Bad news for Norm Coleman

[they don't love you like i love you]

Coleman's voting record is like Kennedy's. We saw how Kennedy claimed to be bipartisan and moderate, and how many people actually bought it. We aren't stupid.

Plus the Republicans screwed him by holding their convention in his home city. Now let's watch him try to distance himself from the national party.

I loved how at the victory party when he came on TV, everyone started booing. The only other person booed was Bachmann. Kennedy was booed, we all just laughed at him. Then someone yelled out "What the hell is this idiot on?" and another yelled "Enjoy your last two years in the Senate Norm!"

Bumper sticker a friend is going to try to get made: Hey Norm, You're Next!

[Stranger in a strange land]

Coleman is probably in the biggest danger of any republican incumbent for the '08 Senate elections. Talk earlier this decade that Minnesota was trending republican turned out to be premature.

[Deano963]

Coleman is probably in the biggest danger of any republican incumbent for the '08 Senate elections.

That's debatable. It would ccertainly be Wayne Allard if he dosen't retire, although he is widely expected to do so. The distinction of most vulnerable could also belong to John Sununu if John Lynch or another strong candidate challenges him.

[Virginian87]

Considering that he won because his original opponent died in 2002, I'm sure he will be near the top of the DFL's hit list.

[Sam Spade]

Though Norm Coleman will probably be a top target, it is way too early to predict anything about anything.  Using 2006 stats to make judgments about 2008 is about as fruitless as using 2004 stats to make judgments about 2006

[© tweed]

What candidates are probably/possibly going to run against Coleman?  (other than Franken who I really hope does not run)

[they don't love you like i love you]

Too soon to tell. I'd keep on eye on Ciresi and Steve Kelley. Maybe even Hatch.

[socaldem]

What about Congresswoman Betty McCollum?

I would have liked to see Judy Dutcher run, but she's lost too many times...

And Steve Kelley has lost way too many primaries, though....

Ideally, the DFL should pick someone who can rack up the rural votes against Norm...

[okstate]

I would think Democrats would target Wayne Allard first of all.

[Deano963]

I would think Democrats would target Wayne Allard first of all.

They are targeting him first, and his challenger is all but decided already. Rep. Mark Udall has already declared his candidacy and will almost certainly be the nominee, unless Denver mayor John Hickenlooper throws his hat into the ring, in which case Udall would proably still win. Udall would have a great chance of unseating Allard even if he dosen't retire, and if he does retire would probably face right-eing nutjob Tom Tancredo, making his task that much easier.

[Adlai Stevenson]

Minnesota and Colorado look promising for the Democrats in 2008.  I think Mike Hatch should challenge Coleman; it worked for McCaskill. 

In Colorado, Tancredo is either going to embarass the GOP by running for president or senator and getting more votes than they would like.  Allard's withdrawal would probably mean Tancredo winning the primary, in which case I think the seat would be Lean Democrat.  If Allard chooses to run again Udall will hit him with a barrage of ads about how he pledged to serve only two terms.  Allard has never been particularly popular and has only been elected 51%-46% both  times in 1996 and 2002. 

[TheresNoMoney]

What candidates are probably/possibly going to run against Coleman?  (other than Franken who I really hope does not run)

Exactly my question.

I like Al Franken, but I don't think he's really a viable candidate. Mike Ciresi is a retread candidate, as is Steve Kelley. I have also heard Betty McCollum, and she could be a strong candidate.

Let's throw out some more names!! I have an intense dislike of Norm Coleman, he's in my top five of most despised Senators (although Santorum and Allen are no longer Senators).

[12th Doctor]

Coleman's voting record is like Kennedy's. We saw how Kennedy claimed to be bipartisan and moderate, and how many people actually bought it. We aren't stupid.

Plus the Republicans screwed him by holding their convention in his home city. Now let's watch him try to distance himself from the national party.

