds me of the 2018 AG election. Ellison was beatable, but the MN-GOP just had to nominate a strident social conservative. Welp, they dug their own grave, and now they're doing it again.

Absolutely. But - why?  Not so long ago they had governors like Arne Carlson, and substantial number of reaonable pragmatic moderates in legislature.... The same question applies to Michigan too, BTW. And suburban Illinois. And lot of other Midwestern states and areas..

Today's GOP is no party for reasonable, pragmatic moderates.

I kbow that. The question was - WHY? BTW, Democratic party is only slightly better when we speak about "reasonable pragmatic moderates".... One party likes "bold progressives", another - "bold reactionaries"....

[R.P. McM]

MN Republicans: dumbest Republicans in the entire nation. Two senate seats away from being gerrymandered into oblivion, can't even feign moderation. I don't doubt the DFL is an exceptionally effective state party, but this is just absurd. Reminds me of the 2018 AG election. Ellison was beatable, but the MN-GOP just had to nominate a strident social conservative. Welp, they dug their own grave, and now they're doing it again.

Absolutely. But - why?  Not so long ago they had governors like Arne Carlson, and substantial number of reaonable pragmatic moderates in legislature.... The same question applies to Michigan too, BTW. And suburban Illinois. And lot of other Midwestern states and areas..

I struggle to understand it, frankly. Arne Carlson was the last Republican to earn a majority in a statewide election in MN, and he won by ~30%! But the party despised him, even then. It was only a fluke that landed him on the ticket in 1990, and the convention delegates refused to endorse him as a popular incumbent in 1994. The MN-GOP is a strange amalgam of populists and cosmopolitan corporatists, constantly at war with itself. I wasn't the least bit surprised when the 'base bucked its aloof establishment overlord in the form of Tim Pawlenty in 2018. And what did the DFL do? Well, it was interesting listening to local conservative hosts marvel at Tim Walz's primary margin in MSP. Like, they knew he was the strongest candidate, but they didn't expect us transsexual vegans to catch on. Welp, we caught on. For whatever reason, the grassroots and establishment of the DFL are largely of one mind, and the former is significantly better attuned to political reality than their Republican counterparts. When a Lori Swanson or Matt Entenza puts personal ambition before the good of the party, the voters dutifully punish them. What explains the disparity? If I had to guess, it has something to do with the cohesiveness of the respective coalitions. Right-leaning suburbanites and rural voters don't necessarily share the same interests/perspective on economic or social issues. But the economic agenda of Duluth is increasingly palatable in Edina.

[smoltchanov]

MN Republicans: dumbest Republicans in the entire nation. Two senate seats away from being gerrymandered into oblivion, can't even feign moderation. I don't doubt the DFL is an exceptionally effective state party, but this is just absurd. Reminds me of the 2018 AG election. Ellison was beatable, but the MN-GOP just had to nominate a strident social conservative. Welp, they dug their own grave, and now they're doing it again.

Absolutely. But - why?  Not so long ago they had governors like Arne Carlson, and substantial number of reaonable pragmatic moderates in legislature.... The same question applies to Michigan too, BTW. And suburban Illinois. And lot of other Midwestern states and areas..

I struggle to understand it, frankly. Arne Carlson was the last Republican to earn a majority in a statewide election in MN, and he won by ~30%! But the party despised him, even then. It was only a fluke that landed him on the ticket in 1990, and the convention delegates refused to endorse him as a popular incumbent in 1994. The MN-GOP is a strange amalgam of populists and cosmopolitan corporatists, constantly at war with itself. I wasn't the least bit surprised when the 'base bucked its aloof establishment overlord in the form of Tim Pawlenty in 2018. And what did the DFL do? Well, it was interesting listening to local conservative hosts marvel at Tim Walz's primary margin in MSP. Like, they knew he was they strongest candidate, but they didn't expect us transsexual vegans to catch on. Welp, we caught on. For whatever reason, the grassroots and establishment of the DFL are largely of one mind, and the former is significantly better attuned to political reality than their Republican counterparts. When a Lori Swanson or Matt Entenza puts personal ambition before the good of the party, the voters dutifully punish them. What explains the disparity? If I had to guess, it has something to do with the cohesiveness of the respective coalitions. Right-leaning suburbanites and rural voters don't necessarily share the same interests/perspective on economic or social issues. But the economic agenda of Duluth is increasingly palatable in Edina.

Thanks!

