Alan Fine
Encyclopedia
Minnesota's 5th congressional district election, 2006 was an election
for the United States House of Representatives
for the open seat of incumbent Martin Olav Sabo
(DFL), who retired after serving the Minneapolis
-based district for 28 years.
Sabo, who had rarely faced a serious electoral challenge, won reelection with 70% of the vote in 2004 in a district that went for John Kerry
by 71% in the presidential election
. The seat has elected candidates of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
(DFL) since 1962 and was rated "Safe Democratic" by CQ Politics.
Sabo's surprising announcement in March 2006 prompted many area Democrats to enter the race. While State Rep. Keith Ellison
received the party's endorsement, he was not backed by Sabo and faced a stiff primary competition from former Sabo aide Mike Erlandson
, among others. Having survived the primary, Ellison handily defeated Republican Alan Fine and Independent Tammy Lee in the general election.
Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District is, by Minnesota standards, a geographically small urban and suburban congressional district
in eastern Minnesota
. It covers eastern Hennepin County, including the entire city of Minneapolis, along with parts of Anoka
and Ramsey
counties. It was created in 1883 and was named the "Bloody Fifth" on account of the first election.
. When he announced his retirement, several candidates sought the endorsement to replace him. These candidates included Nelson-Pallmeyer, Hennepin County Commissioner Gail Dorfman, Minneapolis City Council Members Gary Schiff and Paul Ostrow, former State Senator Ember Reichgott Junge
, State Representative Keith Ellison, former DFL Party
Chair and Sabo Chief of Staff Mike Erlandson
, attorney Jorge Saavedra, Anne Knapp, Minneapolis Park Board President Jon Olson, and peace activist and 7th district
resident Erik Thompson (who subsequently challenged Congressman Collin Peterson
). At the district convention in May, Ellison won the endorsement after four ballots.
. When Ellison won the primary and his campaign manager contacted him, Sabo said that he “wouldn't be supporting anyone in the race”. Sabo donated funds to the general election campaigns of many Minnesota Democrats, including Coleen Rowley
, Patty Wetterling
, Tim Walz
, and Amy Klobuchar
, but none to Ellison. Sabo did not publicly endorse anyone, but allowed a picture of himself with Independence candidate Tammy Lee to be used in her campaign. Some Democrats were disappointed in Sabo’s silence on their chosen candidate.
Jay Pond, Independence Party
nominee Tammy Lee and Republican
Alan Fine in the general election, none of whom received primary opposition. Ellison's personal problems were discussed frequently by his competitors.
Lee capitalized on the character issues by securing endorsements from a coalition of Minnesota Democrats. Kathleen Anderson, Sabo's long-time district director was the most notable of the group. Anderson labeled Ellison a "scofflaw" and said that Tammy Lee is the only candidate honorable enough to carry on Sabo's legacy.
Sabo meanwhile, did not endorse Ellison, instead taking a picture with Lee and allowing her to use it in her commercials and literature. However, Ellison won the race with 56% of the vote, with Fine and Lee each pulling in 21%.
Lawyer and State Representative, Keith Ellison
(born August 4, 1963), was the Democratic candidate and winner of the election. The Detroit
native is the first Muslim
to be elected to the United States
Congress. He is also the first African American elected to the House from Minnesota.
In 2002, Ellison was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives
for District 58B, where he served two terms.
Business consultant Alan Fine (born 1962), was the Republican
nominee. A Minneapolis native, Fine graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with an MBA. He currently heads Fine Enterprises, a consultancy group assisting businesses in management, investment banking, and business plan implementation.
Fine also taught at the Carlson School of Management
for over a decade, earning several honors. In addition, he founded the Entrepreneurship Club at the University of Minnesota along with several students.
Fine's campaign centered around his frequent criticism for Ellison's past involvement with the Nation of Islam
. His campaign motto was "Fiscally Prudent, Socially Responsible, Proud to be an American!"
The Independence Party
nominated Golden Valley
businesswoman Tammy Lee (born 1971). Lee worked in the travel industry for several years, she is most known for her time with Sun Country Airlines
, where she was named "Corporate Woman of Achievement" by the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.
Her political background includes serving as the communications director for Skip Humphrey
's gubernatorial bid in 1998 and acting as U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan
's press secretary. Lee campaigned as a moderate alternative to Ellison and promised to caucus with the Democrats if elected.
Green Party
candidate, Jay Pond (born May 25, 1959) rounded out the field. A South Dakota
native, Pond graduated from Augustana College
in 1981 with a degree in political science
. In 2002, he was the Green Party endorsed candidate for US Congress in California's 8th district (San Francisco). He picked up 6% of the vote against incumbent Nancy Pelosi
.
