Larry Haws has some serious competion..

Larry Haws, who can best be described as a sort of Jekyll & Hyde version of Wilford Brimley, (no kidding!)


now has some real competition for his Minnesota District 15 B legislative seat:

A St. Cloud Republican began his bid for a state legislative seat Tuesday, almost 17 months before next year's election.

Joshua Behling, 26, said he filed paperwork with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Disclosure Board that would allow him to raise money and run for a House District 15B seat occupied by Rep. Larry Haws, DFL-St. Cloud.

"I considered running in the last election, but I didn't feel it was the right time," said Behling, who became co-chairman of the Senate District 15 Republican Party earlier this year. "I'm frustrated with the way things happened at the Capitol this year. I'm frustrated by the amount of tax increase proposals that came out."

Behling, a Buffalo native, owns a small business that provides marketing and sales assistance to other small businesses. If he runs, it would be his first attempt at public elected office.

Having personally met Mr. Behling, I can tell you that along with being a young man, he has a "fire in the belly" that has led him to stand out in his administration of MN Senate District 15 BPOU.

Mr. Haws, who likes to present himself as a kindly, grandfatherly moderate, has received a dismal rating from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and actually has chosen to endorse the way-out-left-whacko Al Franken for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat in 2008.

Although Mr. Haws would state otherwise, the differences couldn't be more stark, and MN SD 15 B residents will have a real choice in November of 2008.