Comments on: Do Southern Minnesota Republicans support Brian Davis?

By: I Don’t Hate America! » Blog Archive » BREAKING NEWS: DAVIS SHOWS (chuckle) IMPRESSIVE (/chuckle) FOURTH-QUARTER IN-STATE FUNDRAISING

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 22:18:41 +0000

[…] his supposed rock-solid support from within the district (this was in response to our report that just 15 of Davis’s 80 third-quarter individual donors were from Minnesota). We went on to blow his “whole story” claim out of the water by showing that a mere […]

By: MNObserver

MNObserver — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:11:19 +0000

Perhaps if Dr. Davis wishes to become a member of Congress, he would be well-advised to learn a bit about the American tradition of protecting anonymous speech. From the days of the anonymous Federalist Papers up to US Supreme Court decisions of the 1990’s, the right to engage in political speech without having to reveal one’s identity has been allowed.

The candidate might wish to start with the 1995 decision in McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission, 514 U.S. 334, in which the court stated:

“Protections for anonymous speech are vital to democratic discourse. Allowing dissenters to shield their identities frees them to express critical, minority views . . . Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. . . . It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation . . . at the hand of an intolerant society.”

Welcome to America, Dr. Davis.

By: Ollie Ox

Ollie Ox — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:11:50 +0000

Actually, inquiring minds are busy investigating what DJ is hiding by using his initials.

By: Brian Davis

Brian Davis — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:34:41 +0000

Dear Anonymous Reader,

Thank you for taking an interest in our campaign.

It’s clear from your comments and their speculative nature that we are not acquainted!

To answer some of the items in your anonymous post, my wife and I have lived in Rochester since 1996. Many of the individuals supporting our campaign have known us for years and most likely wouldn’t describe us as introverts, lukewarm or otherwise. In this regard, the pattern of campaign contributions shouldn’t really be that unusual at all.

http://www.owatonna.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=29202&SectionID=21&SubSectionID=&S=1

There are few items in DJ’s online article which deserve comment, but from my perspective, many of points are accurate, particularly the comment regarding the ’shenanigans,’ not a game that I’ve found particularly inspiring (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/3713).

We hope to have something more detailed up on our Brian 2008 blog soon. http://www.briandavisforcongress.blogspot.com/

Happy Halloween to all! It’s a time of year for anonymous writers - even those who don’t live in the First District - to come out of the shadows and put their real John Henry next to their work - just like Mr. Danielson does.

Sincerely,

Brian Davis

Republican Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives
MN-01

By: Ollie Ox

Ollie Ox — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:58:38 +0000

Most of the out-of-state contributions are fellow radiologists, so it’s a safe bet that they know each other from professional organizations, conferences, and possibly med/grad school. Thus, neither secret nor “conservative” (we’ll borrow your scare quotes, as distracting disinformation that they conjure).

Go check the FEC records and you’ll find that some of Davis’ doctor friends gave to Democratic candidates and committees. Not completely the Southern Minnesota conservative brush with which Davis paints himself, nor the Republican base whose dollars and convention ballots he has to woo.

This lack of connection to the conservative base in Southern Minnesota was DJ’s point to begin with. GOP activists (people who caucus with the GOP and work to become convention delegates in the congressional district convention) will be the ones endorsing at the March gathering. Dr. Davis told Minneosta Campaign Report that he will abide by the nomination. Contrast those giving to Dick Day, and to a lesser degree, Randy Demmer (as we did at BSP) and you’ll see some of the GOP district base making contributions.

By: A reader

A reader — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 21:55:35 +0000

I’m going to go out on a limb here and wonder how Davis had such a large network outside of Rochester to draw from. Does he belong to some secret “conservative” physician organization? From what I’ve seen of Dr. Davis and his spouse, they are not outgoing, extroverted, or warm people. I also don’t know how long the Davis’s have been in Rochester, but you would think that they would have had more Rochester big donors for the time they have been in Rochester. One of the Rochester donors is a former neighbor, and I wonder if the remaining Rochester donors would be current or former neighbors of the Davis family as well. I find the whole situation quite strange.

By: DJ Danielson

DJ Danielson — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 21:43:22 +0000

Does this mean I will have to attend a school of adult education about proper usage?

By: Ollie Ox

Ollie Ox — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 21:35:03 +0000

Great post DJ, but I think you mean (assume professor voice here) “Out-of-state” contributions, not “outstate” money. And it’s Barbra.

But no big whoop.