Last week at the Republican National Convention, I wrote about self-defined progressive Republicans in Minnesota. One of those speakers was Jim Ramstad, who has been ranked as one of the most middle-of-the-road Republicans by National Journal.

Although Ramstad has earned a reputation as a strong fiscal conservative, he recognizes the need for social justice, partnering with the late Sen. Paul Wellstone on mental health parity legislation, and personal choice. At the event last week, Ramstad told a story about some pro-life women who came to meet with Barry Goldwater in the 1960s. He quoted Goldwater’s response to these women when they asked what his position on abortion is, “It’s none of the government’s blankity-blank business.” Ramstad is retiring this year and his open seat is viewed as one of the top 20 “toss up” races.

Erik Paulsen, 43-year-old Minnesota legislator who has been billing himself as a fiscal conservative, and 30-year-old has secured the Republican endorsement for the seat. As MNPublius pointed out, Paulsen “is no moderate and he is no Ramstad.” Indeed, Ramstad has received a rating of 90 percent on his present votes from Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, and opposed state funding for stem cell research. His opponent, Ashwin Madia, is an Iraq War veteran and lawyer. Madia comes from the law firm of Mike Cerisi, a competitor of the DFL nomination for Senate and champion of class action lawsuits on tobacco companies and faulty IUD devices. Madia has received endorsements from a host of unions, veteran groups, and environmental organizations. A SurveyUSA automated poll last month put the race in a statistical tie, with Paulsen leading 44-41.

In other words, whoever wins Minnesota’s third district will be “no Ramstad.” The reason is because moderate Republicans are largely disappearing, a phenomenon well-documented by the new era of partisanship. The district Ramstad represents is one of the wealthiest in the state, and has been represented by Republicans since 1961. But Ramstad was a Republican who kept an eye on social justice as he sought to balance budgets. For him, it wasn’t his stance on gays or abortion that mattered, and he looks for the day when “litmus tests on social issues will disappear.”

–Kay Steiger