The Republican Party of Minnesota carried a debt of twice what the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party carries. And while it raised more money during September than the DFL, the GOP also spent more than it took in.

The DFL paid down some of its debt but ended September $242,593 in the hole, slightly down from last month’s debt of $261,353. The party took in $1,118,398 and spent $1,112,415. It had $53,513 in cash on hand at the end of the month.

At this point in 2009—the most recent off-election year—the party had a debt of $168,015.

The GOP carried a higher debt into October. The party had a debt of $533,222 compared to $546,779 last month. The party took in $1,734,700 but spent a bit more—$1,759,210. The party ended September with a negative cash on hand balance of $55,788.

In October 2009, the GOP listed a $193,314 debt.

“The Republican Party unconditionally supports the state party platform calling for a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” said party chairman Tony Sutton.

Sutton said the platform represents the views and values of the majority of Republicans.

“The party recognizes that not all Republicans might agree with all of the party platform at all times; debate is healthy, but at the end of the day the MNGOP stands behind and supports its activist and passage of the marriage amendment,” Sutton said.

Sutton also went after the DFL for not offering a constitutional amendment in support of same-sex marriage.

“Standing behind party activists is how the Republican Party differs from the Democrats. When Democrats held a legislative majority they could have passed a constitutional amendment changing current state law and the definition of marriage,” he said. “They chose not to even raise the issue in the legislature because they feared voter reaction. In other words, they abandoned a constituency they claimed to care about for political expediency.”

While the DFL did not offer a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, it did offer numerous bills to both legalize same-sex marriage or equalize Minnesota statutes to benefit same-sex couples.

Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, and Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, offered a bill in 2009 and 2010 called the Marriage and Family Protection Act, which would have legalized marriage for same-sex couples. The bill never passed out of committee because some DFLers worried about voting on the controversial bill in an election year with the threat of a veto from Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

In political ads during the 2010 gubernatorial campaign, the Minnesota Family Council and the National Organization for Marriage attacked the DFL for bringing up that bill and claimed it was the reason that an amendment banning same-sex marriage was needed. Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, the chief author of the anti-gay marriage amendment, told reporters in May that he authored the amendment because of Marty’s and Kahn’s bills.

The DFL also authored a series of bills between 2007 and 2010 aimed at equalizing the law for same-sex couples including hospital visitation, domestic partner benefits and end of life issues. Those were vetoed by Pawlenty.

Littman has previously served as policy director for Sen. Barbara Boxer and as the top staff member of the House Subcommittee on Government Activities and Transportation. He’s also run his own lobbying firm, Littman Associates, and taught at American University.

“With Drew leading our team, I know that my office will be able to uphold the Minnesota tradition of excellent and responsive constituent service,” Franken said in a statement announcing the move. “With his years of experience and his expertise in helping new senators hit the ground running, Drew has become a trusted advisor and a valuable resource as I prepare to take office.”

This is the second major personnel move that Franken has made since a three-judge panel determined that he won the senate election by 312 votes. Last week he picked Alana Peterson, a veteran of Rep. Jim Oberstar’s (D-Minn.) office, to be his state director.

–

Paul Demko is a reporter for TWI’s sister site, The Minnesota Independent.

Tinklenberg has been testing the waters for a 2010 campaign both in Minnesota and Washington. He’s been courting the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and national labor unions whose financial support would be key if he decides to take another run at the post. Tinklenberg has also kept his name in the mix by doling out contributions to other Democrats and sponsoring the DFL’s Hubert H. Humphrey Day dinner.

He would have an advantage with the groundwork he has laid over the last four years, but not everyone is enthusiastic about the prospect of another shot for the former mayor of Blaine. There’s been considerable grumbling about the effectiveness of the campaign he ran two years ago. Most notably, political observers question why Tinklenberg ended the race with nearly $500,000 still sitting in the bank.

“They ran a piss-poor campaign,” says one veteran DFL insider, who didn’t want to be named criticizing a member of his own party. “They were trying to bio Elwyn two weeks out. You want to establish your identity before the media market gets so cluttered.”

You can read Paul’s full breakdown of the 2010 landscape in Minnesota’s 6th here.

A Coleman spokesman insists that the move is purely financial and reflects no sense of pessimism about the race.

“The senator needs to earn a living while the contest is going on,” said Mark Drake, adding, “I think our supporters recognize that Sen. Coleman is not a millionaire.”

Meanwhile, Coleman’s opponent, DFLer Al Franken, is getting ready for work at the Capitol. According to our sister site, The Minnesota Independent, Franken discussed Senate business and potential committee appointments with Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and Reid has indicated that he would like to seat Franken as soon as possible.

But in all likelihood, they’ll have to wait for a ruling from a specially appointed three-judge panel, which will begin hearing Coleman’s election contest on Monday.

At the end of the statewide recount, Franken led by 225 votes, and today he sent letters to Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie (D), arguing that Minnesota should have full representation in the Senate as the upper chamber begins to debate its agenda. The state leaders have yet to respond.

According to state law, the election certificate cannot be signed within seven days of the certification of the result. That seven-day window has now elapsed, but it is unclear whether Franken can be seated in Washington while Coleman’s lawsuit is pending.

In the meantime, Coleman’s case has taken a serious hit. He is seeking to have 654 rejected absentee ballots counted, even though they have twice been ruled faulty — on Election Day, and upon a second review by election officials last month. Now it looks as if they will be rejected for the third time.

Several counties have once again reviewed these ballots, and the numbers aren’t good for Coleman. Nate Silver reports that of the 151 of these ballots that the counties have reevaluated, just one has been deemed improperly rejected. For Coleman, that’s a success rate of two-thirds of one percent.

Of course, Coleman’s aim is to have the courts rule in his favor, and local officials will probably not play much of a role. But at a time when Coleman needs literally everything to go his way if he is to have a chance of overturning Franken’s victory, this isn’t a good start.

UPDATE 2:08 PM: The Minnesota Independent reports that Pawlenty has rejected Franken’s request for a signed election certificate, citing a statute indicating that election contests must be resolved before a certificate can be issued.

In 1944, Minnesota’s Democratic Party and Farmer-Labor Party merged to form the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). Since then, Minnesota has not had a Democratic Party, although the DFL is 100 percent aligned with national Democrats.

And if you’re still not convinced that the DFL is more than some sort of fringe party, I should note that it’s run three major candidates for president: Hubert Humphrey, Eugene McCarthy and Walter Mondale. Humphrey and Mondale each won the Democratic nomination for the presidency, FL suffix notwithstanding.

Now it appears that both U.S. Senators from Minnesota will be DFLers, as Al Franken seems all but assured to join Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the upper chamber.