Voter's Guide
The Twins bill passed. Yipeee.

Please note!!!: This page has not been updated yet to reflect the actual vote! As you probably know, the 2006 Twins stadium bill passed 76-55. Stay tuned for a Senate version (I think).

Welcome to the Greet Machine Voter's Guide. The goal of this voter's guide is to list members of the Minnesota House of Representatives that are stadium friendly. Our legislature has sat idly by for too long on this issue. Ballpark costs continue to increase while our legislators continue to argue and play partisan politics. This issue needs to be solved and we need energetic, thoughtful, and intelligent legislators that are willing to negotiate and hammer out a deal. Needless to say, the group of stumblebums in St. Paul last session were none of the above.

Please, if you see any errors, or you would like to help finish the list off, please let me know by sending me a comment or sending me an email.

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Current breakdown:    Pro-stadium legislators: 72    Anti-stadium legislators: 59    Unknown: 3 District 1A Maxine Penas, R Pro-stadium Voted in favor of the 2002 Twins stadium bill. Formerly a no.   District 1B Bernie L. Lieder, D Anti-stadium: Bernie has sat on the fence too long.   District 2A Kent Eken, D Pro-stadium: Has stated that he is not against "locally levied taxes in the metro." I think he would vote for the Hennepin County plan.   District 2B Brita Sailer, D Pro-stadium: Has stated that she supports the Hennepin County plan   District 3A Irv Anderson, D Pro-stadium: Voted yes on 2006 Taxes Committee.   District 3B Loren A. Solberg, D Pro-stadium: Solberg favors a Gopher stadium, and served on the Stadium Task Force. He has also tried to amend the current Twins stadium bill to include a retractable roof through TIF financing.   District 4A Frank Moe, D Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the 2005 Twins stadium bill.   District 4B Larry Howes, R Anti-stadium: Howes voted no on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in 2006 in the Taxes Committee.   District 5A Tom Rukavina, D Pro-stadium Proposed to extend car rental and liquor taxes in metro area to pay for stadiums in 2004. I loved that plan. It just made too much sense I guess. Voted yes on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 5B Anthony (Tony) Sertich, D Pro-stadium: Although he whined heavily when the Twins were trying to make Victory Sports work, he understands that his constituents would complain even more if the Twins were gone all together.   District 6A David Dill, D Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the 2005/2006 Twins stadium bill.   District 6B Mary Murphy, D Anti-stadium: Only because Murphy voted against the 2002 Twins stadium bill.   District 7A Thomas Huntley, D Pro-stadium: Member of Ways and Means committee that voted for Pawlenty/Sviggum stadium bill last session.   District 7B Mike Jaros, D Anti-stadium: Jaros is very critical of helping to find a stadium solution. Voted no on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 8A Bill Hilty, D Pro-stadium: Bill Hilty Voted for 2002 Twins stadium bill.   District 8B Judy Soderstrom, R Anti-stadium: Voted against the 2006 Gophers stadium bill.   District 9A Morrie Lanning, R Pro-stadium: Has said that his constituents favor a Twins stadium and has voted in favor of stadium bills before. Voted yes on the 2006 Twins stadium in the Taxes Committee.   District 9B Paul Marquart, D Pro-stadium: Has said that his constituents favor a Twins stadium and has voted in favor of stadium bills before. Voted yes in the 2006 Taxes Committee.   District 10A Bud Nornes, R Pro-stadium: Has voted in favor of stadium bills in the past.   