Dave Thompson Election Debrief: GOP Re-Election Strategy 'Backfired'

Newly appointed Assistant Senate Minority Leader Dave Thompson, (R-District 58), of Lakeville, debriefed the Republican Seniors of Minnesota last week on the 2012 election and the GOP’s re-election strategy, which he says "backfired."

MinnPost reported that Thompson told the constituency group the push for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, as well as an insistence by GOPers that there was a budget surplus, had a negative effect.

“I don’t think your average voter perceived that marriage in Minnesota has a problem," he was quoted by MinnPost as saying.

Thompson went on, according to the report: “When people wake up and read the paper and they see deficit, deficit, deficit, deficit, and then the one person comes out of the woodwork to say there’s a surplus, it looks like you’re being disingenuous, especially when it’s self-serving.

"I’ve been looking hard for four weeks for a silver lining, but I’m not seeing one,” he said.

Thompson, a former political radio host, also offered his prediction for what's to come now that the DFL controls both houses of the Minnesota legislature as well as the governor's mansion.

“I think you are going to see a broadening of unionization," MinnPost reported him saying. "You are going to see an incredible shift against building roads and toward transit,” he said. “I think you are going to see an incredible level of increased spending.” 

To see his full remarks, visit the MinnPost story.