Brian Sullivan is another frontrunner

He narrowly lost the nomination in 2002 to Pawlenty; not sure what he's up to nowadays (he used to be my neighbor) but if he wanted it I'm sure the base would rally for him again.  Ramstad is an obious choice; however, as I said in the diaries, Ramstad would be great in a general but may be too moderate for the activists that normally attend the state convention to nominate him.  Michelle Bachmann has also stated interest and could hypothetically win a primary, but she'd be crushed in a general.  Other GOPers could include former Senator Rod Grams (he'd run but would definitely lose), State House Minority Leader Marty Seifert (about the only other recognized Republican in the State Capitol next to Pawlenty), Rep. John Kline, and '06 Senate candidate Mark Kennedy (I doubt this one though, as his campaign was so poorly run last time he'd have a hard time getting people to donate to him).  Norm Coleman is listed as a possibility, but he ran for the same job in '98 and got embarassed by Ventura.  Beyond the recount fiasco, his record for statewide elections is bad (1 for 3).

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by: DFLer @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 16:30:16 PM UTC

Laura Brod

A state rep frm southern Minnesota is also talked about pretty widely and she's been building her statewide name recognition.

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by: Andrew @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 16:49:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Running for SoS or Lt. Gov

She couldn't win and she knows it. I think she's aiming at Richie.

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by: Populista @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 18:47:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This helps DFL chances, but not massively so

Pawlenty was already going to face a tough race given his iffy approval ratings and controversial tenure (remember, he barely held on in 2006). And the DFL did manage to lose open governor's races in 1990, 1998, and 2002.  

20 years old, male, GA-12 (home), GA-10 (school); previously lived in CA-29, CA-28, CA-23, IL-06, IL-14, GA-01.

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by: Nathaniel90 @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 17:07:01 PM UTC

This race is at best toss-up

It entirely depends on who the parties nominate and if there's any opening for a third party candidate (the bane of the DFL's existence).  If the DFL nominates someone who has decent name recognition and can generate excitement (like Chris Coleman or RT Rybak) then we'll be in the right direction.  If we nominate someone with considerable baggage (Mark Dayton, Matt Entenza) or has no name (Paul Thissen, Steve Kelley, Tom Bakk) we'l be putting ourselves in the hole - again.  If the GOP nominates Ramstad we're screwed, but if they give us a crazy like Bachmann or Sullivan we still have a fighting chance.  There are so many possible matchups it would be impossible to poll this race right now.  And that's not considering when the Independence Party will decide to throw in a DFL-lite candidate and take away 10-15% of the vote from the Democrats.

In all honesty, I thought we had a better shot against Pawlenty - his numbers were detoriating, he was always a polarizing figure that squeaked out victories, and Minnesotans were none too pleased that he was more looking toward a 2012 presidential run than governing the state.

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by: DFLer @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 17:29:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

ramstad will not run

a prochoicer could never win the GOP endorsement and at this point, he's had enough.

sullivan, brod and state senator geoff michel are all possibilities on the GOP side.

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by: st paul sage @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 18:34:35 PM UTC

NORM.

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by: brownsox @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 18:44:31 PM UTC

The most shocking campaign announcement

since Hillary Clinton announced she was running for president.

I'd bet 100 bucks (to be given to the Democratic nominiee) that Ramstad will not be nominated by the Republican Party. I'd bet a lot more if I had it.

My money is on Brian Sullivan. Rich, conservative, lost to Pawlenty by a hair in 2002.

Here's all the names I've heard floated in no particular order

Current or former federal reps:
US Rep. Michelle Bachmann
Former Senator Norm Coleman
Former Senator Rod Grahms
Fmr US Rep Jim Ramstad

Misc:
Rich guy Brian Sullivan
Former TPaw COS Charlie Weaver
former auditor/anti-tax activist Pat Anderson

State Senators:
David Hann
Geoff Michel

State Reps:
Paul Kohls
Laura Brod
fmr speaker Steve Sviggum
minority leader Marty Seifert

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by: Populista @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 19:04:23 PM UTC

OK

Found a few more and posted more in depth thoughts on MN Progressive Project (don't kill me James)

http://is.gd/MwUs

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by: Populista @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 19:47:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sullivan...

... would be the early favorite for the party endoresment. He has never stopped courting the party activists since he he narrowly lost to T-Paw in 2002. The big question is if someone less wingnutty would challenge him in the primary.

BTW Ramsted would never get the GOP convention nomination but I could see him winning a primary especially if more than one conservative was in the field.

Oh, and I would to see Michelle Bachmann run statewide but I don't think we can get that lucky.

"Where free Unions and collective bargaining is forbidden, freedom is lost." - Ronald Reagan

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by: MinnesotaMike @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 20:46:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Bachmann

Seems to love her role as attack dog (no sexist pun intended) in the House, not sure if shed really want to give that up for a 0.001% chance at the Gov. mansion. She might not even make it through the convention, if the establishment who decides things are sane enough to know she cant win. Although she might just run in the actual primary, if shes able to (not sure of the rules there) and could very well win. Even conservative Rep. John Kline would have a better shot at winning the general than her. I wonder if Rep. Erik Paulsen would give it a shot, despite him being in his 1st term. Usually 1st term U.S. Reps only run for higher office if theyre in a small state but you never know.

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 23:27:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I could see her winning the convention

Only the diehard politicos go to caucus, like maybe 50-60,000 people will probably show up max for both parties, maybe a little more, but I believe last year it didn't even break 200k and that was with record presidential turnout.

I think she could really rack up the delegates in the exurbs but I dont think she would get a single elected official to publicly endorse her.  Whoever would then get asked, "quote from Bachmann", you endorse that?  It'd be the first question I'd ask as a reporter to whomever that'd be.

I think if she runs, I've been all wrong about her as she opens her mouth not out of political calculating, as she has the best grassroots funding in the state, but more out of stupidity.  I dunno, I can get a sense of her.  Go read that link, it's quite interesting, she smokes MN's delegation on grassroots fundraising with like nothing from PAC's, really surprised.

She probably knows more about what she is doing than we do when she goes on tv and opens her.  Im excited to have my last chance to vote against her in 2010 if she runs for Congress still, hopefully it's the last time for everyone as well.

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by: Andrew @ Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 15:09:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Can you imagine...

Bachmann, Steve King and Tom Tancredo as the GOP flag bearers for their states' Gov. races? Putting those 3 in an ad would make for a powerful image (so long as you inform regular voters exactly what they stand for and said). You could put Brownback in there, too, but I dont see him as offensive like I do them.  

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 23:11:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Ditto Roy Moore

In Alabama!

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 23:12:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Throw Tom McClintock (R-CA) in there

for good measure!

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by: californianintexas @ Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 23:50:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Oh god

That would be a landslide loss for the GOP. Newsom and Villaraigosa, if the nominee, could be caught in another affair and theyd still win in a landslide against McClintock.  

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Thu Jun 04, 2009 at 07:41:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I really should've proofread this comment

sorry, it's a grammar mess.  I corrected it, went back and changed some sentences and now it's disgusting to read......

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by: Andrew @ Thu Jun 04, 2009 at 01:19:29 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Bachmann

while I'd love to see Bachmann get crushed statewide....I'm not sure I want her to run.  I think that we have a better shot at the 6th district with her there we do without her.  

My dream candidate for the Repubs would be Rep Kline of the second.  He won't win statewide and that will give us an open seat shot at his congressional seat.  

Check out http://electioninspection.word... for the latest news, election results, poll analysis, and predictions

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by: skywrnchsr509 @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 20:59:02 PM UTC