IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT FIGHT
This is a very informative article about the 5th CD race.
##
Full DFL field raises plenty of uncertainty
A dozen candidates are out for the DFL endorsement to replace Rep. Martin Sabo, and more still could run. The race for support from 219 delegates could decide the election -- or undermine the process.
A week after Rep. Martin Sabo announced his plan to retire after 28 years, the race to succeed him is so packed that it's tough to keep track of the candidates even with a scorecard.
A dozen DFLers are running, creating a bare-knuckled grab for the 219 delegates who can confer endorsement May 6 -- but also creating uncertainty about how valuable that endorsement will be.
Delegates "will be bombarded from every angle," said Sean Broom, chair of Minnesota Young DFL and a delegate. "I've already received phone calls from several campaigns."
The complement of candidates was on comical display Friday night on public television's "Almanac" show. All 12 of them stood in a box and stepped over a line in response to questions such as whether they wanted immediate withdrawal from Iraq, would abide by the party endorsement or opposed domestic spying.
The debate also showed the difficulty that candidates will have distinguishing themselves, as each had about 10 seconds to answer complicated questions.
Already there is talk the field of Democratic candidates may swell even after the endorsing convention. Minneapolis City Council Member Lisa Goodman, for one, said she may enter the race later.
That raises the question of the endorsement's significance. And others are hinting they may run in a Sept. 12 primary with or without the party's endorsement.
The GOP may yet find a known candidate, but the Fifth District is deep blue DFL turf.
Republicans privately say the Green Party has a better chance of winning than the GOP.
Will endorsement help or hurt?
While the party endorsement is a boost, it's not a guarantee of a primary victory. In recent years in statewide races, DFL delegates have been prone to endorse candidates who lost to bigger names. Former Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman won the gubernatorial endorsement in 1998 but lost the primary to Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III. That same year, state Sen. Ember Reichgott Junge won the endorsement in the attorney general's race but lost the primary to Mike Hatch.
Fifth District delegates may be more reflective of the pool of voters than state delegates were in those cases. "I don't think there's a big disconnect between what the endorsers might do and what the voters might do in a primary," said Steven Schier, a Carleton College political science professor. "It's a very homogenous district. I think it matters."
DFL activist Lisa Vecoli said the endorsee will get lots of help. "There are a lot of races this year, and a lot of campaigns will be working together," she said.
The endorsee will appear in literature with school board and legislative candidates that is distributed throughout the district.
But the power of the endorsement may depend on who gets it. "Somebody who has name recognition or who has money always has a chance of beating the endorsement," she said.
Blois Olson, co-publisher of PoliticsinMinnesota.com, said what happens at the convention could shape the rest of the race.
If the endorsee is "perceived not to be able to raise the money and build the base, it will invite all comers to the primary," Olson said. "If a strong candidate who has a proven track record of organizing people receives it, then it could essentially clear the field."
Delegates could deadlock and fail to endorse, but Olson and state party Chair Brian Melendez said they doubted that would happen.
The delegates are culled from the pool of thousands who attend state Senate District conventions after going to the March 7 precinct caucus meetings. Of the 219, 153 will be from Minneapolis. The remainder are from the inner-ring suburbs that make up the rest of the district, including New Hope, Crystal, Robbinsdale, Golden Valley, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Richfield, Columbia Heights, St. Anthony, Hilltop, Fridley and Spring Lake Park. To receive the endorsement, a candidate needs to get 60 percent of the delegates seated at the May 6 convention.
Hennepin County Commissioners Mark Stenglein, an independent, and Mike Opat, a DFLer, said the delegates shouldn't endorse anyone because Sabo's retirement decision came so late.
"It would be better to have more time to shoot questions at the candidates and ask what are the differences among them. I doubt you're going to find anybody who favors how George Bush handles anything," Opat said, adding that he would like to hear how they want to handle Iraq, whether health care expense accounts should be adjusted and what exactly they mean when they talk about universal health care.
Stenglein said, "You're 100 percent sure a Democrat is going to win the race. Why would you let 60 percent of 219 people pick your next congressman?"
But Jorge Saavedra, a civil rights lawyer and a candidate who plans to abide by the endorsement, said because a Democrat seems likely to win in November, it's better to settle it early and focus on making gains in other places, such as the state House and Senate. "I don't want to see this race that becomes a race that consumes a lot of resources," he said. Source: Star Tribune, March 27, 2006
##
Full DFL field raises plenty of uncertainty
A dozen candidates are out for the DFL endorsement to replace Rep. Martin Sabo, and more still could run. The race for support from 219 delegates could decide the election -- or undermine the process.
A week after Rep. Martin Sabo announced his plan to retire after 28 years, the race to succeed him is so packed that it's tough to keep track of the candidates even with a scorecard.
A dozen DFLers are running, creating a bare-knuckled grab for the 219 delegates who can confer endorsement May 6 -- but also creating uncertainty about how valuable that endorsement will be.
