By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

Storm stirs 23A

* Former Rep. Julie Storm's announced intention to seek the Republican nomination for the House of Representatives from the court-structured District 23A has created a political "storm" in Nicollet County.

The reason is that Rep. Howard Swenson, R-Nicollet, incumbent in the old District 23B, thought he had a clear shot at the other incumbent lawmaker thrust into 23A, Rep. Ruth Johnson, DFL-St. Peter, of the old District 24B.

Storm, who also lives in St. Peter, believes she has stronger name-recognition in the new district, which includes both St. Peter and North Mankato, than Swenson whose old district overlapped only a portion of the new district.

"I'm not challenging Howard in any way," Storm said Wednesday. "I'm simply seeking the nomination in a new district that doesn't have an incumbent."

"To say there is no incumbent is not factual," Swenson said. "My old district overlaps part of the new district so that would make me the incumbent. Having served four terms, I'm pretty well known in the old district, and I'm known in St. Peter having done business there for years."

Will she or won't she?

* Sen. Arlene Lesewski, R-Marshall, still is not returning reporters' calls on whether she will go head-to-head with Sen. Dennis Frederickson, R-New Ulm, for the Senate seat in newly formed District 21.

The matchup was one of only 10 cases in the House and the Senate where incumbents from the same party are pitted against each other in a new district. There were 19 pairings of incumbents overall.

Frederickson already has announced his intention to seek the nomination in the new district to return to the Senate. Frederickson's staff report a number of phone calls from media and others trying to learn of Lesewski's decision.

The answer is always the same: "You'll have to ask her."

Mental note for 2012

* Brown County DFLers can be excused if they leave a lot of Post-It notes for party officials in 2012 advising not to schedule the county convention BEFORE redistricting is complete.

"We did meet on March 16," County Chair Lori Sellner said. "Then redistricting blew everything out of the water, and I've been busy dealing with helping get the new 1st congressional district up and running." Sellner got that responsibility because she's the ranking officer left from the old 2nd District, now in the 1st.

One of the two speakers at the convention was Aaron Peterson of Montevideo who was all set to challenge Republican Rep. Mark Kennedy in an approximation of the old 2nd District. Kennedy wound up in the 6th, and Peterson wound up in the 7th with a fellow DFLer and incumbent Collin Peterson.

Sellner of Sleepy Eye was re-elected chair and will head the count delegation to the district and state conventions. Other delegates are Robert Docherty, Kim Heidebrink, Mary Kluge and Jim Krzmarzick. Alternates are Bill Smith, Jeanie Hinsman, Henry Melzer, Bob Augustin and Henk Exoo.

"The county can send on 12 resolutions (to state convention)," Sellner said, "so we decided to go heavily in favor of agricultural issues so nine of the 12 dealt with agriculture."

The 1st District convention is April 27 at John Marshall High School in Rochester.

Sellner reports the party has three confirmed or interested candidates for Congress from the 1st district: Todd Rasmussen of Winona, Steve Andreasen of Rochester and Jennings Cambell.

Stronger statement

to follow

* The Taxpayers League of Minnesota is venting about 10 legislators who allegedly broke their promises to oppose any kind of taxpayer financing for any kind of stadium.

One of the lawmakers being accused by the league is Rep. James Clark, R-New Ulm. All voted for the latest stadium proposal that would finance a $330 million stadium for the Minnesota Twins, the league said.

"These guys lied to their constituents. There is no other way to put it," said David Strom, legislative director for the league. The league contends these legislators were listed in the league's most recent voter guide as opposing any kind of taxpayer-financed stadium.

"You bet we'll let people know who did and did not keep their word," Strom stated.

No word yet from Clark as to his reaction to the league's complaints.

Maybe the week

after Easter

* The best guess among local legislators' staffers is that the Legislature may wind up 2002 session late next week. The bonding session usually is short, but this session has spent more time on budget cutting than it did on bonding.