By 2004, Pond had moved to Minneapolis where he again received the Green Party endorsement for US Congress. He received 6% of the vote, this time against Martin Sabo in the 5th District.
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the open seat of incumbent Martin Olav Sabo
Martin Olav Sabo
Martin Olav Sabo is an American politician and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and a former United States Representative for , which includes Minneapolis; the district is one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota.Sabo was born of Norwegian immigrant parents in Crosby, North...
(DFL), who retired after serving the Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
-based district for 28 years.
Sabo, who had rarely faced a serious electoral challenge, won reelection with 70% of the vote in 2004 in a district that went for John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
by 71% in the presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
. The seat has elected candidates of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
(DFL) since 1962 and was rated "Safe Democratic" by CQ Politics.
Sabo's surprising announcement in March 2006 prompted many area Democrats to enter the race. While State Rep. Keith Ellison
Keith Ellison (politician)
Keith Maurice Ellison is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The district centers on Minneapolis. He was re-elected in 2010. Ellison is a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.He is the first Muslim to be elected to the...
received the party's endorsement, he was not backed by Sabo and faced a stiff primary competition from former Sabo aide Mike Erlandson
Mike Erlandson
Michael "Mike" Erlandson is Vice President Government Affairs for SuperValu Corporation, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Prior to joining SuperValu, he served as chief of staff to U.S. Congressman Martin Olav Sabo from 1993 until Sabo retired in 2007...
, among others. Having survived the primary, Ellison handily defeated Republican Alan Fine and Independent Tammy Lee in the general election.
District background and geography
Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District is, by Minnesota standards, a geographically small urban and suburban congressional district
Congressional district
A congressional district is “a geographical division of a state from which one member of the House of Representatives is elected.”Congressional Districts are made up of three main components, a representative, constituents, and the specific land area that both the representative and the...
in eastern Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. It covers eastern Hennepin County, including the entire city of Minneapolis, along with parts of Anoka
Anoka County, Minnesota
Anoka County is the fourth-most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the counties of Isanti on the north, Chisago and Washington on the east, Hennepin and Ramsey on the south, Sherburne on the west, and the Mississippi River on the southwest.As of 2010, Anoka...
and Ramsey
Ramsey County, Minnesota
Ramsey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1849. As of 2010, the population was 508,640. Its county seat is St. Paul, which is also Minnesota's state capital. The county is named for Alexander Ramsey , the first governor of the Minnesota Territory...
counties. It was created in 1883 and was named the "Bloody Fifth" on account of the first election.
Democratic endorsement
Before Sabo announced his retirement, he was being challenged for the party endorsement by professor and peace activist Jack Nelson-PallmeyerJack Nelson-Pallmeyer
Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer is an American academic. He sought the endorsement of Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party as a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2008 but was defeated by Al Franken.-Background:...
. When he announced his retirement, several candidates sought the endorsement to replace him. These candidates included Nelson-Pallmeyer, Hennepin County Commissioner Gail Dorfman, Minneapolis City Council Members Gary Schiff and Paul Ostrow, former State Senator Ember Reichgott Junge
Ember Reichgott Junge
Ember Reichgott Junge is an attorney, radio personality, and former State Senator from Minnesota, representing New Hope and surrounding communities. A Democrat, she was elected to the Senate at age 29 and served for a total of eighteen years. She served as a majority whip from 1991 to 1994, and as...
, State Representative Keith Ellison, former DFL Party
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
Chair and Sabo Chief of Staff Mike Erlandson
Mike Erlandson
Michael "Mike" Erlandson is Vice President Government Affairs for SuperValu Corporation, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Prior to joining SuperValu, he served as chief of staff to U.S. Congressman Martin Olav Sabo from 1993 until Sabo retired in 2007...
, attorney Jorge Saavedra, Anne Knapp, Minneapolis Park Board President Jon Olson, and peace activist and 7th district
Minnesota's 7th congressional district
Minnesota's 7th congressional district covers almost all of the western side of Minnesota except for the far south, which is located in the 1st district. It is by far the state's largest district, and has a very rural character. Cities in the district include Moorhead, Fergus Falls, Alexandria and...
resident Erik Thompson (who subsequently challenged Congressman Collin Peterson
Collin Peterson
Collin Clark Peterson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991, and the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and is the dean of the Minnesota congressional delegation.The district, Minnesota's largest and most rural...
). At the district convention in May, Ellison won the endorsement after four ballots.