Delegates "will be bombarded from every angle," said Sean Broom, chair of Minnesota Young DFL and a delegate. "I've already received phone calls from several campaigns."
The complement of candidates was on comical display Friday night on public television's "Almanac" show. All 12 of them stood in a box and stepped over a line in response to questions such as whether they wanted immediate withdrawal from Iraq, would abide by the party endorsement or opposed domestic spying.
The debate also showed the difficulty that candidates will have distinguishing themselves, as each had about 10 seconds to answer complicated questions.
Already there is talk the field of Democratic candidates may swell even after the endorsing convention. Minneapolis City Council Member Lisa Goodman, for one, said she may enter the race later.
That raises the question of the endorsement's significance. And others are hinting they may run in a Sept. 12 primary with or without the party's endorsement.
The GOP may yet find a known candidate, but the Fifth District is deep blue DFL turf.
Republicans privately say the Green Party has a better chance of winning than the GOP.
Will endorsement help or hurt?
While the party endorsement is a boost, it's not a guarantee of a primary victory. In recent years in statewide races, DFL delegates have been prone to endorse candidates who lost to bigger names. Former Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman won the gubernatorial endorsement in 1998 but lost the primary to Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III. That same year, state Sen. Ember Reichgott Junge won the endorsement in the attorney general's race but lost the primary to Mike Hatch.
Fifth District delegates may be more reflective of the pool of voters than state delegates were in those cases. "I don't think there's a big disconnect between what the endorsers might do and what the voters might do in a primary," said Steven Schier, a Carleton College political science professor. "It's a very homogenous district. I think it matters."
DFL activist Lisa Vecoli said the endorsee will get lots of help. "There are a lot of races this year, and a lot of campaigns will be working together," she said.
The endorsee will appear in literature with school board and legislative candidates that is distributed throughout the district.
But the power of the endorsement may depend on who gets it. "Somebody who has name recognition or who has money always has a chance of beating the endorsement," she said.
Blois Olson, co-publisher of PoliticsinMinnesota.com, said what happens at the convention could shape the rest of the race.
If the endorsee is "perceived not to be able to raise the money and build the base, it will invite all comers to the primary," Olson said. "If a strong candidate who has a proven track record of organizing people receives it, then it could essentially clear the field."
Delegates could deadlock and fail to endorse, but Olson and state party Chair Brian Melendez said they doubted that would happen.
The delegates are culled from the pool of thousands who attend state Senate District conventions after going to the March 7 precinct caucus meetings. Of the 219, 153 will be from Minneapolis. The remainder are from the inner-ring suburbs that make up the rest of the district, including New Hope, Crystal, Robbinsdale, Golden Valley, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Richfield, Columbia Heights, St. Anthony, Hilltop, Fridley and Spring Lake Park. To receive the endorsement, a candidate needs to get 60 percent of the delegates seated at the May 6 convention.
Hennepin County Commissioners Mark Stenglein, an independent, and Mike Opat, a DFLer, said the delegates shouldn't endorse anyone because Sabo's retirement decision came so late.
"It would be better to have more time to shoot questions at the candidates and ask what are the differences among them. I doubt you're going to find anybody who favors how George Bush handles anything," Opat said, adding that he would like to hear how they want to handle Iraq, whether health care expense accounts should be adjusted and what exactly they mean when they talk about universal health care.
Stenglein said, "You're 100 percent sure a Democrat is going to win the race. Why would you let 60 percent of 219 people pick your next congressman?"
But Jorge Saavedra, a civil rights lawyer and a candidate who plans to abide by the endorsement, said because a Democrat seems likely to win in November, it's better to settle it early and focus on making gains in other places, such as the state House and Senate. "I don't want to see this race that becomes a race that consumes a lot of resources," he said. Source: Star Tribune, March 27, 2006
2 Comments:
JON OLSON IS A BAD CHOICE FOR CONGRESS
Jon Olson stole over $50,000 in life insurance money from my sister and I when our dad died. He hasn't spoken to us since. We should beware. A man willing to sell out his family for money, is likely willing to sell out his community as well. Jon Olson uses our father as a credential since he has few others. This seems odd after he has disgraced him so much after his death. Jon says he cares about the cost of college. This didn't stop him from stealing from one sister in college and one who was a year away from entering. If integrity matters to the DFL we should back away from Jon Olson.
JON OLSON IS A BAD CHOICE FOR CONGRESS
Jon Olson stole over $50,000 in life insurance money from my sister and I when our dad died. He hasn't spoken to us since. We should beware. A man willing to sell out his family for money, is likely willing to sell out his community as well. Jon Olson uses our father as a credential since he has few others. This seems odd after he has disgraced him so much after his death. Jon says he cares about the cost of college. This didn't stop him from stealing from one sister in college and one who was a year away from entering. If integrity matters to the DFL we should back away from Jon Olson.
Post a Comment
<< Home