I loved how at the victory party when he came on TV, everyone started booing. The only other person booed was Bachmann. Kennedy was booed, we all just laughed at him. Then someone yelled out "What the hell is this idiot on?" and another yelled "Enjoy your last two years in the Senate Norm!"

Bumper sticker a friend is going to try to get made: Hey Norm, You're Next!

Most of the things that make a person bipartisan or moderate never show up on the voting record, unfortunatly.  The kinds of behind the door meetings that go on in order to win others to your side are not publicized, and the fact that one can only vote one of two ways on a bill tends to badly screw the voting records of Center-right and Center-left Congressmen and Senators.

Of course, the average voter is too stupid to realize this, and the average hack doesn't care.

[RBH]

How about a Democrat from Northeast Minnesota?

[TheresNoMoney]

Coleman's voting record is like Kennedy's.

Well, I do want to correct you a little. Coleman's record is more moderate than Kennedy, but Coleman is also ultra-partisan. He has absolutely been a Bush lap-dog for the Iraq War and the WMD lie.

Coleman is a man who strikes me as having close to zero principles. I mean, he was once a Democrat and from 2002-2005 was an ultra-partisan, firebreathing Republican? Now that the winds have shifted, I think he will moderate his voting record the next two years to try to get re-elected.

[TheresNoMoney]

I would think Democrats would target Wayne Allard first of all.

Allard will definitely be the #1 target, and he probably retire. Democrat Mark Udall should be favored no matter what.

[Deano963]

Did Coleman really change his last name so people wouldn't know he is Jewish? Or am I thinking of the wrong guy?

[they don't love you like i love you]

What about Congresswoman Betty McCollum?

I would have liked to see Judy Dutcher run, but she's lost too many times...

And Steve Kelley has lost way too many primaries, though....

Ideally, the DFL should pick someone who can rack up the rural votes against Norm...

I like McCollum, and as my signature shows, she certainly can win, this state will take Twin Cities liberals over Bush lackeys. But if you want someone who can win the rural areas, she's not it. The problem is she's got too much of an anti-gun record, this is typically an issue the DFL manages to downplay, but when you show pictures of yourself at the Million Mom March on the front page of your campaign site like she did this year, that's not easy.

This is worth pointing out though: You don't need the rural votes to win. Mondale did win the rural votes over Coleman, in fact he carried every county Kerry did + some. Kerry didn't do so well in the rural areas, and still won.

Kelly hasn't lost too many primaries, he's only lost one, (he dropped out of the governor's race after the endorsement). and they were both in the same cycle anyway.

How about a Democrat from Northeast Minnesota?

That's not really a good idea, for the same reason running someone from the far out exurbs (like Kennedy) isn't for the GOP. The reason is simple: That area will vote heavily for the Dem anyway. You might think northeast Democrats would be better candidates as they are often pro-life and pro-gun. However if you want such a candidate, it's better to run someone from western Minnesota. Dean Johnson would be perfect, but his loss pretty much puts a fork in that.

Coleman's voting record is like Kennedy's. We saw how Kennedy claimed to be bipartisan and moderate, and how many people actually bought it. We aren't stupid.

Plus the Republicans screwed him by holding their convention in his home city. Now let's watch him try to distance himself from the national party.

I loved how at the victory party when he came on TV, everyone started booing. The only other person booed was Bachmann. Kennedy was booed, we all just laughed at him. Then someone yelled out "What the hell is this idiot on?" and another yelled "Enjoy your last two years in the Senate Norm!"

Bumper sticker a friend is going to try to get made: Hey Norm, You're Next!

Most of the things that make a person bipartisan or moderate never show up on the voting record, unfortunatly.  The kinds of behind the door meetings that go on in order to win others to your side are not publicized, and the fact that one can only vote one of two ways on a bill tends to badly screw the voting records of Center-right and Center-left Congressmen and Senators.

Of course, the average voter is too stupid to realize this, and the average hack doesn't care.