Democratic primary
In the September primary, the retiring Sabo backed his former Chief of Staff, Mike Erlandson. Ellison and Erlandson were joined by former state senator Ember Reichgott Junge and Minneapolis city councilman Paul Ostrow in the primary race. Ellison went on to win the September 12 primary with 41% of the vote.Sabo support
During the 2006 primary run, departing Representative Sabo had endorsed and donated money to the campaign of his longtime chief of staff, Mike ErlandsonMike Erlandson
Michael "Mike" Erlandson is Vice President Government Affairs for SuperValu Corporation, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Prior to joining SuperValu, he served as chief of staff to U.S. Congressman Martin Olav Sabo from 1993 until Sabo retired in 2007...
. When Ellison won the primary and his campaign manager contacted him, Sabo said that he “wouldn't be supporting anyone in the race”. Sabo donated funds to the general election campaigns of many Minnesota Democrats, including Coleen Rowley
Coleen Rowley
Coleen Rowley is a former FBI agent and whistleblower, and was a Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate for Congress in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota in 2006...
, Patty Wetterling
Patty Wetterling
Patty Wetterling is a U.S. advocate of children's safety, particularly focused on protecting children from abduction and abuse. Her advocacy began after her son Jacob was abducted in 1989...
, Tim Walz
Tim Walz
Timothy James Walz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party .The district comprises the state's southern end, running along the entire border with Iowa...
, and Amy Klobuchar
Amy Klobuchar
Amy Jean Klobuchar is the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party...
, but none to Ellison. Sabo did not publicly endorse anyone, but allowed a picture of himself with Independence candidate Tammy Lee to be used in her campaign. Some Democrats were disappointed in Sabo’s silence on their chosen candidate.
General election
Ellison faced off against GreenGreen Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
Jay Pond, Independence Party
Independence Party of Minnesota
The Independence Party of Minnesota , formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is the third largest political party in Minnesota, behind the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and Republican Party . It is the political party of former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura , and endorsed former U.S...
nominee Tammy Lee and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Alan Fine in the general election, none of whom received primary opposition. Ellison's personal problems were discussed frequently by his competitors.
Lee capitalized on the character issues by securing endorsements from a coalition of Minnesota Democrats. Kathleen Anderson, Sabo's long-time district director was the most notable of the group. Anderson labeled Ellison a "scofflaw" and said that Tammy Lee is the only candidate honorable enough to carry on Sabo's legacy.
Sabo meanwhile, did not endorse Ellison, instead taking a picture with Lee and allowing her to use it in her commercials and literature. However, Ellison won the race with 56% of the vote, with Fine and Lee each pulling in 21%.
The candidates
Keith Ellison (politician)
Keith Maurice Ellison is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The district centers on Minneapolis. He was re-elected in 2010. Ellison is a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.He is the first Muslim to be elected to the...
(born August 4, 1963), was the Democratic candidate and winner of the election. The Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
native is the first Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
to be elected to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Congress. He is also the first African American elected to the House from Minnesota.
In 2002, Ellison was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
for District 58B, where he served two terms.
Business consultant Alan Fine (born 1962), was the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee. A Minneapolis native, Fine graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with an MBA. He currently heads Fine Enterprises, a consultancy group assisting businesses in management, investment banking, and business plan implementation.
Fine also taught at the Carlson School of Management
Carlson School of Management
The school offers a bachelor's, MBA, and doctoral degrees, as well as executive education programs hosted domestically and abroad . Dual-degree programs include a JD/MBA, MD/MBA, MHA/MBA, and a MPP/MBA...
for over a decade, earning several honors. In addition, he founded the Entrepreneurship Club at the University of Minnesota along with several students.
Fine's campaign centered around his frequent criticism for Ellison's past involvement with the Nation of Islam
Nation of Islam
The Nation of Islam is a mainly African-American new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930 to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African-Americans in the United States of America. The movement teaches black pride and...
. His campaign motto was "Fiscally Prudent, Socially Responsible, Proud to be an American!"
The Independence Party
Independence Party of Minnesota
The Independence Party of Minnesota , formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is the third largest political party in Minnesota, behind the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and Republican Party . It is the political party of former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura , and endorsed former U.S...
nominated Golden Valley
Golden Valley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,281 people, 8,449 households, and 5,508 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,982.3 people per square mile . There were 8,589 housing units at an average density of 839.5 per square mile...
businesswoman Tammy Lee (born 1971). Lee worked in the travel industry for several years, she is most known for her time with Sun Country Airlines
Sun Country Airlines
MN Airlines, LLC, operating as Sun Country Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburb of Mendota Heights, Minnesota...
, where she was named "Corporate Woman of Achievement" by the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.
Her political background includes serving as the communications director for Skip Humphrey
Skip Humphrey
Hubert Horatio "Skip" Humphrey III is a former Minnesota politician who served as attorney general of the state from 1983 to 1999. Prior to that, he was a state senator from 1973 to 1983...
