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 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 Kline's …

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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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What is Sequestration? Deadline Looms; Cuts Could Hit Minnesota Education Programs

Minnesota's Congressional delegation has weighed in on the series of cuts that could hit the country March 1. The rollbacks would hit everything from education to senior care, the White House states.

If a deal isn’t struck by Friday between President Obama and Congress, a "sequester" will begin that will auto-start a series of mandated federal budget cuts that would quickly be felt across the Midwest. Here’s a sample of what’s at risk: Hundreds of teaching jobs. Thousands of children dropped from early childhood education. Elimination of work-study jobs that support thousands of low-income college students getting a degree. The loss of childcare for thousands of disadvantaged kids. Furloughs for thousands of civilian Defense Department employees. Representative John Kline, a Republican representing Lakeville, released this statement via spokesperson to the Minneapolis Star Tribune earlier this month:  “Washington is addicted to …

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Fiscal Cliff: Rep. John Kline Votes Yes, Explains Why

Rep. John Kline (R-Burnsville) was the only Minnesota Republican to vote yes on the House bill.

After the United States House of Representatives on Tuesday night passed a bill to avoid widespread tax increases and deep spending cuts for Americans (the Senate passed a bill in the early hours of Tuesday), Rep. John Kline (R-Burnsville), who was the only Minnesota Republican to vote yes on the bill, released the following statement: "For too long, I have called on the administration to work with Congress toward creating an environment that helps families by preserving tax relief and providing economic certainty so private-sector employers can create jobs. While I am pleased tax relief for the middle class and small businesses is made permanent by this bipartisan legislation, the sobering reality is our nation remains in a debt crisis …

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Kline on Defensive in First Debate with Obermueller

The two sparred in an on-air debate hosted by MPR on Monday morning. It was the first and only debate in the Second Congressional District race.

Second Congressional District challenge Mike Obermueller (DFL) lobbed plenty of criticism at incumbent Rep. John Kline (R) during the first and only debate between the two candidates on Monday morning. Obermueller, who is seeking to unseat Kline in the newly competitive congressional district, called the five-term legislator part of a "broken system" during the hour-long debate, which was aired by MPR and moderated by host Kerri Miller. "John, you’ve voted 95 or 96 percent of the time with your party, that’s more partisan than Michele Bachmann," Obermueller said. “The system is hopelessly broken, the way you guys are running it now." Click here to listen to an audio recording of the full debate. Kline characterized his opponent's attacks …

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Election 2012

Minnesota AFL-CIO Endorses Obermueller, House, Senate Candidates

Second Congressional District Democratic candidate Mike Obermueller is challenging Republican Rep. John Kline this year.

Eagan resident Mike Obermueller, who is challenging Rep. John Kline (R), Lakeville, for control of the Second Congressional District this year, nabbed a political endorsement from Minnesota's largest labor federation on Thursday. The Minnesota AFL-CIO announced Thursday morning that it is endorsing Obermueller, a Democrat and former state representative. Obermueller was just one of Democratic candidates to be named in the AFL-CIO's first round of endorsements. Additional endorsements will be announced in the coming weeks as the endorsement process continues. "The candidates that carry the Minnesota AFL-CIO endorsement are people we believe will put working families first," Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson wrote in a press release…

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Kline Comments on House Passing Student Loan Bill

The bill would keep rates on some student loans at 3.4 percent instead of doubling on July 1. It would pay for the measure by tapping a health care fund set up through the federal health care law.