Answer to 6th District: Unorthodox Strategy or Chop It to Pieces

Category: Michele Bachmann

by Dave Mindeman

Ah, the 6th District of Minnesota -- home to the strangest US Representative in the country; and also home to the craziest form of electoral politics on record.

In 2010, it will be more of the same. Rest assured, the Congressional Democratic caucus will target Michele Bachmann again. They will assume the biggest loon in the land of the Loons has to be vulnerable. And under normal political circumstances they would probably be right. But the 6th District is still searching for their rational definition of normal political circumstances.

Here's the skinny. As Bachmann continues her zany antics, the Democrats are getting ready for a multiple candidate fight to challenge her. Three candidates are emerging. Dr. Maureen Reed came out early seeking the DFL endorsement, even though her only foray into politics was as a Lt. Governor candidate for the Independence Party. Elwyn Tinklenburg is again seeking endorsement for the third time. He lost to Patty Wetterling the first time. And got the endorsement the second time (along with a dual endorsement with the Independence Party), but lost in the general election, even though he was handed a fund raising windfall near the end of the campaign. And, this time around, State Senator Tarryl Clark is set to join the fray. The popular St. Cloud Senator and deputy majority leader in the Senate has the credentials to be a normally strong DFL contender. However, she is taking her normality into a thorougly abnormal situation.

In 2008, Elwyn Tinklenburg seemed to be in a good position. He won the DFL endorsement outright and was also handily endorsed by the Independence Party. But, since his name could only appear once on the ballot, the primary offered an opportunity for someone else to step in on the Independence side -- and someone did. Given the fact that the Independence Party has absolutely no party discipline and only slightly more party structure, Mr. Bob Anderson entered his non-descript name into the primary and, of course, won. And with a minimal campaign, Mr. Anderson got 10% of the vote in a very close election, sending Michele Bachmann back to Washington to continue embarrassing Minnesota.

But the insanity is not going to end...no way. Heading into 2010, we have more Bachmann favorable conditions developing. As the 3 DFL contenders move ahead, the scenario has multiple end points. Dr. Reed has strong Independent Party ties and would be the favorite to get their endorsement. Tinklenburg and Clark would be the favorites for the DFL endorsement -- and if either one wins, we will probably be left with Reed staying on the ballot for the Independence Party. And based on the strong fundraising numbers that Dr. Reed is showing, that will, again, split the anti-Bachmann vote to an even greater degree than 2008. End result? Bachmann wins again.

You know.....DFLers might want to consider something. To win in an offbeat district, you might have to use an offbeat strategy. Maybe, just maybe, the best scenario is to support Dr. Reed as the DFL endorsee and continue that support through the primary. She might have enough influence to keep another name off the Independence Party primary ballot and thus unite the vote against Bachmann. It is a counterintuitive move because Tinklenburg and Clark are good candidates...strong candidates. But when you are dealing with the 6th District -- normal doesn't seem to work.

Note for the people redrawing district lines....please chop this district up into tiny little pieces.