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As in, outside the country.
Moreland’s wife, Carol, confirmed he will compete against the DFL’s endorsed candidate, Linda Pfeilsticker, in the party’s special primary for the Minnesota House District 28B seat being vacated by Rep. Steve Sviggum.
This, despite the fact that Wes Moreland, 74, will be studying in Oxford, England, until July 21 — three days before the July 24 primary.
DFL leaders originally believed he would withdraw from the race after Pfeilsticker was endorsed at a special convention July 9.
But Carol Moreland said her husband plans to advertise in local newspapers and run on a platform supporting rural education, improving roads such as Highway 57 and impeaching President Bush.
DFL leaders say they’re not preoccupied with fending off Moreland’s challenge.
“He stood for endorsement with the body of delegates. He wasn’t there. He didn’t get any support,” said Winona County DFL chairwoman Ann Morse. “It’s not something we’re spending time on. We’re working on the general campaign.”
However, local election officials don’t have the luxury of looking ahead.
Moreland’s challenge has triggered a primary campaign that will cost significant dollars for Winona, Wabasha and Goodhue counties. District 28B includes 53 precincts in a narrow, L-shaped swath from Kenyon on the west to Wabasha in the east, then south to St. Charles and Lewiston on its southernmost border.
At least one public official is irked by the situation.
“Everyone is a little disheartened and disappointed there is (a primary), because of how it came about,” said Wabasha County auditor Jerry Leisen. “That’s really what’s frustrating.”
Leisen said Wabasha County alone will spend up to $6,000 on ballots and possibly more on election judges. No estimates were available on cost to Winona County.
Carol Moreland expects her husband’s candidacy to be struggle.
“I’m sure it will be. … I think he realizes the DFL will support the endorsed candidate,” she said.
Minnesota Democrats are expected to focus on swiping the 28B seat from the GOP column after Sviggum’s 29-year tenure. Sviggum will resign Tuesday to take Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s appointment to become Minnesota’s commissioner of labor and industry.
The DFL now owns 85 of 134 seats in the Minnesota House. Picking up the 28B seat would bring them one closer to the 90 seats needed to form a veto-proof two-thirds majority.
On the GOP ticket, no candidates filed against Steve Drazkowski of Wabasha, who earned his party’s endorsement July 9.
