Posted: 01/14/08 19:59
by Dave Mindeman
It was rumored last cycle, but now it's a reality....Dennis Ozment, the Representative for 37B in Apple Valley-Rosemount is retiring. That could set off a flurry of dormant activity in that district. Rep. Ozment ran unopposed last time but there have been several potential Democratic candidates waiting for the rumored retirement to become reality.
Some of the possible Democratic names are:
Joel Albright -- District 196 School Board Member
Phil Sterner -- Rosemount City Council
Tom O'Keefe -- ran unsuccessfully for School Board in 2006
Bruce Endler (also on the District 196 School Board) had been on that short list at one time but he recently announced his retirement from the school board, citing changing job responsibilities and family needs. He is probably not a possibility right now.
There is also a rumored (unnamed) candidate, who had already had a campaign in the works to run against Ozment. That person has had no previous elective office experience and is new to the district; but the rumor has it, that a campaign manager was already on board. We will see if the retirement changes the status on that one.
More names may appear....the interest will grow with an open seat at stake in a volatile election year.
Republicans have been keeping mum, but it is hard to imagine an Ozment retirement without some "heir apparent" in the works.
