By Savage Pacer, Staff Reports
During his fifth re-election bid to represent Minnesota House of Representatives District 35B at the Minnesota Legislature, state Rep. Mark Buesgens might experience a case of déjà vu.
He will face Tom Rees for the Republican nomination during the Primary Election on Sept. 9 and if he wins, he’ll face DFLer Taylor Kristoffe-Jones in the general election on Nov. 4. Buesgens, a Sand Creek Township resident who was first elected in 1998, has won the previous five elections, building a stronghold in the past four re-elections. The recent filings make for a rematch of the 2006 election, when Buesgens fought off Rees in the primary and beat Kristoffe-Jones in the general election.
Buesgens, R-Jordan, and Rees, R-Lakeville, filed for office Tuesday (July 15). Kristoffe-Jones, DFL-Savage, filed July 1, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Web site.
County race
In Scott County Commissioner District 2, Tom Wolf of Savage, Chris Olson of Spring Lake Township and Anthony Albright of Prior Lake have all filed to replace Commissioner Bob Vogel, who has decided not to seek re-election. A primary election will be needed on Sept. 9 to pare the field down to two, non-partisan candidates.
“I’m a persistent person, that’s what we want on the county board,” said Wolf, who ran unsuccessfully in 2000, 2002 and 2004. “I think I’m qualified; I know I’m qualified. I have the time, energy and the experience—that’s what you need to serve. Wolf, who considers himself semi-retired at 44, having sold his financial advisor practice in 2004, is now a stay-at-home dad. He has wanted to serve on the board because of concerns over how county taxes have risen in the past. Although the growth in county spending and taxes is slowing now along with population growth, Wolf is still concerned about the county’s finances, in light of the current economic conditions for local residents. Wolf said he thought Vogel did as good as job as anyone on the county board. Although he had heard rumors that Vogel might not seek re-election, Wolf said he would probably have still run if Vogel had. Wolf went on from a primary in 2004 to lose a tight race with Vogel by 272 votes. Two years previous, after redistricting, he had lost a five-way primary battle in an election that eventually put Vogel on the county board. In 2000, Wolf proceeded past a primary election, but lost to current commissioner Jon Ulrich in the general election.
If the government is going to spend people’s dollars, it’s important to make sure it's spent responsively, said Olson, 45, who is a detective in the Prior Lake Police Department.
Olson said he's a fan of the district's current commissioner. “I thought he was very fiscally responsible,” he said. “I want to make sure that trend continues, and also I have an interest obviously in public service.” Albright said he's known Vogel for a few years through various political functions, is also fond of the board chairman. “I greatly respect his decision not to run again and his work on the board,” Albright said. “I saw eye-to-eye with him on a lot of things."
Albright, a pension investment advisor, paints himself as a strong conservative with a passion for community service. He’s had some exposure to local government, having attended local township and county board meetings in the past, and said he saw the board opening as an opportunity to give back to the community.
Other races
In House District 40A, which includes Precinct 1 in downtown Savage, incumbent Rep. Will Morgan (DFL-Burnsville) filed for re-election on July 10. He is being challenged by Republican Todd Johnson of Burnsville, who is currently a member of the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School Board. Morgan is a teacher at Burnsville High School.
As expected, Steve Sarvi, the DFL-endorsed candidate from Victoria, filed for office in Minnesota's Second Congressional District, which includes Savage. Sarvi filed July 14, according to the Secretary of State's Web site. He will run against U.S. Rep. John Kline, who filed on July 2 for re-election. Kline is a Republican who was elected in 2002 and is serving his third term in Congress.
Filings for openings on the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School Board do not begin until Aug. 26 because a recent change in the state law allows school districts to avoid participation in the state primary election in September.
Three, four-year terms on the School Board are up this year, including terms of board members Ron Hill, Todd Johnson and Vicki Roy. The filing period is Aug. 26-Sept. 9 and candidates can file from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the business office in the lower level of the District 191 Administrative Services Center, 100 River Ridge Court, Burnsville. The filing fee is $2.
(Staff writers Mathias Baden, Shannon Fiecke and Nancy Huddleston contributed to this article.)