Sigh...Mark Dayton just doesn't get it

[BannonsLiver]

This is part of a story written about how he will fill Franken's seat. My question is, if the shoe was on the other foot, would a GOP governor offer the Dems the same golden opportunity? Fat chance. This is why we are doormats.


"On Wednesday night, high-ranking Minnesota Democratic sources said the governor was likely to appoint Lt. Gov. Tina Smith, someone who would not run for the seat permanently. That would give both parties equal time to mount campaigns for the historic election next November in which both Senate seats would be on the line."

http://m.startribune.com/tension-between-minnesota-d-c-on-how-to-fill-franken-s-seat-sources-say/462676603/

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Mark Dayton is actually a very smart guy.

By appointing Tina Smith to fill Franken's position until the special election next year, he's actually making it tougher for the GOP because they won't know right away who they'll be running against. It now appears that their most likely candidate will be (ick) Tim Pawlenty, not sure whether (double ick) Norm Coleman is interested. But if they don't know for certain who the 2018 candidate will be until some time next spring, probably after a primary election, they're at a disadvantage. In the meantime the DFL can start planning and fund-raising.

If he'd appointed someone now who was planning on running, they'd have plenty of time to prepare their campaign and dig their dirt. And now they won't.

[Wellstone ruled]

6. Stanley Hubbard will most likely back Pawlenty over Coleman.

Remember,Petters BK and Fraud case will bite Coleman's Spouse and we know People and Bankruptcies are a death wish in Minny. Just hope to hell,the DFL does not do a Wendy Anderson flop. And you and I know the players who screwed that up. That Party Seniority thing killed us big time.


Is Tim Walz and RT still in this?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. That's true. Coleman has more skeletons in his closet than Pawlenty.

But I hope Pawlenty groped someone at some point in his life (eww!). I doubt very much that Dayton would pull the same stunt that Anderson did - anyhow, I think he's already said he's retiring from politics after his term as governor is up.

[MineralMan]

12. I think Dayton is worn out.

He doesn't look well. His back is a source of constant pain. I think he's going to simply retire and be a background in DFL politics from now on. He's done his innings, I think.

[MrsMatt]

15. Coleman has a groping problem of his own

or so I've heard.

My own experience with Coleman was limited to his inability to move his above the chest to address me to my face.

[LenaBaby61]

2. I'll be honest with you ...

I'm starting to feel that Franken's senate seat won't be a 100% lock for Dems as time goes on.

[genxlib]

3. It never was

He barely won it the last time.

[GoCubsGo]

4. He won his re-election with 53.2% of the vote.

I would hardly call that "barely."

[genxlib]

13. Apologies

I was thinking of the first time when it was tied up in recount for months.

I stand corrected

Just the fact that we have to defend the seat at all when it should have been D until 2020 sucks.

[BeyondGeography]

5. Franken won by 10 points in 2014

[genxlib]

14. Sorry

Was thinking of 2008

[book_worm]

8. Maybe Dayton himself would like to run for it?

After all, he is a popular governor and it would not be politically wise to appoint himself so he's making sure there is no competition because he wants to run. He'd probably be a strong candidate.

[MineralMan]

10. I don't think so. Dayton is tired.

His back hurts all the time. He's retiring from public life, I'm quite certain. He's worn out.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. He has said he is retiring from elected office after he's done as governor.

He was already a senator, and in that position he had some problems:

In April 2006, Dayton was rated one of America's "Five Worst Senators" by Time magazine, which also labeled him "The Blunderer" for such "erratic behavior" as his temporary closure of his office in 2004 because of an unspecified terrorist threat, his complaints about "limited power in a chamber where authority derives from seniority," and his comments in February 2005 that the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota was "worth a hell of a lot more than the whole state of South Dakota", a remark he later apologized for. News reports of a Dayton question-and-answer session quote the Senator giving himself a "F" grade for his time in the Senate. Largely based on his Washington behavior, The New Republic dubbed Dayton's subsequent run for state-level elected office "Eeyore For Governor."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Dayton

That stuff would definitely come back to haunt him.