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Capitol View®
Tim Pugmire

GOP candidate takes stadium shot at ‘Republican leadership’

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Some Republican gubernatorial candidates took shots at DFL Gov. Mark Dayton this week for his support of the new Vikings stadium, but one also appeared to use the issue against a GOP rival.

In the wake of Tuesday's stadium groundbreaking, businessman Scott Honour warned in a news release that taxpayers have not seen the last of the of the stadium “mess.” He described the financing deal between the state and the NFL team as “incompetently handled.”

Honour blamed Dayton and Democrats, but he also included the Republicans who controlled the Legislature in 2012 when the stadium bill passed.

“Republican leadership in the House and Senate should never have let this bill see the light of day,” Honour wrote. “Instead, our leadership brought this bill to the floor, voted no (or even worse, some voted yes) and then talked a good game afterward.”

Honour didn’t name names, but state Rep. Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, was House speaker at the time. Zellers is also a candidate for governor.

“This is yet another instance of politicians focusing on what’s most politically convenient for them versus focusing on results and doing the right thing,” Honour added.

Yesterday, another GOP gubernatorial hopeful criticized Gov. Dayton. State Sen. Dave Thompson, R-Lakeville, said during a news conference that the stadium bill was a bad deal for the state and the incumbent should be held accountable.

“Who’s going to get stuck with it? Probably the taxpayer, and not the hated 1 percent,” Thompson said.

Gov. Dayton is standing by the project, which he insists will put thousands of people to work.

"Minnesotans will have the right to decide whether they want to keep me on the job or not,” Dayton said following the groundbreaking. “But either way, I'll know I did what I think is right for Minnesota.”

UPDATE

BTW, the Republican leadership label also applies to Thompson, who was an assistant majority leader in 2011.