Mike Ciresi’s campaign released new endorsements this afternoon.
State Senator Ron Latz, (DFL-St. Louis Park)
State Senator Jim Vickerman, (DFL-Tracy)
State Senator Ann Rest, (DFL-New Hope)
State Senator Chuck Wiger, (DFL-North St. Paul)
and
Excelsior City Council Member Heidi Viesturs
St Louis Park City Council Member Paul Omodt
John Sullivan, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Imation Corp
I separated out the State Senators from the other endorsements because they will be super-delegates, an important part of winning the endorsement, a feat that Mike Ciresi continues to say he’s working for. By my count Ciresi has somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 about half of what Franken has at last count.
Senator Vickerman is a 7 term incumbent from Tracy (Southwestern MN for our metro readers), a good pick up for Ciresi. I can’t say much more about the legislative importance of the other three (I know who they are, Latz won Steve Kelley’s seat last fall after a few terms in the house, Rest has served in the House and Senate for 20 some odd years and is the chair of the important Government Operations and Oversight committee etc.) but thats why we keep Zack around as he descends into Law School induced dementia. I’m sure he will have more to add.
We’ve heard of more Legislative and Organizational endorsements coming down the pike for Ciresi — and we look forward to seeing them.
Zack Adds - Yup, Vickerman is a nice get. He is key on veterans issues at the Capitol and could help with vets groups. Overall, these are some nice additions.
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You should correct your posting. If you look at Franken’s website you will see he has a total of 54 endorsements from state legislators while Ciresi, even with his four additional endorsements, has only 15 state legislators supporting him. That means Franken has over three times (almost four times) more endorsements than Ciresi. Your posting only says two times more. That is a significant error. When it comes to the endorsement race Franken is blowing Ciresi out of the water and come convention day that will matter a great deal. Go Franken.
Glad to see some signs of life from Ciresi’s campaign. Much as I love Al Franken, and much as I admire JNP, Ciresi is the only candidate currently in who can actually beat Coleman. Lacks Franken’s baggage and JNP’s…how to put this nicely…eccentricities. Hence, he can keep the campaign focused on good ol’ Norm and his ties to a devastatingly unpopular administration.
There is something about Ciresi thought that is puts me off. I just dont know if he wants it as badly as Franken does and he certainly lacks the progressive creds I crave. I love Amy and all but I’d like to have at least one true progressive.
And, let’s face it, his fundraising was pathetic.
Andrew -
Al is a progressive and Amy and Ciresi aren’t??? Of those three, only one supported the Iraq War at the begining - Al Franken.
Al has repeatedly labeled himself a “moderate democrat”.
Loud does not equal progressive.
Ciresi is the best candidate the Dems could put forth in this election. I wonder if they will see it the same way.
Go Franken!!! ehh Tanuki…an administration more popular than congress BTW
Call me a pragmatist, but I couldn’t care less who has better progressive credentials. I’m looking for the candidate who can keep the heat up on Norm the Lapdog and actually beat him. A bit of hard truth here: Franken can’t. His negatives are too high, and the entire campaign will consist of us explaining what he really meant when he said “Insert Quote Here”. JNP, much as I admire his principles, also can’t. Weak campaign skills some truly out there positions plenty of the DFL base that’s still ticked at him for going after Sabo…yeah. No chance. He’s our local Kucinich.
Ciresi isn’t perfect, and I’ll be the first to admit it. I’m still holding out some hope that McCollum or Peterson will reconsider. Barring that, though, I’m sticking with the social liberal with underestimated stump skills and the ability to actually win.
A number of those reps who endorsed Franken are going to regret it after the coattails of Franken getting his ass kicked by Coleman costs them their jobs.
How exactly is Al “I agree with Bush, the Democrats are wrong on withdrawal” the progressive candidate?
Al Franken is a shameless dick.*
* determination on whether this statement is satire is still pending.
‘loud does not equal progressive’
Very well said Jim, very well said.
Also, if I’m a state rep, who do I want to support. The guy who just moved back, or the one thats worked in (and has connections in) the state you are working for? The one who went to a few beanfeeds? Or the one who has been giving larger sums for longer periods of time?
There’s a reason some of Ciresi’s endorsements came from some old hands in the Senate and the legislature. Very good, practical reasons.