While we still have quite a wait before the 2010 midterms, one thing that can be said with some certainty is that the gubernatorial race in Minnesota is going to be one of the more entertaining contests. The DFL (Democratic Farmer-Labor Party) was already gearing up for a crowded primary, and with Tim Pawlenty opting against a third term, we Republicans now have a multi-candidate smackdown of our own (pardon the Jesse Ventura joke).
What’s more, most of the potential GOP candidates are young hotshots rather than established figures – and playing field is ridiculously level. There’s State House Minority Leader and tentative frontrunner Marty Seifert (age 37), and State Rep. Paul Kohls (35). Moving up to the old people, there’s former State Auditor Pat Anderson (43), State Rep. Tom Emmer (48). An then there are the more reasonably seasoned former State House Speaker Steve Sviggum (57) and State Senator David Hann (also 57).
However, the candidate who seems to be generating the most excitement is State Rep. Laura Brod (37), who I first mentioned back on June 3rd. I said back then that I thought she showed great potential. Since then, she has blasted out of the starting gate to set herself up as a potential frontrunner -and she hasn’t even announced her candidacy yet! (Granted, that’s likely coming very soon.) In a recent poll of GOP insiders at the State Central Committee meeting, Seifert won, but there was more focus on Brod’s strong third place showing. It’s nothing to sneeze at when a lowly State Representative blows away a former State Auditor (Anderson) and a former Speaker of the House (Sviggum). And that’s just the insiders. With a the primary still over a year away and not many candidates with name recognition, Brod should be more than able to catch up to Seifert.
Furthermore, some of the lefty Minnesota blogs are already cranking out attacks on Brod (and attacking me for daring to mention her), which makes me inclined to concur with the assertion of Truth vs. The Machine – this woman scares the Dems.
She’s young, she’s fresh, she’s well-spoken, and she knows how to play to Minnesotans. She’s not a perfect conservative, but she is certainly no squish on either fiscal or social issues – and frankly her slightly more moderate environmental positions will be a big help in her state (I love Jim DeMint types, but they don’t play statewide in MN). Also, I would note her stated commitment to the development cellulosic ethanol – which means she’s well aware of the damage that corn ethanol can do to food supplies.
As a hard-core conservative, I would personally have absolutely no trouble supporting her as a nominee, and she also seems to have some credibility with libertarian leaners (my old friend Eric Dondero is as libertarian as they come, and he likes the idea).
So, while she may be a little more Pawlenty than Palin, she’d probably be the most conservative person to hold a major statewide office in Minnesota for a long time – and she’s electable to boot.
The more I hear, the more I like – so unless something changes in a major way, Laura Brod has my endorsement for Governor of Minnesota in 2010.
…and did I mention that Sen. Brod is on Twitter? Definitely someone to follow.
June 29th, 2009 at 12:02 am
What if Bachmann jumps in? You going to stick with Brod?
June 29th, 2009 at 12:16 am
I like Bachmann a lot – but she’s already publicly said she will not be running. I don’t think this is her moment, and I think she needs to wait a few years if she wants to run statewide. She’s known as a conservative firbrand, and that doesn’t fly statewide in Minnesota unless Obama tanks the Democtratic Party’s reputation. If I were Bachmann, I would pursue congressional leadership.
June 29th, 2009 at 12:19 am
Bachmann hasn’t ruled it out yet Brickley:
Bachmann won’t take run for governor completely off the table
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2009/06/bachmann_wont_t.shtml?refid=0
“I spoke with GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann at the GOP State Central Committee meeting yesterday. I asked her whether she would be interested in running for governor in 2010. She said she’s happy with her job in Washington, but wouldn’t completely rule out a run for governor.
‘It would have to be if I felt like I was supposed to do it and right now I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. If my heart moved in the other direction and I had the tug, I’d do it. I wouldn’t be afraid to run for office. I just don’t feel the tug.’
To be clear, Bachmann said she’s happy in Washington but wouldn’t completely rule out a run for governor when pressed.
Several Republican activists and consultants say they think Bachmann would be the odds-on favorite to win the GOP endorsement if she entered the race. And Norm Coleman, who is still fighting in the courts to win the 2008 U.S. Senate race, also wouldn’t take a potential run off the table. He emphasized, however, that his primary focus is the U.S. Senate race.”
June 29th, 2009 at 12:26 am
I personally don’t think Bachmann will run – and I would hope that she doesn’t. She is too valuable a voice in Congress to risk in an election that she would most likely lose (I simply don’t think her temperment would fly outside her district right now). If I were advising her, I would beg her not to get in. She would be the favorite in the primary, but she would have arguably the hardest time in the general.
Coleman would be a strong candidate, but he runs the risk of looking overly desperate to stay in public office at this point. Plus, I am all about buildng the bench of potential national figures, and Brod has a long political life ahead of her. I would definitely endorse her over Coleman.
June 29th, 2009 at 12:35 am
Decent points but I would also advise her that running for governor this year may be her best chance at obtaining a higher position than Congresswoman, if you consider serving as governor to be of higher distinction that serving in Congress.
The DFL field looks extremely weak at this point. She’d be the favorite to win her party’s nomination according to the “experts.” She should probably consider whether the DFL field will be as weak as it is this year in the future and whether she would still have as easy a time winning her party’s nomination in the future as she is projected to this year.
June 29th, 2009 at 12:39 am
I also think there’s the issue that Bachmann is very comforatble working with national issues. Don’t think she’d want to give that up. If she wants to move up, I would consider running against Sen. Klobuchar in a few years. I just don’t see it happening this time.
If I saw some polls showing her ahead of the DFL frontrunners, I’d think about it. But I think Brod is a much better gerneral election candidate.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:32 am
Bachmann for Governor! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Bachmann is the craziest person in the entire house. She makes Kucinich and Ron Paul seem sane!
June 29th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Brod seems like a fine choice, but I’m not sure what to make of your “she’d be the most conservative elected Minnesotan in….” stuff. According to the Minnesota Taxpayers League, Laura Brod comes in as the 20th (out of 49) most conservative Republican in the House, with a lifetime score of 81. In the equivalent year for Pawlenty, 2001, he was pegged as the 26th most conservative (out of 69) with a lifetime score of….81. The numbers are identical, and the ratio’s are nearly identical. Both were moderately more conservative than the average Minnesota Republican representative. Laura Brod looks like Pawlenty with a prettier face. That’s good news from my perspective, but it cuts against your closing line.
June 29th, 2009 at 8:20 am
And actually, that might not quite do Pawlenty justice. Marty Seifert, who now has a lifetime score of 85 and who had a score of 93 last year, was exactly where Pawlenty was in 2001, and was considerably lower in 2000.
June 29th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Pawlenty: ‘I’m prepared to sign’ Senate election certificate
http://www.startribune.com/local/49425732.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUvckD_V_jEyhD:UiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUs
June 29th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Wonder if Michele Bachman will choose to jump in? If Pawlenty certifies Franken, he can kiss the base vote goodbye.