THE HE-MAN WOMAN HATERS CLUB

At the 2002 DFL State Convention, many of the delegates thought it was time to nominate a woman for statewide office. The DFL has a history of nominating men over qualified female candidates going back to the 1954 U.S. Senate endorsement battle when then Congressman Eugene McCarthy defeated Eugenie Anderson who was America's first woman ambassador.

State Senator and DFL candidate for governor Becky Lourey desperately wanted a female candidate to nominated. After Lourey dropped out of the race, she endorsed Judi Dutcher saying "I believe that it's time for a woman."

Former state representative and candidate for DFL Party Chair Betty Folliard was quoted in the story below cheering "We're going to win! We're going to have a woman!" If Folliard is elected DFL Party Chair watch for her to strongly push for a female candidate for governor.

Will the DFL nominate a woman in 2006? If history is any indicator, than the answer is no.

Minnesota Attorney General and perpetual candidate for governor Mike Hatch has already sent out a fundraising letter testing the waters for a potenatial campaign and with no female candidates on the horizon, he may be the DFL's candidate in 2006.

The story below details the push for a DFL nominee for governor in 2002.

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DFLers say Moe is better

Minnesota Democrats chose experience and proven leadership over a fresh face and a chance to make gender history on Saturday when the DFL State Convention endorsed state Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe of Erskine for governor.

Moe, 57, one of the longest-serving political leaders in state history, was endorsed after the sixth ballot at the Minneapolis Convention Center, winning a closely contested battle with state Auditor Judi Dutcher.

At 39, Dutcher was the youngest candidate in the race and a relatively recent convert from the GOP.

A third candidate, state Sen. Becky Lourey of Kerrick, had dropped out of the race earlier after a surprisingly strong start. The more than 1,300 delegates unanimously endorsed Moe and his running mate, state Sen. Julie Sabo of Minneapolis, after Dutcher conceded defeat at 5:45 p.m.

"My fellow Democrats, it is in our hands. The dream is there for us," Moe said in his victory speech. After complimenting Dutcher and Lourey, he said, "We're in this together from now on."

The convention bypassed a chance to endorse a female candidate for the first time. But many feminist delegates backed Moe because he has a long history of standing with them on the issues and protecting their interests in the Legislature.While the race was competitive, it was not bitter. The three candidates and party activists said this was the most civil and friendly endorsement contest in memory.

A state senator from northwestern Minnesota for 32 years and majority leader for 22, Moe will carry the party banner into the Nov. 5 election. Dutcher and Lourey both pledged to support him and not to run in the Sept. 10 DFL primary.

Republicans will choose between two gubernatorial candidates, entrepreneur Brian Sullivan and House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty, at their convention June 13-15 in St. Paul. Independence Party Gov. Jesse Ventura has not announced whether he will seek another term.

Moe jumped off to a 9-point lead on the first ballot and steadily gained support through six hours of balloting. He polled 40 percent of the vote in Round One to Dutcher's 31 percent and Lourey's 29 percent.

On the second ballot, he led with 43 percent, while Lourey dipped to 26 percent. After dropping to 23 percent on the third ballot, Lourey withdrew from the race and, in a surprise move, threw her support to Dutcher.

"I believe that it's time for a woman," she told the convention. "It's a fight we can win with Judi Dutcher." "I don't know where she stands" on many issues, Lourey said, but she added that she believes women have a different leadership style and it is time for Minnesota to give it a try."There's nobody better than a mother to lead the way," she said.

Lourey also said she was concerned about a repeat of 1998, when a ticket of Hubert H. Humphrey III and Roger Moe finished a distant third in the gubernatorial race. Her pitch worked -- for a while. On the next ballot, Lourey's delegates went to Dutcher by nearly a 2-to-1 margin. The auditor jumped to 47 percent on the fourth ballot, while Moe got 52 percent.

But that was Dutcher's high-water mark. She slipped to 44 percent on the sixth ballot, while Moe got 56 percent of the vote. With the delegates clearly moving toward Moe, Dutcher pulled the plug on her campaign.

Between ballots, the candidates and their surrogates fanned out across the convention floor and wooed wavering delegates. Moe and Dutcher both stressed their ability to win in November. Moe forces argued he has a proven record of winning, keeping the Senate in DFL control even when Republicans won the House or the governorship. Dutcher supporters asserted she represents a new day for the DFL, a break from the old party establishment -- symbolized by Moe -- that hasn't won a governor's race in 16 years.

Moe convinced Diane Leaders of Sebeka, who started as a Dutcher supporter, that he has the best chance to get elected. "I'm giving up some of my women's issues for some of my rural constituents and clients," said Leaders, a social worker. "I do believe he is the most electable."

Fourth District DFL Chairman Randy Schubring of St. Paul, who was undecided at the start of the convention, said he chose Dutcher. "She's a real dynamic candidate, and she brings new energy to the party." He noted a generation gap between the candidates' supporters.
Dutcher attracted "new faces," he said, while Moe appealed to an older crowd.

Members of the DFL Feminist Caucus members said during the convention that they wanted a female candidate, not just a feminist, said caucus President Jo Matson. She said that's the caucus's new cry. "Women haven't been winning statewide in Minnesota," said Matson, who was neutral in her governor's pick. "We have a glass ceiling and it is time to break the ceiling."The gender division became clear shortly after 4 p.m., when Lourey and Dutcher began moving through the hall together.

Lourey was helping Dutcher try to gain delegates, and aides to the two former competitors were working toward the same goal -- of endorsing a woman for governor for the first time in the party's history."We're going to win! We're going to have a woman!" said Rep. Betty Folliard, DFL-Hopkins, one of many excited women delegates hoping for a breakthrough.

Dutcher, however, downplayed the impact of gender on the suddenly close endorsement battle. "I really believe that it is time for the most qualified leader that can grow this party," she said. In a speech to the convention before the balloting, Moe both laid out his vision for the future and addressed questions about whether he has enough pizzazz to win in November.

"I realize some of you think, 'Roger, you're too quiet, you are too boring, and you are not exciting.' Well, I happen to think that good government is exciting," he said.

"Imagine a Minnesota where all of us are challenged to be good stewards of our natural resources, where our lakes are clean, where we have opportunities to enjoy and protect our forests, fields and waters, where -- because of wind generation, ethanol, biodiesel and other green energy -- the U.S. turns to the Midwest and not the Middle East for its energy supply. Now that's exciting!

"Imagine a Minnesota with outstanding schools and educational opportunities from early childhood to elder hostel. Now that's exciting!

"Imagine a Minnesota where all families have access to affordable housing, where there is no homelessness, where no child has to sleep in a shelter. Now that's exciting!

"Imagine a Minnesota where higher education is affordable to all, where we have economic growth and opportunities in all parts of Minnesota, where we have a transportation system that creates livable communities, protects our environment and brings economic growth. Now that's exciting!" Source: Pioneer Press, May 5, 2002