Cravaack, don't worry about Bakk
Eighth Congressional District Republican Congressman-elect Chip Cravaack may or may not be facing tough reelection prospects in two years, but one district DFL legislator is leaving the question to others.
Senate Minority Leader-elect Tom Bakk of Cook recently explained that the time for him to make a congressional run had come and gone.
“I’m leaving my campaign account for governor open,” said Bakk, one of a number of Democrats who ran for governor last election.
“I have no plans to run for Congress — I rule that out,” he said.
“I have given it pretty serious consideration over the last ten years,” Bakk said.
“I think I’ve gotten too old waiting for (DFL Congressman) Jim Oberstar,” Bakk quipped about the long-serving congressman, defeated in November.
In other smatterings from the new DFL minority leaders, House Minority Leader-elect Paul Thissen expressed confidence that Rep. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, would do a good job as the new chairman of the health and human services finance committee.
“I’ve always had a good working relationship with Representative Abeler. I think he will be a good chair,” said Thissen.
“Where his heart is, and where my heart is, in terms of wanting to make sure our health and human services system works to serve people as best as possible, I don’t think we’re that far off,” said Thissen.
Thissen chaired a health care committee.
