Two Morrison GOP officials are taking leave of absence

Two members of the Morrison County Republican Party Executive Committee each agreed to take a leave of absence because of their support of Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley.

Republican Paul Gazelka of rural Brainerd received the party endorsement this spring for the Senate District 12 seat. Koering, the incumbent senator, will run against Gazelka, a former House District 12A representative, in the Republican primary.

Adolph Rabe, deputy chair, and Aleta Edin, secretary, both offered their resignations at the group's monthly meeting last week. In a joint statement they said they were required by the party constitution to support and work for endorsed candidates. A leave of absence was agreed to until after the Aug. 10 primary election and the two party officials will resume their elected positions after the primary.

"I guess I'm a Republican and although I'm a big supporter of Sen. Paul Koering, I'm supporting whoever wins the primary," Edin said Tuesday. "I like Paul Koering. I think he's done a very good job. He hasn't done anything ... to lose my support."

Rabe also agreed to support whoever won the Republican primary noting there are many great Republican candidates he will support.

In his statement Rabe said: "Sen. Koering has represented the Republican fiscal and social conservative principles in a manner that I am very happy with. He has demonstrated that he is pro-life and has held with the governor's conservative agenda."

Rabe said he was concerned when a successful Republican senator was challenged by a Republican with the full knowledge that it puts the seat in jeopardy.

Edin, in the statement, said: "I'm supporting my senator, Paul Koering, for re-election. He has done a good for our district and has proven himself electable. I see no good reason to change horses in mid-stream."

Morrison County Republican Party Chair Perry Nouis said Tuesday he was glad Rabe and Edin were not leaving their posts permanently since they are longtime Republican activists.

Nouis said as a party official he's supporting Gazelka but he would work to elect Koering, whom he described as the front-runner in the Republican primary race, if the incumbent wins in August. He said he was concerned about a possible split in the Republican Party in District 12 and also about a possible independent bid by Koering should he lose the primary.

"I do think there's a potential for a split, but I hope that doesn't happen," Nouis said.

He said he wished that Koering had worked through the system and not pulled out of the endorsement contest. Nouis said the important point was for Republicans to focus on electing conservatives.