's gubernatorial bid in 1998 and acting as U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan
Byron Dorgan
Byron Leslie Dorgan is a former United States Senator from North Dakota and is now a senior policy advisor for a Washington, DC law firm. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party. In the Senate, he was Chairman of the Democratic...
's press secretary. Lee campaigned as a moderate alternative to Ellison and promised to caucus with the Democrats if elected.
Green Party
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
candidate, Jay Pond (born May 25, 1959) rounded out the field. A South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
native, Pond graduated from Augustana College
Augustana College (South Dakota)
Augustana College is a private, liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The campus makes the school the largest private university in South Dakota...
in 1981 with a degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. In 2002, he was the Green Party endorsed candidate for US Congress in California's 8th district (San Francisco). He picked up 6% of the vote against incumbent Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
.
By 2004, Pond had moved to Minneapolis where he again received the Green Party endorsement for US Congress. He received 6% of the vote, this time against Martin Sabo in the 5th District.
Election results
- 2006 campaign for U.S. House of Representatives - Minnesota 5th District
- Keith EllisonKeith Ellison (politician)Keith Maurice Ellison is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The district centers on Minneapolis. He was re-elected in 2010. Ellison is a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.He is the first Muslim to be elected to the...
(DFL), 56% - Alan Fine (R), 21%
- Tammy Lee (IMIndependence Party of MinnesotaThe Independence Party of Minnesota , formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is the third largest political party in Minnesota, behind the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and Republican Party . It is the political party of former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura , and endorsed former U.S...
), 21% - Jay Pond (G), 2%
- Keith Ellison
- 2006 campaign for U.S. House of Representatives - Minnesota 5th District (Democratic Primary)
- Keith Ellison (DFL), 41%
- Mike ErlandsonMike ErlandsonMichael "Mike" Erlandson is Vice President Government Affairs for SuperValu Corporation, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Prior to joining SuperValu, he served as chief of staff to U.S. Congressman Martin Olav Sabo from 1993 until Sabo retired in 2007...
(DFL), 31% - Ember Reichgott JungeEmber Reichgott JungeEmber Reichgott Junge is an attorney, radio personality, and former State Senator from Minnesota, representing New Hope and surrounding communities. A Democrat, she was elected to the Senate at age 29 and served for a total of eighteen years. She served as a majority whip from 1991 to 1994, and as...
(DFL), 21% - Paul Ostrow (DFL), 5%
See also
- Minnesota's 5th congressional districtMinnesota's 5th congressional districtMinnesota's 5th congressional district is a geographically small urban and suburban congressional district in Minnesota. It covers eastern Hennepin County, including the entire city of Minneapolis, along with parts of Anoka and Ramsey counties. It was created in 1883 and was named the "Bloody...
- Martin Olav SaboMartin Olav SaboMartin Olav Sabo is an American politician and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and a former United States Representative for , which includes Minneapolis; the district is one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota.Sabo was born of Norwegian immigrant parents in Crosby, North...
- Keith EllisonKeith Ellison (politician)Keith Maurice Ellison is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The district centers on Minneapolis. He was re-elected in 2010. Ellison is a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.He is the first Muslim to be elected to the...
- Mike ErlandsonMike ErlandsonMichael "Mike" Erlandson is Vice President Government Affairs for SuperValu Corporation, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Prior to joining SuperValu, he served as chief of staff to U.S. Congressman Martin Olav Sabo from 1993 until Sabo retired in 2007...
- Ember Reichgott JungeEmber Reichgott JungeEmber Reichgott Junge is an attorney, radio personality, and former State Senator from Minnesota, representing New Hope and surrounding communities. A Democrat, she was elected to the Senate at age 29 and served for a total of eighteen years. She served as a majority whip from 1991 to 1994, and as...
External links
- Keith Ellison for Congress
- Alan Fine for Congress
- Ellison's Minnesota Public Radio profile
- Fine's Minnesota Public Radio profile
- Lee's Minnesota Public Radio profile
- Pond's Minnesota Public Radio profile
- League of Women Voters Debate
- CD 5 Candidate Forum, October 17 (Minnesota Public Radio)
- CD 5 Candidate Forum, October 10 (Minnesota Public Radio)
- CD 5 Candidate Forum, September 21 (Minnesota Public Radio)
- Controversy gnaws at Ellison lead (Pioneer Press)
- Tammy Lee endorsed by 12 local officials of various parties (Star Tribune)
- Might people who don't want Fine or Ellison favor Tammy Lee? (Star Tribune)
- Alan Fine is a pol with a tune, not just a song-and-dance (Star Tribune)