District 10B Dean Simpson, R Pro-stadium: Has voted in favor of stadium bills before. Voted yes on 2006 Twins stadium bill in Taxes Committee.   District 11A Torrey Westrom, R Anti-stadium: Has said there are "better areas to spend the state's resources. These are quite lean times."   District 11B Mary Ellen Otremba, D Anti-stadium: Otremba has consistently been anti-stadium in the past.   District 12A Paul Gazelka, R Anti-stadium Voted against the 2006 Gophers stadium bill.   District 12B Greg Blaine, R Pro-stadium: Only because he voted in favor of the 2002 Twins stadium bill.   District 13A Bud Heidgerken, R Pro-stadium: When push comes to shove, I think he would vote for the Hennepin County plan. He has spoken favorably concerning stadium legislation before.   District 13B Al Juhnke, D Pro-stadium: Stadium Task Force member and willing to judge a plan by its merits.   District 14A Dan Severson, R Pro-stadium: Has said he will support the Hennepin County plan.   District 14B Larry Hosch, D Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the 2005 Twins stadium bill.   District 15A Jim Knoblach, R Anti-stadium: Knoblach voted against Pawlenty/Sviggum bill last session and scores a perfect 100% on Taxpayer's League web site. Voted no on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 15B Larry Haws, D Anti-stadium: Haws voted against the 2006 Gophers stadium bill. Will likely vote agains the Hennepin County plan.   District 16A Sondra Erickson, R Anti-stadium/unknown: Erickson scored a perfect 100% on the Taxpayer's League web site and has said she is against any public financing. Maybe 2006 will be different.   District 16B Mark Olson, R Anti-stadium/unknown: Olson scored a perfect 100% on the Taxpayer's League web site and voted against the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee.   District 17A Rob Eastlund, R Anti-stadium/unknown: Eastlund scored a perfect 100% on the Taxpayer's League web site.   District 17B Pete Nelson, R Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the 2005/2006 Twins stadium bill. Also voted yes on the 2006 Twins stadium plan in the Taxes Committee.   District 18A Scott Newman, R Anti-stadium Newman could be a yes. It sounds like he is unsure of himself. He seems to like the Hennepin County plan, but he wants a referendum. He will stay no for now.   District 18B Dean Urdahl, R Pro-stadium: Dean is a big baseball fan and a friend of the Twins and stadiums.   District 19A Bruce Anderson, R Anti-stadium/unknown: Anderson scored a perfect 100% on the Taxpayer's League web site.   District 19B Tom Emmer, R Anti-stadium:   District 20A Aaron Peterson, D Pro-stadium: Voted in favor of the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee.   District 20B Lyle Koenen, D Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the 2005/2006 Twins stadium bill. Voted yes on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 21A Marty Seifert, R Anti-stadium: Seifert scored a perfect 100% on the Taxpayer's League web site and voted against Pawlenty/Sviggum bill on Ways and Means committee last year. He also voted against the Hennepin County bill in the Governmental Operations committee in 2005.   District 21B Brad Finstad, R Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the Pawlenty/Sviggum bill last session.   District 22A Doug Magnus, R Pro-stadium: Member of Taxes committee that voted for Twins/Vikings stadium bill in 2004.   District 22B Rod Hamilton, R Pro-stadium: One of the authors of 2005 Twins stadium bill.   District 23A Ruth Johnson, D Pro-stadium: Voted in favor of the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee in 2005.   District 23B John Dorn, D Pro-stadium: Member of Ways and Means committee that voted for Pawlenty/Sviggum stadium bill.   