Reichgott Junge's Republican pals

Blanked-Out has posted an interesting analysis of contributors to Ember Reichgott Junge's 5th District Congressional campaign. The blog's author, 24-year-old Minneapolis resident Noah Kunin, found 25 substantial Junge donors who have little or no prior history of giving to Democratic causes. By contrast, since 2000 these contributors have funneled $233,400 towards Republican candidates and committees.

Perhaps most conspicuous among these Junge benefactors: J.C. Huizenga. The Grand Rapids, Michigan resident is a "Bush Pioneer," having raised more than $100,000 for the President's 2000 campaign. Huizenga is also chairman of National Hertitage Academies, a for-profit educational institution that, according to the company's web site, operates 51 charter schools in five states.

Kunin, who worked on Mayor R.T. Rybak's re-election campaign, as well as the short lived Congressional candidacy of Gail Dorfman, speculates in a subsequent post that Junge might be attracting contributions from Republican voters because of her support for charter schools. In 1991, as a state senator, Junge authored the nation's first charter school legislation.

Although there is a Republican candidate in the race, Alan Fine, he is thought to have virtually no chances in the heavily Democratic district. Junge, a proud moderate, might be the GOP's best bet.