Rift in Carver County GOP causes chairman to quit

Infighting has upended Republican Party leadership in one of the Twin Cities' most conservative counties, prompting the local chairman to quit the post after less than a year and renounce his GOP membership.

Factions have been wrestling over control of the Carver County Republicans for some time. But it was a letter questioning chairman Denny Laufenburger's authority that forced him to step aside last month. Former chairman Frank Long accused Laufenburger of violating the party ideology as mayor of Chanhassen by supporting tax incentives to revitalize its downtown.

"It was an accusation based on falsehoods and unprincipled beliefs," Laufenburger said. He said he resigned because his colleagues declined to sanction Long.

In his Dec. 5 resignation letter, Laufenburger said Long's claims were personal — meant more to intimidate and harass him than to uphold party principles.

"If we as a party do not want to be controlled by an angry manipulative few, then we need to stop turning a blind eye to political bullying and take disciplinary action," Laufenburger said, admonishing executive officers. "In my view, a battle over my leadership is a waste of time and energy and is infinitely less important than your battle against Democrats for the residence on Summit Avenue," he said, referring to the governor's residence.

In an interview, Long defended his actions and denied that he intended to oust Laufenburger.

"The job of an activist is to speak up if you have a problem with something," he said.

Several area Republicans brushed off the recent drama as a run-of-the-mill party dispute. However, long-standing grievances appear to play a role.

Hours after Laufenburger won the chairmanship on Feb. 11, Long lambasted the election on Facebook as a "partially successful coup" by moderates who, he felt, circumvented the vetting process by allowing nominations from the floor. "The grass roots of Carver County is under attack," Long declared.

State Sen. Scott Jensen, R-Chaska, had encouraged Laufenburger to run in an effort to combat "rigid rhetoric" that alienated some voters. Jensen hoped new leadership would help recruit fresh faces.

But party stalwarts began grumbling last fall after the Chanhassen City Council approved a controversial tax subsidy to fund a six-story apartment building with an attached Aldi's grocery store. Laufenburger supported the plan, which he said would convert a blighted building into a community asset.

On Nov. 29, Long surprised colleagues at a committee meeting by reading a letter in front of GOP gubernatorial candidates like Keith Downey and Jeff Johnson criticizing Laufenburger's vote for a tax-increment financing (TIF) district — which captures new property tax revenue to help pay for development. A TIF, Long said, amounted to corporate welfare and undermined the party platform.

Several of Long's supporters cheered, while other members were struck speechless. Laufenburger said Long's public complaint at a high-profile meeting took him by surprise. Long insists he was simply looking for an explanation.

Jensen later chastised Long for being "divisive" and exhibiting "poor judgment."

"The party platform is not the Bible," Jensen said, adding that it's open to interpretation.

A week after Long's public rebuke, Laufenburger issued a point-by-point rebuttal at a meeting of the party's executive committee. He argued that the platform is not a "rule of law," and defended TIF as an economic development tool. He said other committee members have previously supported the funding mechanism.

The committee declined to sanction Long, which Laufenburger saw as an endorsement of his criticism. Many were flabbergasted that he immediately resigned and several members asked him to reconsider. He said his decision was firm.

Waconia Mayor Jim Sanborn later defended Laufenburger's leadership and said that he probably would have supported TIF as a redevelopment tool. "You've got to do what's best for your city," Sanborn said.

Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan had been informed of the feud but decided not to intervene.

"Not everyone is going to agree 100 percent of the time," Carnahan said.

Some Democrats are hoping the interparty rift will turn off voters as DFLers hope to make inroads with an influx of young families moving to the southwestern suburbs.

"We have an opportunity to flip a few seats," said Carver County Democrats Chairwoman Mary Leizinger.

Meanwhile, GOPers say tax reform and low unemployment rates will weigh in the party's favor come November, when a wide-open governor's race and two contested U.S. Senate seats are up for grabs. But Jensen said maintaining party unity will be crucial.

"If we're going to pound our fists on the table and demand that everyone see the world the way we do, we're not going to get very far," he said. "Piercing words are hard to take back."

Liz Sawyer • 612-673-4648