Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District Republicans held our Convention on Saturday, April 23rd 2022. The delegates voted to endorse Tom Weiler for US Congress, and elected a new CD3 Chair, Randy Sutter, as well as other CD3 officers.

Then-CD3 Chairwoman Patti Meier recruited and managed a volunteer staff who met on Friday before the convention to set up. Due to her planned autumn move to Oklahoma, Patti had decided not to run again after 5 years as CD3’s valued chair.

Among her other recruits were state Sen. Mark Koran, who agreed to chair the convention, and Darren Rosha, who agreed to act as parliamentarian. Rosha is the 3rd Congressional District member on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.

After the Convention elected permanent officers and approved the heads of various committees, including the all important Credentials committee, headed by a volunteer from SD50, Julia Tate, the body took up the election of a new CD3 GOP Chair

took up the election of a new CD3 GOP Chair and the new Executive Committee.

Randy Sutter, a retired Air Force officer and longtime activist in what is now Senate District 50, and Dennis Walsh, Mayor of Orono, were the candidates. Canvassing of delegates on the floor by the candidates was active but subdued. The final tally was very close – Dennis Walsh receiving 120 votes and Randy Sutter 127. After Convention Chair Koran announced the winner, Randy Sutter (pictured at right, from a 2020 event) gave a brief acceptance speech.

The members of the new Executive Committee were elected by acclamation.  They are:

Deputy Chair – Jeff Vold (SD42)
Secretary – Nancy Vold (SD42)
Treasurer – Timothy Zak (SD50)
Vice Chair – Kristy Barnett (SD37)
Vice Chair – Debjyoti Dwivedy (SD49)
Vice Chair – Jake Moroshek (SD42)
Vice Chair – Connie Putnam (SD42)
Vice Chair – Victor Rivas (SD51)
Vice Chair – Dan Stocker (SD46)
Vice Chair – Vacant

Candidates seeking GOP endorsement for US Congress to take on incumbent DFL Representative Dean Phillips were LCDR Tom Weiler, U.S. Navy (Retired) and prominent businessman Mark Blaxill. Both candidates publicly declared they would not run in the primary if they failed to win endorsement. Blaxill and Weiler disagreed on few policy issues, and there were no issues of personality or incivility in the contest. The election appeared to your reporter to turn purely on who the delegates ultimately believed was best able to defeat Rep. Phillips.

The first ballot to endorse ended with 139 delegates supporting Tom Weiler, and 109 supporting Mark Blaxill. However, convention rules require that 60% of delegates vote to endorse. Since neither candidate had 60% a second ballot was called for. After a short flurry of floor activity by partisans of each candidate, a second ballot was taken, resulting in a vote of 149 for Weiler, 97 for Blaxill, one vote for ‘no endorsement’ and one blank (spoiled) ballot, the latter two not affecting the outcome. By meeting the threshold at 60.3%, Tom Weiler secured the party’s endorsement.

CD3 voters are encouraged to learn more about and support Tom Weiler. His website is WeilerForCongress.

In his thank you message, Tom Weiler said:

"I am overwhelmed with the support our campaign saw today to endorse my candidacy to take on Congressman Dean Phillips this November. We have built a team ready to win in Minnesota. We have earned the support of delegates, donors, and voters throughout the district. We have generated the energy and excitement from both Republicans and Independents needed to beat Congressman Dean Phillips.”

Weiler continued, “Now is the time to band together as Republicans and take back a congressional seat that should be represented by a true conservative and not a liberal progressive like Congressman Phillips. This district is full of everyday Minnesotans who care about being able to afford to put food on the table, gas in their cars, their children’s education, and having a safe neighborhood to raise their children. This is my home and where I grew up. I look forward to working tirelessly to earn the votes of Minnesotans in the Third Congressional District.”

The convention took time throughout the proceedings to hear from a large number of Republican candidates for state office, including all Gubernatorial candidates /candidate representatives and several Attorney General candidates and others. State Sen.Michelle Benson has since suspended her campaign for governor.

After voting to approve all resolutions submitted to the convention by a single voice vote, the convention came to a close. Dedicated volunteers also remained behind to clean up.

The Party and CD3 are very grateful to former Chair Patti Meier for her years of thoughtful and dedicated service. We hope to continue seeing her frequently at party events until her move in the Fall, and also whenever she’s back to visit friends in MN.