Minnesota's own Hackett vs Brown? But not really....

     For some reason it seems to me that the Minnesota Senate race is not getting as much attention as it deserves. It is an open seat in a purple state that is vital to whom ever wins it. So I thought I would post some info and commentary on recent events. More below!

The fighter: Patty Wetterling
The whole "Minnesota's own Hackett vs. Brown" takes into consideration Patty Wetterling's near upset for the sixth congressional district in 2004. Patty was able to energize the Democratic base and get some swing voters. Unfortunately the sixth is one of the most red districts resulting in a loss to incumbent Mark Kennedy  . Mark Kennedy is the only viable republican running for the senate thus far.  Patty did get a chunk more votes then John Kerry in the district and has high name recognition. Out polling Bush shows strength with independents.  

Some would think "well if Patty Wetterling almost took out Mark Kennedy for his house seat, she would be best to fight him for a senate seat", similar to Paul Hackett's near loss in Ohio back in August. If She can do good in a republican stronghold, She would kick ass state wide. A reason why Hackett has lots of support.

Patty Wetterling is focusing on bringing the Troops home by Thanksgiving of next year, and child safety. She had led the way for such things as the Amber Alert system and other child safety laws. Patty's son, Jacob Wetterling was unfortunately kidnapped 1989. Patty is a fighter and I love her for it. She uses that tragic event to push her and make her stronger. She consider by many to be "Minnesota's Mom".   For more information go to http://www.jwf.org/...

Front runner: Amy Klobuchar
One of the other two Democratic candidates is Amy Klobuchar. She is no D.C insider by any means and is picking up endorsements while leading the money race for the good side.  She is wildly popular thus far with young activist from what I hear. Amy is the county attorney for on of the most populace counties in Minnesota, a young John Kerry held the same position in 1976 while in Massachusetts.

Good news for Amy and bad news for Marky Mark and the funky gop bunch is a recent St. Cloud State University poll. It asked people to think of a temperature on political figures ranging from 0-100. 50 being neutral, zero is a strong dislike.   Amy Klobuchar came out on top with Mark Kennedy and George W. Bush getting the lowest temps. Notice that Patty Wetterling is not doing to bad either.

The wild card: Ford Bell
Ford Bell does it all: veterinarian, philanthropists, teacher and so much more. Now he wants to add Senator to his name. Great intellect on foreign policy issues, and pushing for single payer universal healthcare, Ford Bell is a true progressive candidate. Although not doing as well in polls or fundraising it is still early. Ford Bell has really been getting a lot of media attention lately.  Last week when Bush came into town for a $1,000 a plate fund raiser, Ford Bell bought lunch for veterans. He even invited Mark Kennedy and Bush over to explain to the vets why the republican party keeps voting to under fund veteran hospitals. Bell is also getting attention for a pledge he is pushing for: Calling on all Minnesota senate candidates to push for universal health care within their first year in the senate. http://www.fordbell.com/...

Ford Bell is a force to be reckoned with. He knows the history and culture of countries that Mark Kennedy never even heard of.  It seems to me lot of people are thinking they can brush him off due to the strong showing by Wetterling and Klobuchar. I disagree.

Conclusion:
All three candidates are currently leading republican Mark Kennedy in the polls.
All three would make a great senator from Minnesota.
All three would send Mark Kennedy to early retirement.
This race will be one of the most watched later next year I honestly believe. Only time will tell.

http://www.pattywetterling.com
http://www.amyklobuchar.com
http://www.fordbell.com

•  Interesting analysis. I don't really

  see Patty Wetterling as being qualified to be a U.S. Senator.  Although, she is probably highly electable.

  by pop tart on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 05:52:10 PM PDT

  •  Why do you say that? (n/t)

    by jim bow on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 06:04:43 PM PDT

    •  I really think Patty would get a huge sympathy

      vote.  But Amy seems to have demonstrated a greater ability to take on more issues and leadership strength that I don't see in Patty.  

