As 2011 draws to close with no definitive answer in the Minnesota Vikings quest for a new stadium it appears that the issue could be affected by upcoming elections. On Dec. 31 the Republican Party of Minnesota will choose a new Chairman, and according to SavetheVikes.org, their decision could have a lasting impact on the stadium situation:
It appears there are two realistic candidates that could get the job.
The first is Kelly Fenton who was appointed Deputy Chair of the Republican Party after Michael Brodkorb resigned in October. If you follow @SavetheVikesOrg closely on twitter, you have most likely seen some heated exchanges between Merrifield and Fenton as she is no friend to the Vikings Stadium issue or our friends at RacinoNow!
The second is Mike Osskopp who currently is District Director of Congressman John Kline and former State Representative from Lakeville. Sitting squarely in his Congressional district is Canterbury Park which helps explain why Racino Lobbyists consider him their favorite, and why we consider him our favorite.
Kurt Zellers seems to be one of the biggest roadblocks toward a new stadium as well. Zellers is attempting to delay a possible vote on stadium financing until after the 2012 general election, which would push the decision into 2013. With Los Angeles possibly breaking ground on a new football stadium in search of an NFL tenant that delay will be critical in the Vikings' future in Minnesota.