By Mark Fischenich
ST PETER — No one who was watching the vote-counters come back into the convention hall needed an announcement from the podium to know who won.
Each of the candidates for the Republican endorsement for the District 23A seat in the state House was allowed to send a representative to watch over the vote counting. Candidate Andy Davis sent campaign manager — and wife — Jodie Davis.
So when the tellers came back from counting the second round of balloting, the 1,000-watt smile on Jodie Davis’ face told the story.
A few minutes later, the news had reached Perry Meyer, the candidate from Lafayette Township. Meyer, a farmer and 18-year-member of the Lafayette Township Board, went to the podium and suggested a unanimous voice vote to endorse Davis to take on Democrat Terry Morrow.
The 75 delegates on hand did that, and Davis became the party’s candidate for the seat being vacated by the retirement of Rep. Ruth Johnson, DFL-St. Peter. In a show of unity, Meyer and former St. Peter City Councilman Joel Brinker, who dropped out after finishing third on the first ballot, joined Davis on the stage of the Sunrise Assembly of God Church auditorium.
All three candidates had signed a pledge to abide by the convention’s wishes and back the winning candidate rather than run in the Sept. 12 primary election. So unless another Republi-can candidate steps forward between now and the filing period in July, Davis will be the GOP candidate on the ballot on Nov. 7.
An Iraq war veteran and founder of a nonprofit organization to support veterans, Davis said in an interview a short time later that he considers Morrow — a Gustavus Adolphus College professor and St. Peter School Board member — to be “tough competition.”
“The minute I walk out the door, the work starts,” said Davis, whose 25th birthday is today. “I think it’s going to be all about pounding the pavement and talking to people.”
The two-ballot victory by Davis came more quickly than some longtime Nicollet County Republicans had expected. He led after the first round of voting with 39 votes to Meyer’s 28. Brinker trailed with 8.
Brinker then announced that he was dropping from the contest and encouraged his delegates to back Davis, which would have given him 47 votes — two more than the necessary 60 percent — if the other delegates held firm on their first-ballot choices. Something like that apparently happened, although the unanimous voice vote made the count moot.
Former state Rep. Howard Swenson, R-Nicollet, who chose not to run this year after suffering a narrow defeat to Johnson in 2004, backed Davis with a nominating speech and encouraged delegates to think about the college vote.
The strength of the Democratic vote in the precincts around Gustavus Adolphus College has often put DFL candidates over the top.
“We need to think of delectability,” Swenson said. “... We know we have a sizable student population in our district. Who will have the best chance to capture some of that vote?”
The House district including St. Peter and North Mankato, although its name and borders have changed with redistricting, has a history of alternating between the Republicans and the Democrats. Democrats have tended to win in presidential election years with Republicans doing better in off-year elections.
Davis asked delegates to think ahead to 2008 in addition to working for a victory in November.
“We need to think of securing this seat for the future instead of flip-flopping,” he said, promising to be relentless as a campaigner and as a representative of the people of District 23A.
Davis spoke of his service to the country in the U.S. Army, his opposition to gay marriage and abortion and his deep roots in St. Peter. His ancestors were among the founders of the town, he’s a descendant of former Congressman Charles R. Davis and he’s the grandson of former St. Peter Mayor Doug Pyan.
He told of learning of the role of small businesses in our economy from working in the Culligan business of his father, Paul “Gus” Davis.
And after serving tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, Davis said can handle the rigors of a legislative campaign.
“I’ve been in a lot tougher situations than facing a Democrat,” he said.
