(D-MN) Sen. Mark Dayton expected to bow out of re-election bid

[Keystone Phil]

Let's get rid of more bad Senators from Minnesota...COLEMAN OUT IN '08!

Nooooo!

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

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And what about Mark Kennedy?

Like I said, he's pretty generic. No real strengths or weaknesses, except that he's never topped 60% in his district and came within 6 points of losing to a political novice last election.

The best GOP candidate like I've been saying forever would be Jim Ramstad. But he is very unlikely to run since he wants to keep his House position, and the conservatives would hate him since he's basically an Arlen Specter Republican.

Then let's keep Ramstad out of the picture. 

What about Gil Gutknecht? (Just trying to get your opinion of the possible candidates' chances.)

he's my congressman. I'd like for him to run to get him out of the house seat because he is absolutely worthless and does nothing for the people in the district who don't live in Rochester. However he would be stronger than Kennedy since he comes from a swing district. Outside of that though, pretty generic. He'd be stronger than Kennedy and the other clowns I mentioned but would still stand no chance against Alan Page or Dean Johnson.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Let's get rid of more bad Senators from Minnesota...COLEMAN OUT IN '08!

Nooooo!

what makes Coleman a great Senator? Let's ssee, there was that time, he, ummmm, oh wait he hasn't done sh**t because rubber stamp the GOP agenda.

[Keystone Phil]

Let's get rid of more bad Senators from Minnesota...COLEMAN OUT IN '08!

Nooooo!

what makes Coleman a great Senator? Let's ssee, there was that time, he, ummmm, oh wait he hasn't done sh**t because rubber stamp the GOP agenda.

I've never said he was a great Senator. I just agree with him often.

[King]

Dayton/Coleman '08 - Two Jokes for Two Equally-sh**tty Americas!

[Keystone Phil]

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And what about Mark Kennedy?

Like I said, he's pretty generic. No real strengths or weaknesses, except that he's never topped 60% in his district and came within 6 points of losing to a political novice last election.

The best GOP candidate like I've been saying forever would be Jim Ramstad. But he is very unlikely to run since he wants to keep his House position, and the conservatives would hate him since he's basically an Arlen Specter Republican.

Then let's keep Ramstad out of the picture. 

What about Gil Gutknecht? (Just trying to get your opinion of the possible candidates' chances.)

but would still stand no chance against Alan Page or Dean Johnson.

And they are...?

[Smash255]

dayton = the reason why many Dems in Minnesota think about voting GOP

Coleman= The reason they stay with the Dems

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It would be great if Dean Johnson ran. He'd be almost impossible to beat, and would almost certainly be Al's favorite senator once he won

I really doubt he will though, especially since his wife just died last month.

[Notre Dame rules!]

If Al Franken somehow managed to win, he would be the Maxine Waters of the Senate.  Talk Radio would have a field day with him. 

[Akno21]

If Al Franken somehow managed to win, he would be the Maxine Waters of the Senate.  Talk Radio would have a field day with him. 

They already hate him.

[MN--Troy]

If Arnold can win, Franken can win.

Franken is not on the same level as Arnold.

Right now, I'm hoping for either Mark Kennedy or Rod Grams as the nominee for the Republicans and Franken for the Dems.

Rod Grams would be a very weak candidate for the Republicans to nominate. The former senator was a nice and decent man, but like Mark Dayton he was not a terribly visible senator; he was not a great fundraiser, and he was just too conservative for the state. Grams even admitted that he had tough time campaigning and articulating his message; and he found it easier to ask the questions (he was a T.V. news anchor before holding public office.) than to answer the questions.

Mark Kennedy on the other hand has the willingness and the drive to run and be elected to the U.S. senate. He reminds me very much of former senator Rudy Boschwitz.

At any rate, the U.S. senate race here in Minnesota should be spirited and fun to watch.

[Notre Dame rules!]

It's true that Rush and the boys hate Franken already, but currently he is just a third rate comic on a fourth rate radio network (just below PBS).  As a US Senator he could wreak real havoc (or try to) on the whole nation. 

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It would be great if Dean Johnson ran. He'd be almost impossible to beat, and would almost certainly be Al's favorite senator once he won

True

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[socaldem]

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And what about Mark Kennedy?

Like I said, he's pretty generic. No real strengths or weaknesses, except that he's never topped 60% in his district and came within 6 points of losing to a political novice last election.

The best GOP candidate like I've been saying forever would be Jim Ramstad. But he is very unlikely to run since he wants to keep his House position, and the conservatives would hate him since he's basically an Arlen Specter Republican.

Then let's keep Ramstad out of the picture. 

What about Gil Gutknecht? (Just trying to get your opinion of the possible candidates' chances.)

he's my congressman. I'd like for him to run to get him out of the house seat because he is absolutely worthless and does nothing for the people in the district who don't live in Rochester. However he would be stronger than Kennedy since he comes from a swing district. Outside of that though, pretty generic. He'd be stronger than Kennedy and the other clowns I mentioned but would still stand no chance against Alan Page or Dean Johnson.

I'm new here...but i thought I'd get some input from minnesota experts...

While I think Alan Page is clearly the best Dem candidate (and I hope he runs!), I'm hearing that its not likely that he will.  Names like Ciresi and Judy Dutcher are being bandied about.  What are their chances in a primary/general?

