Recently, I spoke with someone that is far more on the inside of the DFL than I. He blithely told me how whoever wins the DFL primary in August will automatically win the Governors race becuase Horner will draw off enough votes from the Republicans that the DFL candidate will be elected.
I told him that this was exactly the same logic I heard 12 years ago. Ventura would draw votes from Coleman thus Humphery would be elected. Other than having been tried and failed, there holes in this logic.
Maybe the biggest problem with this idea it is dismissive of Emmer. Sun Tzu said "He who knows neither himself or his opponent will lose every battle." Let us not have any illusions about the Emmer campaign.
I have been working this summer as a mobile vendor this summer. I have worked a few parades like Roseville (a huge swing area). Let me tell you what I have seen. The Emmer campaign has been there in force. They are very well organized and already working the independent voters. Looking from the outside, looking I am impressed with how strong an organization they have.
When, I look at the DFL side, I see three candidates who are tired, working like Hell to get to the primary. I am deeply worried about what will happens after the primary. The winner is going to be broke, and have an exhausted organization going up against Emmer's well oiled and well financed machine.
Emmer's website makes him sound very reasonable. What I suspect is that he is farther to the right and less rational than Pawlenty. In other words, if you thought Pawlenty was bad, Emmer will make Pawlenty look like a picnic.
No matter how you feel about the three DFLer's running, any of them would be preferable In my oppinion,
Emmer is ready to go the distance, I am not seeing this with the DFL. As soon as the winner is declared on August 10 we are going to have really get it together. This is not the time for division if we want to stop Emmer and his teaparty minions we are going to have to work our butts off. We are probably going to have to play catch up.
Let get with this and not lose this one.