Congressman John Kline running for reelection, talking issues
Second District Congressman John Kline, R-Lakeville, is seeking a fifth term in the U.S. House.
“I am,” said Kline not unexpectedly when asked whether he planned to run again.
His campaign has raised at least $600,000 so far and he expect to spends about a million and a half dollars on his reelection, said Kline.
Kline expect 6th Congressional District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater, and 3rd Congressional District Congressman Erik Paulsen, R-Eden Prairie, and himself to do well next November.
Indeed, he thinks Republicans nationally will do well, pointing to predictions of some pundits suggesting Republicans will gain seats and even retake the U.S. House.
“That’s a dream very few of us could have six months ago,” said Kline, speaking to reporters at informal Q and A session in a St. Paul coffee shop, about taking back the House.
“And it’s a dream now that’s starting to have legs,” he said, adding that Republicans have started talking amongst themselves of possibly recapturing the House.
Kline points to the public’s reaction to health care and other issues as tipping momentum to Republicans.
Talking health care, Kline characterized Democrats’ handling of the health care debate in the Senate as “grotesque.”
He guesses the House will vote on the Senate health care bill, once passed, instead of a conference committee bill.
Changing the Senate language at all in conference committee could mean supporters would not be able to get the conference committee bill through the Senate.
It’s that close, Kline said.
“I don’t think it gets a Republican vote,” Kline said of action in the House.
Asked who was the leader of the Republican Party, Kline questioned whether the party had a single leader.
Rather, there’s a number of voices, which Kline believes is healthy.
“But there isn’t ‘The Voice’ of the Republican Party,” he said.
Kline is a “big fan” of Gov. Tim Pawlenty and said he has encouraged the governor to run for president.
Talking for a moment about Bachmann, Kline said the congresswoman has become a national voice for Republicans.
“She certainly has a very ardent following,” he said.
Bachmann has lots of admirer among her congressional colleagues, Kline said.
“She’s unafraid to speak up,” said Kline.
According to a poll released today by Public Policy Polling, a firm out of North Carolina Republican activists tag as Democrat-affiliated, Bachmann leads DFLer Maureen Reed 53-37 percent and DFLer Sen. Tarryl Clark 55-37 percent.
But the pollsters added that Reed’s and Clark’s numbers could improve as voters become better acquainted with them.