If Gutknecht enters the race, what does the field for his congressional district look like?  Right now, I'm guessing Kennedy has a decent shot at clearing the field and will be a formidable nominee for the Rs, leaving his seat as a competitive race with Wetterling v. whoever.

[minionofmidas]

What about Oberstar or Peterson?
Might one of them run, and what would be their chances?
Also, is this official or are we all jumping the gun?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What about Oberstar or Peterson?
Might one of them run, and what would be their chances?
Also, is this official or are we all jumping the gun?

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/09/politics/09cnd-dayton.html

As for the Congressmen: Oberstar is getting on a bit (he's been in the House since the '70's) and IIRC Peterson got himself onto (or higher up?) the Agricultural committee

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Oberstar is too old and would probably rather keep his seniority. Peterson could never win a primary and wouldn't want to give up his House seat since he just became ranking Democrat on the Ag committee.

The only Rep I can see running is McCollum, who like I said I'd like but she might be too liberal to win statewide. Although she'd win easily if the GOP nominates a far right winger.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

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And what about Mark Kennedy?

Like I said, he's pretty generic. No real strengths or weaknesses, except that he's never topped 60% in his district and came within 6 points of losing to a political novice last election.

The best GOP candidate like I've been saying forever would be Jim Ramstad. But he is very unlikely to run since he wants to keep his House position, and the conservatives would hate him since he's basically an Arlen Specter Republican.

Then let's keep Ramstad out of the picture. 

What about Gil Gutknecht? (Just trying to get your opinion of the possible candidates' chances.)

but would still stand no chance against Alan Page or Dean Johnson.

And they are...?

Page is a state Supreme Court justice and former Vikings player. He is very well known and well loved all over the state.

Johnson is Senate Majority Leader and a populist Democrat from outstate. He's also an ordained ELCA minister (and he's a Democrat! Take that religious right.) He's pro-life but I don't care since he's done a good job so far and he would play very well outstate making it almost impossible for the GOP to cancel out the urban margins.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

And what about Mark Kennedy?

Like I said, he's pretty generic. No real strengths or weaknesses, except that he's never topped 60% in his district and came within 6 points of losing to a political novice last election.

The best GOP candidate like I've been saying forever would be Jim Ramstad. But he is very unlikely to run since he wants to keep his House position, and the conservatives would hate him since he's basically an Arlen Specter Republican.

Then let's keep Ramstad out of the picture. 

What about Gil Gutknecht? (Just trying to get your opinion of the possible candidates' chances.)

he's my congressman. I'd like for him to run to get him out of the house seat because he is absolutely worthless and does nothing for the people in the district who don't live in Rochester. However he would be stronger than Kennedy since he comes from a swing district. Outside of that though, pretty generic. He'd be stronger than Kennedy and the other clowns I mentioned but would still stand no chance against Alan Page or Dean Johnson.

I'm new here...but i thought I'd get some input from minnesota experts...

While I think Alan Page is clearly the best Dem candidate (and I hope he runs!), I'm hearing that its not likely that he will.  Names like Ciresi and Judy Dutcher are being bandied about.  What are their chances in a primary/general?

If Gutknecht enters the race, what does the field for his congressional district look like?  Right now, I'm guessing Kennedy has a decent shot at clearing the field and will be a formidable nominee for the Rs, leaving his seat as a competitive race with Wetterling v. whoever.

I'm not sure who Ciresi is.

Judy Dutcher is the former State Auditor and a former Republican who switched parties shortly before the end of her term to run for governor in 2002. She lost the primary though. She'd have a great chance though.

If Gutknecht runs, my state Senator John Hottinger is very likely to be the DFL nominee for his House seat. I'm not sure about who the Republican would be, although it'ld likely be another State Senator.

And if Kennedy ends up running, Wetterling would likely run again and have a better chance, especially if she faces Bachmann. It's a fairly GOP leaning district, but Bachmann is extremely polarizing and a complete loony.

[Keystone Phil]

Looks like Franken is running. New question: Will Bill O'Reilly suddenly want to move to Minnesota? 

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Looks like Franken is running. New question: Will Bill O'Reilly suddenly want to move to Minnesota? 

Is Garrison Keillor going to run as well

[Inverted Things]

Franken said he won't run.

[Keystone Phil]

Franken said he won't run.

My mistake. I saw a topic on another board saying he was running. I clicked on the link of the story and it was updated saying that he won't run. Too bad. I wanted to see him get beat.

[NHPolitico]

2006-- the 6 year itch is usually bad for the incumbent president (except for Clinton in 1998). I think it would be smarter for him to go for it now than wait until 2008. At least he can run on an anti-Bush campaign in a state Bush lost twice. He won't have that in 2008. 

I just want Alan Page to sit this out. PLEASE!

[Filuwaúrdjan]

2006-- the 6 year itch is usually bad for the incumbent president (except for Clinton in 1998). I think it would be smarter for him to go for it now than wait until 2008. At least he can run on an anti-Bush campaign in a state Bush lost twice. He won't have that in 2008. 

I just want Alan Page to sit this out. PLEASE!

Bubba had his six year itch four years early