Hardball politics at its worst raised its ugly head Monday when Republican Party leaders in Minnesota dropped not-so-subtle hints that those party members who went against Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto on transportation will pay.

Rep. Rod Hamilton, R-Mountain Lake, one of those who saw the value in solving horrendous road funding problems in Minnesota, voluntarily resigned his position as the ranking Republican on the Agriculture, Rural Economics and Veteran Affairs Committee before the vote. He should be lauded for his courage and will to solve problems when there was a lot of pressure to vote the party line.

His constituents can blame Republican Party leadership if they are not as well represented on that important committee.

Republican House Minority Leader Marty Seifert on Tuesday stripped all six Republicans who broke ranks of their leadership positions. This is the epitome of heavy-handed politics people are sick of. It’s a politics that puts the party before the people. It’s dirty, backroom politics that crowds out dissent and potential good ideas.

Clearly, a good case can be made for fixing roads and improving safety in light of the I-35W bridge collapse. The idea of investing more in Minnesota infrastructure was so reasonable that Pawlenty at one time completely endorsed it. Now, he says he may not lend support or endorse those who defied him.

It’s unfortunate that these six Republicans were punished for voting their conscience and what they believe was best for their constituents. The entire party would be better off if they were put in charge.

Luckily, the Republican Party still has good people like Jim Abeler of Anoka, who said he voted against the governor because he was concerned about the unsafe roads in his district.

“We have so many unsafe roads in my area with twists and turns — on a rainy night I’m scared to drive down the roads,” he told the Associated Press. “The people who die on those roads are teenagers in single-car accidents. If we don’t do something we will have some kid’s blood on our hands.”

Republican leadership has threatened its endorsement of people like Abeler at his endorsing convention coming up.

Abeler added: “This actually is evidence of what kind of member I am, that I’m willing to vote for what I believe.”

He speaks in the tradition of honest and clean Minnesota politics. Unfortunately, Republican Party leaders do not consider these traditions very sacred anymore.