VIDEO: It's Official, Obermueller Seeks 2014 Rematch Against Kline

Mike Obermueller, who was defeated by incumbent Rep. John Kline (R) in the race for the Second Congressional District last fall, says he's game for a rematch.

Eagan resident Mike Obermueller announced on Wednesday that he will seek a rematch against incumbent Northfield Rep. John Kline (R-Lakeville). But first, the former state representative will have to overcome another Democratic challenger: Sona Mehring. "I proud of the work we did last year in our run for Congress; we ran a positive, competitive campaign," Obermueller said in a video announcement posted to Youtube. "On the farm where I grew up, i learned pretty early on that you don't quit working until the job is done, and the job of getting a better representative in this district is far from over." Obermueller, a former state representative, ran against Kline in the 2012 election, following a congressional redistricting process made …

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CaringBridge Founder Sona Mehring Will Challenge Kline in 2014

The Eagan resident announced her candidacy early this week.

Eagan resident and CaringBridge founder Sona Mehring says she's sick of gridlock and career politicians. Which is why Mehring announced early this week that she plans to challenge Second Congressional District Rep. John Kline (R-Lakeville) in 2014. Kline represents all of Dakota County. Mehring, a newcomer on the political scene, isn't the only Democrat with her sights set on Kline; Mike Obermueller, who was defeated by Kline in the 2012 election, will likely announce his candidacy later this week, according to the Star Tribune. Kline received 54.01 percent of the total votes cast in the 2012 election to Obermueller's 45.85 percent. Mehring, who founded CaringBridge in 1997, has a long litany of awards and accomplishments, including …

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Obermueller to Hold Medicare, Social Security Round Table in Northfield

The meetings will be held in South Saint Paul, Eagan and Northfield, according to a press release issued by Second Congressional District Candidate Mike Obermueller.

Second Congressional District candidate Mike Obermueller will hold round tables with voters across Rice and Dakota Counties on Wednesday, Sept. 12 to discuss Medicare and Social Security policy. The meeting times and locations are as follows: South Saint Paul 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12 Black Sheep Coffee Cafe 705 Southview Boulevard, South St. Paul Eagan 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12 Ring Mountain Creamery 1965 Cliff Lake Road, Eagan Northfield 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12 The HideAway 421 Division Street South, Northfield To RSVP, contact matt@mikeobermueller.com or 651-560-5050. Mike Obermueller is a former state legislator who represented the seat once held by Tim Pawlenty. He grew up working on his parents’ small dairy farm, …

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Obermueller To Receive National Financial and Strategic Backing

Second Congressional District Democratic candidate Mike Obermueller pledged to raise $1 million to fund his campaign against Rep. John Kline.

Eagan resident and Second Congressional District candidate Mike Obermueller has caught the attention of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. DCCC Executive Director Robby Mook announced in a conference call Thursday morning that the committee has added Minnesota's Second Congressional District, currently represented by Rep. John Kline (R) to its Red to Blue Emerging Races program. The Emerging Races program highlights "top Democratic campaigns" across the country. Campaigns are chosen, in part, by looking at the viability, resources and organization of the candidate, Mook said in the conference call. The program pledges increased financial, strategic and communications support. Obermueller, a former state representative, is …

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Election 2012

Ganey Concedes, DFLer Mike Obermueller to Face John Kline for Congress Seat

Ahead of the fourth ballot, Northfield's Patrick Ganey conceded to Eagan's Mike Obermueller for the DFL endorsement for Minnesota's Second Congressional District. Obermueller will face Lakeville's John Kline, a five-term Republican incumbent.

And then there was one. Eagan's Mike Obermueller, a former state representative, was endorsed as the Second Congressional District's DFL candidate on Saturday at Rosemount High School after Northfield's Patrick Ganey conceded before the fourth ballot. Obermueller, who then received unanimous support, will face Republican John Kline, a five-term incumbent from Lakeville. Kathleen Gaylord, Dakota County commissioner and former mayor of South St. Paul, conceded earlier in the contest.  For a full recap of the event, read our live blog above. _________ Second Congressional District DFLers gather at Rosemount High School today to select their nominee to challenge Republican incumbent John Kline in the November elections. Kline received the …

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Election 2012

Dundas Woman Chosen for Republican National Convention

Tiana Wells, a Dundas woman whose son attends Bridgewater Elementary, has been selected as an alternate delegate for August's Republican National Convention.

Tiana Wells says she wanted a good future for her 10-year-old son Logan. So the 36-year-old Dundas woman started attending local political meetings four years ago. Then she went to district meetings. Then state meetings. And she became more vocal along the way. Now she’s one of three alternate delegates for the Second Congressional District Republican Party and heads to Tampa Bay, FL, in August to be part of the discussion to select a Republican presidential nominee. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience,” she told Patch this week. “I can’t wait to come back and teach my son. I want him to know that I started out attending meetings at the local level talking, reading, researching. All it took was for me to say, ‘I’m not happy. I have to …

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Kline Gets GOP Nod, Expects Fierce Race

Congressman John Kline received the unanimous endorsement of Second District Republicans on Saturday, and now expects a fierce fight in the newly redrawn district he's represented for a decade.

U.S. Congressman John Kline, (R-Second District) of Lakeville, received the unanimous endorsement from Republicans at the GOP convention at Shakopee Junior High School last week, and is now preparing for what could shape up to be his fiercest election battle in years as he seeks a sixth term. Thanks to February's court-panel redistricting, Kline faces a tougher road in a second district which now includes DFL-leaning portions of northern Dakota County, as well as southern Washington County, and doesn't include Republican strongholds such as Carver County. It's also attracted what some consider to be more viable Democratic challengers who would otherwise stay out of the race since the old district leaned so far to the Republican Party. …

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Crunch Time: DFL 2nd District Congressional Candidates Meet at Forum

An endorsement is expected Saturday.

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter With less than a week until DFL Second Congressional delegates choose their candidate to run against Rep. John Kline (R-Lakeville), the three hopefuls came together for a candidate forum this past weekend. Seeking Saturday's endorsement are Northfield City Council Patrick Ganey, Dakota County Commissioner Kathleen Gaylord and former state representative Mike Obermueller.  The UpTake spoke with the three candidates before the forum. All three videos are attached to this post. Ganey, a development officer at Carleton College, said one of his priorities is to make education available for every American. "We need to invest in our young children and also make sure …

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DFL Race for Second Congressional District Heats Up

Former Rep. Mike Obermueller has officially declared his intent to seek the DFL nomination for the Second Congressional District. He joins Northfielder Patrick Ganey in the endorsement race.

It's getting crowded. The Star Tribune is reporting that former Rep. Mike Obermueller has officially declared his intent to seek the DFL nomination for the Second Congressional District. Obermueller, an attorney from Eagan, joins Northfield City Councilor Patrick Ganey, who announced his bid for his party's support in March. Both are eyeing the seat of five-term Republican incumbent John Kline. Last month when Obermueller was "seriously" considering a run, he told The UpTake that he wanted to put real representation back into Washington, D.C. "We basically lost a decade of prosperity and progress in this district," he said. Ganey, a development officer at Carleton College, said one of his priorities is to make education available for every…

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