Category: Shelley Madore
Posted: 10/03/10 19:19, Edited: 10/04/10 01:09
by Dave Mindeman
This is probably counterintuitive to many Democrats out there but I think the DFL Party made a very strategic mistake in regards to Congressional strategy. A serious mistake.
From the beginning of the cycle, Democrats have been focused on a Bachmanncentric strategic plan. In other words, Bachmann was the main focus -- maybe even the only focus.
A secondary strategic plan was to shore up the First District and keep Tim Walz out of trouble. That part of the strategy was on target and has been largely successful.....thanks, for the most part, to Tim Walz himself.
But the party never laid any groundwork for the districts that had much better potential for turnover....turnover which given the situation for the DCCC, could have been huge for the Democratic Party.
In the 3rd District, Erik Paulsen was logically vulnerable. He was governing like Bachmann in a District that voted for Obama. The two candidates that vied for the endorsement were not prolific fundraisers but were still good candidates who fit the district much better than the incumbent. The DFL party has largely ignored Jim Meffert's efforts. And that was wrong. Erik Paulsen is running attack ads against Meffert which might be saying volumes about Paulsen's comfort level with his internal polls.
A missed opportunity.
Another potential opportunity that seems to have been missed is in the Second District. Of all the Congressional candidates, the message of DFLer Shelley Madore has the most potency. Her 35 cent tour which points out the fallacies of Kline's earmark stance and her focus on transportaion issues which appeal to the business community could have put Kline in a uniquely defensive position. But because Madore opted to run a primary campaign to prove her message was better has left the regular party members with a reluctance to invest money and time in the race.
It would be interesting to see if an investment push in the Second could bring about wider implications. There are a number of business people (Yes, we are talking Chamber members) who have spoken privately about Kline's stubbornness in regards to bringing Federal transportation to the 2nd District. They will never speak about it publicly because, quite frankly, they are afraid to cross Kline.....he takes names.
In addition, there are many City Council and County Commissioner incumbents who are wishing for a change in representation. They are exhausted from trying to work around the Kline roadblocks to getting their projects done.
So, here we sit. Hoping for a status quo in our Minnesota Congressional seats.
But with a little more forward thinking strategy, we could possibly...possibly....be making a run at these two seats.
It's October. There is still some time for that final push. It would be nice if somebody would at least think about it.
The Bachmann race is what it is...a clash of titans flush with resources. But the 2nd and 3rd have the best chances for a change in dynamics.
Just a thought.