District 24A Bob Gunther, R Pro-stadium: Member of Ways and Means committee that voted for Pawlenty/Sviggum stadium bill.   District 24B Tony Cornish, R Anti-stadium Wants the Twins to put up at least half.   District 25A Laura Brod, R Pro-stadium: Brod voted for the Pawlenty/Sviggum bill in 2004 in the Ways and Means committee. One of the authors of the 2006 Twins stadium bill.   District 25B Ray Cox, R Pro-stadium: Special thanks to Ryan Maus of TwinsChatter for his help with this pick! Might be a no.   District 26A Connie Ruth, R Pro-stadium: Member of Ways and Means committee that voted for Pawlenty/Sviggum stadium bill last session.   District 26B Patti Fritz, D Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the 2005 Twins stadium bill.   District 27A Dan Dorman, R Pro-stadium: Dorman has written to tell me he will be voting "yes" on the Hennepin County stadium bill.   District 27B Jeanne Poppe, D Pro-stadium: Voted for Hennepin County plan in 2005.   District 28A Jerry Dempsey, R Pro-stadium: Dempsey made an emotional outburst in 2004 in the Taxes committee complaining over special interests working over the Pawlenty/Sviggum bill. However, he still had the guts to vote in favor of the bill. Also stood up for the Twins in the Governmental Operations committee. I'm starting to really like this guy.   District 28B Steve Sviggum, R Pro-stadium: Supports the Hennepin County plan because it does not cost his own constituents anything.   District 29A Randy Demmer, R Pro-stadium: Demmer is definitely pro-stadium and actually thought highly of Pawlenty's TIF financing plan.   District 29B Fran Bradley, R Pro-stadium: Member of Ways and Means committee that voted for Pawlenty/Sviggum stadium bill in 2004. Also has vocally supported stadium financing.   District 30A Tina Liebling, D Pro-stadium: Has expressed her opposition to state financing of stadiums in the past, but she voted in favor of the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee in 2005.   District 30B Andy Welti, D Pro-stadium: Has expressed his opposition to state financing of stadiums, but has come out in favor of the Hennepin County plan.   District 31A Gene Pelowski, D Anti-stadium   District 31B Gregory M. Davids, R Pro-stadium: Voted yes on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 32A Joyce Peppin, R Anti-stadium: Said she would not support the Hennepin County plan in 2005. Maybe 2006 will be different.   District 32B Kurt Zellers, R Anti-stadium: Zellers scores a perfect 100% on the Taxpayer's League web site. Voted no on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 33A Steve Smith, R Anti-stadium: Smith voted against the Pawlenty/Sviggum bill in the Ways and Means committee in 2004.   District 33B Barb Sykora, R Pro-stadium: Voted in favor of 2002 Twins stadium bill.   District 34A Paul Kohls, R Anti-stadium: Kohls has voted against stadium bills in the past. Voted against the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 34B Joe Hoppe, R Pro-stadium: Hoppe voted in favor of the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee in 2005.   District 35A Mike Beard, R Pro-stadium: Beard voted in favor of the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee in 2005.   District 35B Mark Buesgens, R Anti-stadium/unknown: Buesgens scored a perfect 100% on Taxpayer's League web site.   District 36A Mary Liz Holberg, R Anti-stadium: Holberg scores a perfect 100% on the Taxpayer's League web site and was the lone dissenting vote on the Stadium Task Force 2004 recommendation to build two stadiums.   District 36B Pat Garofalo, R Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the 2005 Twins stadium bill.   District 37A Lloyd Cybart, R Pro-stadium: Lloyd Cybart Supports building stadiums.