[S019]

Tossup———>Likely D


MN Reps sure love shooting themselves in the foot


First, Jason Lewis
Then, Doug Wardlow
And now this

[smoltchanov]

Tossup———>Likely D


MN Reps sure love shooting themselves in the foot


First, Jason Lewis
Then, Doug Wardlow
And now this

The question, which arises: where are brains? Despite what some people say, i still believe, that district's preferences must determine candidatate's, not vice versa. In suburban MSP districts Republicans must run socially moderate candidates to even simply have chance for victory. Just as Democrats must not run "bold progressives" in many rural districts. Nevertheless, both parties make such idiotic decisions (though i agree, that in Minnesota it's mostly Republicans).

[S019]

Tossup———>Likely D


MN Reps sure love shooting themselves in the foot


First, Jason Lewis
Then, Doug Wardlow
And now this

The question, which arises: where are brains? Despite what some people say, i still believe, that district's preferences must determine candidatate's, not vice versa. In suburban MSP districts Republicans must run socially moderate candidates to even simply have chance for victory. Just as Democrats must not run "bold progressives" in many rural districts. Nevertheless, both parties make such idiotic decisions (though i agree, that in Minnesota it's mostly Republicans).

Well this is largely true and Scott Garrett and Kara Eastman are both good examples of what happens, when you run extremists in swing, suburban districts

[We Live in Black and White]

Truly tactical geniuses, the MNGOP.

[QAnonKelly]

Lol what a dumbass.  Idk why these people in woke suburban areas don't at least pretend to be socially moderate.

[Indy Texas]

I misread this and thought it meant he was going to conversion therapy on Pride weekend trying to de-gay himself.

[Scottholes 2.0]

Lol what a dumbass.  Idk why these people in woke suburban areas don't at least pretend to be socially moderate.

She'd do just fine in Milwaukee suburbs. Those suburbanites are far from woke!

[Yellowhammer]

There is nothing extreme about supporting conversion therapy- it’s despicable to try to withhold the psychological treatment that sufferers of homosexuality need..

[Nutmeg]

There is nothing extreme about supporting conversion therapy- it’s despicable to try to withhold the psychological treatment that sufferers of homosexuality need..

Adding someone to my block list!

[Skunk]

There is nothing extreme about supporting conversion therapy- it’s despicable to try to withhold the psychological treatment that sufferers of homosexuality need..

I agree, there's nothing extreme about supporting conversion therapy. Judging by your pictures, you could be converted into a pretty rockin' twink.

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

Have Paul Ryan or Susan Collins expressed their concerns yet?

[TWTown]

I mean, he was probably going to lose even before this but it's amazing how the MN GOP seems to have the ability to make a bad situation even worse.

[Some of My Best Friends Are Gay]

There is nothing extreme about supporting conversion therapy- it’s despicable to try to withhold the psychological treatment that sufferers of homosexuality need..

Nobody is "suffering" from homosexuality anymore than people are "suffering" from being straight. same sex sex and relationships are inherently natural and a good thing, as can be seen by the fact that nearly every animal species practices it in some form or another, including the smartest animal of them all, humans.

[OSR stands with Israel]

There is nothing extreme about supporting conversion therapy- it’s despicable to try to withhold the psychological treatment that sufferers of homosexuality need..

I agree , supporters of conversion therapy are less extreme than ardent ideological supporters of the confederacy like you are .


For everyone else , yes supporters of conversion therapy is an extremist fringe view and a Massive HP view and should stay that way

[Brittain33]

There is nothing extreme about supporting conversion therapy- it’s despicable to try to withhold the psychological treatment that sufferers of homosexuality need..

This post has been reported for moderation, but as a gay man, I'm not going to moderate it as it represents a view held by many people unfamiliar with what conversion therapy is and lacking some elements of basic humanity. I encourage the poster to do some more research on what conversion therapy really entails and how destructive *and* completely ineffective at achieving its own goals it is.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

As admirable as this is and makes me like him more (still would not vote for him) this is strategically stupid and I’ll take it as it helps the dfl pick up a seat, though he was probably screwed anyways, goodnight sweet prince.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

There is nothing extreme about supporting conversion therapy- it’s despicable to try to withhold the psychological treatment that sufferers of homosexuality need..

This post has been reported for moderation, but as a gay man, I'm not going to moderate it as it represents a view held by many people unfamiliar with what conversion therapy is and lacking some elements of basic humanity. I encourage the poster to do some more research on what conversion therapy really entails and how destructive *and* completely ineffective at achieving its own goals it is.

Yellowhammer is right on this, please stop trying to silence him, thank you.