By Mark W. Olson

The primaries are over, the filings have closed. Now the real work begins – putting up lawn signs, knocking on doors, placing advertisements.

But what do you do if you don’t have an opponent? Is it all sunshine and lollipops?

This year a few local high profile races will be unopposed – including mayoral positions in Chaska and Chanhassen and the 34B State Representative seat.

Ernie Leidiger, a Camden Township resident and owner of Brothers Office Furniture, beat out two candidates on Monday night for the Republican endorsement in House District 34A.

He was endorsed on the second ballot at a special convention called in Norwood Young America after Rep. Paul Kohls, R-Victoria, announced he would not run again due to a job change.

By Forrest Adams

On May 16, Rep. Paul Kohls, a Victoria Republican, gave his retirement speech to colleagues in the House of Representatives.

The next morning, he found himself still in the capital, but this time speaking out against the budget compromise that was ultimately passed.“It was odd,” he said. “I felt like the Brett Favre of the Legislature.”

Kohls, 36, is younger.

Thanks to an earlier primary date, the state’s election filing period is also moving up.Candidates for state and county offices can file May 18 through June 1 at the Carver County Government Center. June 3 is the last day to withdraw from the races.

At the local level, state senator and state representative seats are up, as are county positions and Soil and Water Conservation District supervisors.

The general election is Nov. 2.

County

Fresh off the legislative session, Gov. Tim Pawlenty is heading to Chaska.

Pawlenty is speaking at the Chanhassen Rotary Scholarship Breakfast at 8 a.m. Wednesday, May 19, at the Oak Ridge Conference Center, according to his public events schedule.

Ernie Leidiger has announced his GOP candidacy for the House District 34A seat.

Leidiger, a Camden Township resident, has owned Brothers Office Furniture for the last five years, and is a member of the Twin West and North Hennepin County Chambers of Commerce and the Minnesota Defense Alliance, according to a campaign press release.

Jim Nash has announced that he is a candidate for the office of Minnesota State House of Representatives in District 34A.

District 34A covers western Carver County (including Carver, Victoria and a portion of Chaska), and parts of Scott County.

State Rep. Paul Kohls (R-Victoria) announced Monday he will not seek a fifth term in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Kohls has represented District 34A since 2002.

“It has been an absolute privilege to serve in the Minnesota House of Representatives and an honor to represent the people of central and western Carver county and northern Scott county,” stated Kohls. “But we know that at some point all good things must come to an end.”

By Forrest Adams

Research by the Christian Science Monitor and PBS NewsHour last week labeled Carver County as the place in Minnesota with the most Tea Party activists.

Whether or not this is true is a matter of some debate.

“Really?”

That was the response from Mara Souvannasoth, a Chanhassen home school mother, who said she sympathizes with the Tea Party movement.