      Honestly, I want a woman Dem in the job but I am leaning more towards Amy Klobuchar.

      by pop tart on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 06:10:39 PM PDT

      •  Again

        Why do you say that Ms. Wetterling is unqualified to be a United States Senator?  You responded that Ms. Wetterling isn't as qualified as Ms. Klobuchar is to be a U.S. Senator, but you did not explain why Ms. Wetterling is unqualified -- period -- to be a U.S. Senator.

        I'm not from the Gopher State, so I don't know everything.

        by jim bow on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 06:29:56 PM PDT

      •  Qualifications

        Why does being a DA qualify you to be a Senator any more than Wetterling's background?  Neither candidate has any legislative experence.  You gotta back that shit up.  

        by lando on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 06:43:36 PM PDT

•  Wow!!!

  I got this email from the Wetterling campainge while blogging this. A must see video on her site

  http://www.pattywetterling.com/

  Download this and watch it. You will not be disappointed.

  by Demrock6 on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 06:04:17 PM PDT

•  I LIKE Primaries...

  Isn't it nice to have an 'embarrassment of riches' for a change?

  Let's let the voters pick the one they want for the Senate.

  LL

  by LeftyLimblog on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 06:10:50 PM PDT

  •  But after these 3 spend a lot of time and money

    battling each other, the Dem candidate in the general election might be so battered in the press that Mark Kennedy will stroll in and take the seat in the general election.  

    by Boppy on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 06:17:51 PM PDT

    •  Generally speaking

      Generally speaking this is happening less and less in modern elections.  Unless someone does something extraordinarily stupid (or is running in Louisiana in which different primary rules apply), what ends up happening is that the candidates help to define each other and debates can turn into group attacks on the other party's favorite son.  However, the person running unopposed has to really work to avoid coming off as undefined for the general (because, when your undefined, then your opponent gets to define you).

      by Mister Gloom on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 06:22:06 PM PDT

•  Interesting

  The Hackett v. Brown paralells are definitely there.   I'm not sure that Kennedy's district (which was drastically redrawn after the 2000 census) is the same kind of Republican stronghold.  Do you have Kerry v. Bush numbers for the district?  I would kind of favor Wetterling running again there, because is was a regular election and Kennedy is out, but I'm not going to tell anyone to drop out.
  Speaking of dropping out, I thought Ford Bell had given up already.
  

  by lando on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 06:28:44 PM PDT

  •  embarrassment of riches..

    (oops. hit wrong key)

    Anyway, no, Ford Bell is still asking me for money by mail as of last week.

    I'm giving bucks to both Patty and Amy at the moment, just to increase the volume of opposition to Kennedy. Either one would be a fine Senator. Six year terms give you a bit of learning curve time, anyway, if your heart and soul are in the right place.

    I'll have to decide soon, though.
    

    by uffdalib on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 07:07:50 PM PDT

•  Patty, Amy, and Ford

  Personally, I'd like to see Patty W. run again in the 6th.  The (R) field there is a collection of freaks and misfits.  She'd win this time in a walk.  And while either of them would be a decent Senator, Amy could do it while Patty picked up the 6th with no trouble.  

  Ford Bell?  Don't know him all that well,  Met him once.  Seems like a nice guy.

  Better to have a deep bench, as the above poster said.  Things could be so much worse...

  by MN camera on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 07:46:47 PM PDT

•  One of the things...

  About Wetterling is that the Republicans ran an absolutely vicious campaign against her. No holds barred, no smear spared, no blow too low. Communist, anti-christ, liar, insane, crybaby ("Oh, she lost her son so now she thinks she's someone important! 'Boo-hoo'. She should just quit now and stop embarassing herself and her dead son."), whatever you want. The national party poured their seemingly endless funds into the race.

  It got so bad that national Republicans began campaigning for Wetterling.

  by Shapeshifter on Wed Dec 14, 2005 at 10:16:53 PM PDT