District 37B Dennis Ozment, R Pro-stadium: Member of Ways and Means committee that voted for Pawlenty/Sviggum stadium bill in 2004.   District 38A Tim Wilkin, R Anti-stadium: In the past, Wilkin has not supported a private/public partnership to build a new stadium.   District 38B Lynn Wardlow, R Pro-stadium: Wardlow supports the governor's plan to build stadiums and is an avid Twins and Vikings fan. Voted in favor of the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee in 2005.   District 39A Rick Hansen, D Anti-stadium: Supports private funding for pro sports stadiums (gutsy position) Is open to public funding for the U of M (thanks to Jim in St. Paul for this information).   District 39B Joe Atkins, D Pro-stadium: Voted yes on 2006 Twins stadium bill in Taxes Committee.   District 40A Duke Powell, R Anti-stadium: Powell scores a perfect 100% on the Taxpayer's League web site and has not supported a Twins stadium effort in the past.   District 40B Ann Lenczewski, D Anti-stadium: Lenczewski has voted against stadium financing in the past and has already made it clear she will vote against the Hennepin County plan.   District 41A Ron Erhardt, R Anti-stadium: Erhardt voted against Pawlenty/Sviggum bill in Ways and Means committee in 2004. Also voted no on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 41B Neil W. Peterson, R Pro-stadium: Has publicly stated that he supports the Hennepin County Twins stadium proposal.   District 42A Maria Ruud, D Anti-stadium: Ruud has said she will not vote for the Hennepin County plan in its current form. Who knows, maybe new negotiations and a new plan will change her mind.   District 42B Erik Paulsen, R Anti-stadium: Paulsen is anti-stadium and killed any chance for a special session in 2005 thereby costing taxpayers millions of extra dollars.   District 43A Jeff Johnson, R Anti-stadium: Has said he supports stadium financing, although he also wants a referendum in any taxing district. Tells you what you want to hear, but in the end I don't think he'll vote for a stadium.   District 43B Ron Abrams, R Anti-stadium: Abrams consistently thwarts stadium efforts.   District 44A Steve Simon, D Pro-stadium: Given the state’s budget gap, Simon said supporting a new stadium for the Twins, Vikings or University of Minnesota Gophers would be a difficult sell. "However, I think government can have a meaningful role to play, when we’re on more stable ground funding-wise." If the state was on firmer financial footing, Simon said in his position the Twins should be the first in line to receive a new stadium. "For one thing, the Twins play in a football stadium, and they bring in a lot of revenue with approximately 80 home games. The Vikings only have eight or nine."   District 44B Ron Latz, D Anti-stadium: Wishy-washy at best, but in the end I think he would not vote for a Twins stadium.   District 45A Sandra Peterson, D Unknown   District 45B Lyndon R. Carlson, D Anti-stadium: Only because Carlson voted against the Pawlnenty/Sviggum bill in the last session in the Ways and Means Committee. To be fair, he did vote for the 2002 Twins stadium bill.   District 46A Mike Nelson, D Unknown   District 46B Debra Hilstrom, D Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the 2005 Twins stadium bill.   District 47A Denise R. Dittrich, D Unknown Replaces a pro-stadium legislator in Bill Haas.   District 47B Melissa Hortman, D Pro-stadium: Hortman is definitely willing to listen and negotiate and she understands the economic impact stadiums can have in Minnesota.   District 48A Tom Hackbarth, R Anti-stadium: Hackbarth deserves some credit for his efforts to use gambling proceeds to fund stadiums. However, he did vote against the 2002 Twins stadium bill.   District 48B Jim Abeler, R Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the Pawlenty/Sviggum stadium bill last session.   District 49A Chris Delaforest, R Anti-stadium: Most likely anti-stadium due to recent results of a voter survey he conducted. Rumored to have stormed out of the Taxes Committee in 2006 before he even voted.   District 49B Kathy Tingelstad, R Pro-stadium: Tingelstad voted against the 2002 Twins stadium bill, but has come out in strong favor of the Hennepin County plan.   District 50A Barb Goodwin, D Anti-stadium: Goodwin does not support state financing of stadiums.   District 50B Char Samuelson, R Pro-stadium: Samuelson voted in favor of the Hennepin County plan in the Local Government Committee 2005.   District 51A Andy Westerberg, R Pro-stadium: Voted yes on the Twins stadium bill in 2006 in the Taxes Committee. Author of 2006 Vikings stadium bill.   District 51B Connie Bernardy, D Anti-stadium Voted no on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in Taxes Committee.   