Taking a break from our continuing coverage of the problems with Initiated Measure 22, the House Caucus is scheduled to be held this weekend (if the snow doesn’t keep them away).
Here’s how I’m hearing things are shaping up at the moment for the caucus races. This could change on a dime, so don’t hold me to it.
- Speaker of the House – Mark Mickelson
- Speaker Pro Temp – Don Haggar, Mike Stevens, Mary Duvall
- Majority Leader – David Lust, Lee Qualm.
- Assistant Majority Leader – Kent Peterson, Tom Brunner
- Whips – Mathew Wollmann, Larry Rhoden, Arch Beal & others
Your thoughts?
I hear Steve Haugaard is also interested in Assistant Majority leader
He would be great!
Purely off the voices in my head, here’s my prediction:
Speaker of the House – Mark Mickelson
Speaker Pro Temp – Don Haggar
Majority Leader – Lee Qualm
Assistant Majority Leader – Kent Peterson
Whips – Mathew Wollmann, Larry Rhoden, Arch Beal, Larry Zikmund, Lynne Disanto
I think this leadership team would represent the diverse backgrounds and viewpoints of the Caucasus as a whole.
I’m disappointed to see Lust is running again. He previously had that spot for 4 years, and now he wasn’t even elected and didn’t even file for a House spot. He’s an appointee only because Dan Dryden passed away. His allegiance will be to the Gov who appointed him, not to his constituents or his fellow Reps. (sort of like before only worse). The House GOP bench is deep and Qualm is a good man and has been there for 4 years. He was asked to run for leadership months ago by his peers, not a johnny-come-lately. I hope the caucus understands how important this vote is. Do they want to be an independent body or an arm of the administration?
I certainly hope the House has the common sense to elect Lust as their leader. With the right-wing Senate leadership, the House needs someone with common sense and leadership ability. Lust has proven that he could stand up to the Stace Nelson’s of the world, and come out the winner.
No on Lust! He might be able to stand up to Stace but he doesn’t stand up to the governor.
Stace Nelson will be in the Senate this year, so he and Lust won’t interact much, if any. Qualm is a much better choice for Majority Leader than Lust, who didn’t handle leadership well when he was in the House the first time.
Isn’t Lust supposed to be a Republican? Standing up to conservatives? WTH party do you people belong to?
According to House members I have talked to, Lee Qualm is a good man, good thinker and most importantly has sound leadership skills. I met Lee briefly on election night and he made a good impression. Same with David Lust who I have known for years very casually (knew his sister much better when we both worked for Abdnor as interns) and have never had even an inkling of a reason to question him.
This is a decision of individual House members to select and their primary criteria is going to be who can best day-to-day provide organization to the caucus, listen to and hear the consensus position of the caucus, and then communicate, advocate and defend that position. Selecting a person because of their particular position on one or two hot button issues is minor to the House Members (or it ought to be) because its about day-to-day matters and not something which comes up on occasion and Leadership isn’t going to change peoples minds on those hot-button issues.
This is the type of issue which I 100% defer to the members and offer no opinion because I’m not in the caucus having to work with them 12 hours a day for 35 days. Personally, I think we should just let those we have elected to exercise their judgment and not worry about armchair quarterbacks. If you KNOW of an attribute which you think serves the caucus better with either, make you view known. But, anyone who has met Dave would find it preposterous that he would have more loyalty to the Governor than his constituents and caucus. Whether Lust is elected Majority Leader or not, this charge serves no purpose beyond disparagement without basis.
My dislike for Lust stems precisely on how he handled himself in caucus previously and his disdain for conservatives if their views opposed his. Plus with Qualm you get his gracious and capable wife Trudy as pro bono caucus secretary. It’s a win-win !