Carver County Hosting MN Gubernatorial Forum July 19

Photo by Ewan Munro. (CC-BY-SA 2.0)

WACONIA, Minn. – Alpha News will be co-hosting a gubernatorial forum with the Carver County Conservative Political Action Committee on July 19.

The forum is part of the Carver County Conservative PAC’s 8th Annual Hog Roast, and will include a speech by keynote speaker, former U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. Bachmann was also a candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 2012. She finished her tenure in Congress in January 2015, after eight years in office. She has been given full discretion on the content of her address according to the event’s coordinator Frank Long.

The Carver County Conservative Charter states that we will only support Republican endorsed candidates,” Long told Alpha News. “The last Gubernatorial cycle we donated the vast bulk of resources to the governor’s and constitutional state offices.”

The Hog Roast was started as a fundraiser for former State. Rep. Ernie Leidiger in 2009. The Carver County Conservative PAC was founded in 2014, and took over the event after Leidiger declined to run for reelection.

Former Senate Minority Leader David Hann will be moderating the gubernatorial forum portion of the evening. Doors open for the pulled pork dinner starting at 5 p.m., and the evening has a scheduled ending time of 9 p.m.

The event will be held at the Waconia American Legion, at 233 S. Olive Street, Waconia.

The Carver County PAC has also invited U.S. Congressmen Erik Paulsen and Tom Emmer to attend the event, in addition to many members of Minnesota’s state legislature.

The Hog Roast was started as a fundraiser for former State. Rep. Ernie Leidiger in 2009

Currently three Republican elected officials have declared their intention to run for governor of Minnesota. In April, Ramsey County Commissioner Blake Huffman became the first to announce his candidacy in mid-April, followed by seven-term State. Rep. Matt Dean (R-Dellwood) a few days later. Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson announced his intentions to attempt a second run for the position in early May.

Other candidates included in the forum Republican nomination for Minnesota’s governor include Philip C. Parrish, a U.S. Naval Reserve Intelligence Officer, who also owns a series of small businesses in music, journalism, and cyber security according to his LinkedIn page. Christopher Chamberlain ran for president for a brief time in 2016 according to his LinkedIn, and his last actual job was as a telemarketer in 2007 according to the same source. Redwood Falls resident Jeffrey Wharton is also seeking the GOP nod.

Long said all gubernatorial candidates that have formally filed to run were invited to the event. Thus far Dean, Huffman, Johnson, Chamberlain, and Wharton have accepted the invite

The Carver County PAC has suggested donations of $30 per person, or $50 for a couple.

Anders Koskinen