Oh come on. Do you honestly believe Kennedy was anything but a complete Bush hack?

Just admit it. Your golden boy Kennedy, who you were so sure our state would be willing to accept and was quite strong, was by far one of the most godwaful candidates the GOP ran this cycle, and a complete disaster. And he's also possibly to thank for my new congressman Walz.

Did Coleman really change his last name so people wouldn't know he is Jewish? Or am I thinking of the wrong guy?

yes, he did do that.

Now as far as possible candidates besides McCollum and Kelly, I think Ciresi wouldn't be so bad even if he's a retread, he didn't run this year though which I found odd. Kelly Doran might run again, even though he's just your typical "rich guy with no political experience but lots of money" candidate, he is pretty likeable and lots of money like Dayton certainly doesn't hurt. Only problem is he ran for two offices this year (First Senate, then dropped out and ran for Governor) and dropped out of both before the primary. These might seem like second or third-tier candidates, but remember how many people though Klobuchar was horrible? The good news is we also have strong candidates on the horizon, Lori Swanson, Rebecca Otto and Mark Ritchie could all be good for higher office later (especially Ritchie. He was the best candidate we ran this cycle by far), but they need more experience in thier current positions before that. We also have a much better backbench in this case than the GOP (the above + Walz who also would make a great statewide candidate some day), all they have is Pawlenty (who I bet will run against Klobuchar in 2012) and well...a congressional delegation consisting of a guy who never intends to ever leave his House seat and two complete nuts who will never win statewide.

If he's interested, I'd just say go with Hatch. As Claire McCaskill can tell you, losing a close race for Governor certainly doesn't ruin any chance at Senate.

[RBH]

How about a Democrat from Northeast Minnesota?

That's not really a good idea, for the same reason running someone from the far out exurbs (like Kennedy) isn't for the GOP. The reason is simple: That area will vote heavily for the Dem anyway. You might think northeast Democrats would be better candidates as they are often pro-life and pro-gun. However if you want such a candidate, it's better to run someone from western Minnesota.

Rudy Perpich from St. Louis County, Minnesota seemed to have had a pretty easy time winning in Western Minnesota.

I should post a map of the differences in county victories between Perpich and Wellstone in 1990.

Granted, Wellstone won and Perpich didn't

[Deano963]

Did Coleman really change his last name so people wouldn't know he is Jewish? Or am I thinking of the wrong guy?

yes, he did do that.
 

Wow. What a loser. This is just me, but if I seriously thought that the ethnicity or religion implied by my last name was in itself a disqualifying factor to be able to gain elective office as a Republican, I'd change my political affiliation, not my name.

[Erc]

I would think Democrats would target Wayne Allard first of all.

Allard will definitely be the #1 target, and he probably retire. Democrat Mark Udall should be favored no matter what.

And Udall will be a fine Senator, and I'll be the first to say that I immensely look forward to his presence in the Senate come 2009.

[HardRCafé]

Coleman is probably in the biggest danger of any republican incumbent for the '08 Senate elections. Talk earlier this decade that Minnesota was trending republican turned out to be premature.

Kind of like talk that Pawlenty was a one-term aberration?

[dazzleman]

Did Coleman really change his last name so people wouldn't know he is Jewish? Or am I thinking of the wrong guy?

yes, he did do that.
 

Wow. What a loser. This is just me, but if I seriously thought that the ethnicity or religion implied by my last name was in itself a disqualifying factor to be able to gain elective office as a Republican, I'd change my political affiliation, not my name.

I don't know whether he changed his last name, but if he did, it was long before he became a Republican.  He was originally elected as a Democrat, not a Republican, under the name 'Coleman.'

[HardRCafé]

Did Coleman really change his last name so people wouldn't know he is Jewish? Or am I thinking of the wrong guy?

yes, he did do that.

How come his father is Norm Coleman, Sr.?