District 52A Ray Vandeveer, R Anti-stadium Voted no on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 52B Matt Dean, R Anti-stadium: Has already said he is against state funding for a Gopher's stadium so I think it is safe to assume he would be against a Twins or Vikings stadium.   District 53A Phil Krinkie, R Anti-stadium Seriously, if you have to ask then you haven't been paying attention and you are the perfect example of why a referendum on a stadium is such a bad idea.   District 53B Doug Meslow, R Pro-stadium One of the authors of the 2005 Twins stadium bill. Thanks to Bob Hagen for verification of this.   District 54A Mindy Greiling, D Anti-stadium: Greiling has made it very clear she opposes state financing of stadiums. Maybe she will see the light in 2006.   District 54B Bev Scalze, D Pro-stadium Has indicated she will vote in favor of the Hennepin County stadium proposal. Thanks to Kevin for this information.   District 55A Leon M. Lillie, D Pro-stadium: One of the authors of 2005 Twins stadium bill.   District 55B Nora Slawik, D Pro-stadium: Slawik has voted against Twins stadium bill(s) in the past, but she is one of the authors of the 2005 Twins stadium bill. Can people change their minds? I guess so.   District 56A Mike Charron, R Pro-stadium: Voted for Hennepin County plan in 2005 Local Government Committee.   District 56B Karen Klinzing, R Anti-stadium: According to a recent constituent survey, Woodbury residents are against funding stadiums.   District 57A Katie Sieben, D Pro-stadium: Voted for the 2004 Twins/Vikings bill in the House Taxes Committee in 2004. Voted yes on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 57B Denny McNamara, R Pro-stadium: Has spoken favorably towards stadium financing in the past. Voted in favor of the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee in 2005.   District 58A Joe Mullery, D Anti-stadium: Voted no on the 2006 Twins stadium plan in the Taxes Committee.   District 58B Keith Ellison, D Anti-stadium: Ellison did introduce a bill in 2004 to honor Carl Eller and his induction into Canton, but voted against the 2006 Gophers stadium bill.   District 59A Diane Loeffler, D Anti-stadium: Loeffler voted against the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee in 2005.   District 59B Phyllis Kahn, D Anti-stadium: Kahn has said she will not support any stadium effort unless there is community ownership of the Twins. Maybe 2006 will be different.   District 60A Margaret Anderson Kelliher, D Pro-stadium: Member of Ways and Means committee that voted for Pawlenty/Sviggum stadium bill last session, and one of the authors of the bill. Has also indicated she will support the Hennepin County plan.   District 60B Frank Hornstein, D Anti-stadium: Hornstein is anti-stadium and has verified as much in a personal letter to me.   District 61A Karen Clark, D Anti-stadium: Clark has not been a friend of stadiums in the past.   District 61B Neva Walker, D Anti-stadium: Could be a yes in 2006. Walker voted against Pawlenty/Sviggum bill in 2004 in the Ways and Means Committee.   District 62A Jim Davnie, D Anti-stadium Voted no on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 62B Jean Wagenius, D Anti-stadium Has already said she will not support the Hennepin County Twins stadium plan.   District 63A Paul Thissen, D Pro-stadium: Has indicated he will support the Hennepin County Twins stadium plan. Thanks to Bob Hagen for verification of this.   District 63B Dan Larson, D Pro-stadium:   District 64A Matt Entenza, D Anti-stadium: Entenza has said he is anti-stadium, but he may be softening a bit.   District 64B Michael Paymar, D Anti-stadium: Voted against the Hennepin County proposal in the Local Government Committee 2005. Will 2006 be different?   District 65A Cy Thao, D Pro-stadium: Thao voted in favor of the Hennepin County proposal in the Local Government Committee 2005.   District 65B Carlos Mariani, D Anti-stadium   District 66A John Lesch, D Pro-stadium: Voted yes on the 2006 Twins stadium bill in the Taxes Committee.   District 66B Alice Hausman, D Anti-stadium: Hausman voted against the Sviggum/Pawlenty bill in 2004 as a member of the Taxes Committee. Maybe she'll like the 2006 plan better.   District 67A Tim Mahoney, D Pro-stadium: One of the authors of the Pawlenty/Sviggum stadium bill in 2004. Also voted in favor of the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee n 2005.   District 67B Sheldon Johnson, D Anti-stadium: Sheldon Johnson did not vote in favor of the 2002 Twins stadium bill and has voted against the Hennepin County plan in the Governmental Operations committee (2005).