Posted: 02/08/12 00:07
by Dave Mindeman
How irrelevant has Tim Pawlenty become in Minnesota? I mean T-Paw endorsed Mitt Romney long ago and yet in the Minnesota caucuses the Massachusetts Governor finishes a distant third.
What is going on in the Minnesota Republican Party? Santorum obviously appeals to the religious right....and Ron Paul was destined to get a solid percentage.... but how does it happen that Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich trail so badly.
It's like the Minnesota GOP is a rudderless boat. There is only minimal control for a rational heading. If Romney can't even produce a good showing in the state's caucuses, how can he hope to beat Obama in the fall? The legislature has gone amendment crazy. They can't find a credible candidate to run for the US Senate. Their State Party finances are in shambles. The State Senate leadership is divided. It's all insane.
But let's get back to Pawlenty. If the former governor had any Romney administration aspirations, I'd put them on hold. Minnesota's GOP caucus goers have pretty much humiliated our former Governor... and the State Speaker of the House.... and Norm Coleman.
The establishment of the state party backed Mitt Romney....and he couldn't even get 20% of the vote.
How crazy is that?
Surprised ?
Nah … I recall during the 2008 MN-GOP state convention attendees slamming Pawlenty as a RINO and then being silent when Norm Coleman gave his acceptance speech particularly when he mentioned ANWR, climate change, SCHIP, fuel efficiency … the MN-GOP is hardcore conservative with a dash of Paulites.
My question is : Why bother holding a one-night event for a few hours that attracted a meager 24,809 attendees … why not just use the MN State Fair Straw Poll … remember that … out of 7,731 votes cast, Romney got a whopping 617 … Paul got 1181 .. Gingrich got 142 … leaving Bachmann, Perry, Cain, et al to clean up … Santorum consolidated that group for his win … it would have been whoever was left standing -- in this case, it was Santorum.
Second question : Is this result any different than the Emmer-Siefert contest … the hardcore opted to go hard … even if that meant Horner entering the race as the IP candidate … the MN-GOP would rather endorse ideology than put a more electable candidate on the ballot.
It was entirely predictable … and if Bachmann and Pawlenty were still in the race, it would have been Bachmann winning … that’s the MN-GOP way.
Remember too that the MN-GOP was using this to bring people in to strategize about same-sex marriage … do you think those people would have supported Romney or Santorum ?