Rudy_Takala

Rudy Takala

Rudy Takala

American writer and politician

Rudy Takala is a conservative writer and Republican politician.

Quick Facts Born, Alma mater ...

Early life

Takala was born in Rush City, Minnesota and grew up on a dairy farm in neighboring Pine City. Takala was homeschooled for nine years before earning a Bachelor of Arts in legal studies and economics from Hamline University in 2009 at the age of 20. He completed a Master of Arts in political communication from American University.[1]

Education

He received a Bachelor of Arts in legal studies and economics from Hamline University followed by a master's degree in political communication at American University.[2]

Political background

Takala was elected chairman of Minnesota's Pine County Republicans at the age of 18. He was re-elected in 2009 with 60% of the vote, and again in 2011.[citation needed]

In early 2009, Takala announced his decision to run for the Minnesota House of Representatives in House district 8B, which at the time encompassed all of Kanabec County and parts of Pine & Isanti counties.[3] Takala lost the primary election to Roger Crawford on August 10, 2010, by a 59% to 41% margin.[4]

At the 2012 Minnesota State Republican Convention he was selected as a delegate to the Republican Party's National Convention in Tampa.[5]

Commentator

After running for the Minnesota House, Takala wrote and provided occasional commentary on Minnesota politics.[6] He was often critical of both major political parties for not doing enough to slow the rate of government growth in Minnesota. In 2011, he was quoted by Politics in Minnesota as saying of Republicans in the state legislature, "There was too much talk about the rate of growth [of spending]... we should have been talking about cutting."[7]

He received 1,214 votes at the 2012 Minnesota State Republican Convention to become a delegate to the Republican Party's National Convention in Tampa.[8]

He joined the Washington Examiner in 2015, where he profiled members of Congress including Tom Cotton,[9] Tim Scott,[10] Ron Wyden,[11] Marsha Blackburn,[12] future Secretary of State Mike Pompeo,[13] and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Varadaraj Pai[14]

As of 2019, he was an opinion editor at Fox News.[15]

Electoral history

  • 2010 Republican primary election for Minnesota House of Representatives – District 8B[16]
    • Roger Crawford (R) 59.09% (1,820 votes)
    • Rudy Takala (R) 40.91% (1,260 votes)

References

  1. [1]
    "Leadership Institute Faculty". Leadership Institute. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  2. [2]
    "Rudy Takala".
  3. [3]
    Star Tribune. GOP Awaits Primary Tea Leaves August 5, 2010
  4. [4]
    Pine City Pioneer. Takala takes Pine, Crawford claims overall victory August 10, 2010.
  5. [5]
    Press Publications. Pine City Well Represented at Republican Convention June 14, 2012.
  6. [6]
    Politics in Minnesota.Many in GOP Base Angry at Legislature August 5, 2011.
  7. [7]
    Politics in Minnesota. Many in GOP Base Angry at Legislature August 5, 2011.
  8. [8]
    Press Publications. Pine City Well Represented at Republican Convention June 14, 2012.
  9. [9]
    Washington Examiner. Tom Cotton: 'Deterrence, once lost, is very hard to regain' June 27, 2016.
  10. [10]
    Washington Examiner. Tim Scott: IRS has 'gotten worse' April 25, 2016.
  11. [11]
    Washington Examiner. Ron Wyden: Sharing no secrets, asking tough questions June 20, 2016
  12. [12]
    Washington Examiner. Marsha Blackburn: Are the Clintons playing by the same rules as everyone else? April 11, 2016.
  13. [13]
    Washington Examiner. Mike Pompeo: Why politicians need to understand encryption January 24, 2016.
  14. [14]
    Washington Examiner. FCC commissioner: Something changing in America about the First Amendment March 14, 2016.
  15. [15]
    "Muck Rack Archive". Muck Rack. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  16. [16]
    Minnesota Secretary of State. 2010 Primary Election Results. August 10, 2010.
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