Terri Bonoff, Al Franken and Ashwin Madia have all scored endorsements in recent days.
- Bonoff was endorsed by “WomenWinning: Minnesota Women’s Campaign Fund”, an organization which seeks to help women candidates. According to the release, WomenWinning has steered $2 million to women candidates since 1982.
- Franken was endorsed by former Governor Wendell Anderson as well as State Senators Mee Moua and Kevin Dahle (Ray Cox himself blames his loss on Al Franken) and State Reps Phyllis Kahn and Maria Ruud. These are significant legislative endorsements.
- Ashwin Madia rolled out a long list of endorsements at his Thursday presser (including Mee Moua, who must be in an endorsing mood). I’ll put the full list below the jump, but I think the highlight is the endorsement of
fivesix Senate District Chairs inside the 3rd CD. Those activist endorsements are important. It seems Madia has built up some momentum.
UPDATE: I missed one of the SD Chairs that is backing Madia - that makes six out of twelve in the 3rd District. Impressive.
# U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., vice chair of Democratic National Committee
# State Sen. Mee Moua
# State Sen. Satveer Chaudhary
# State Rep. John Lesch
# William Davis, DFL state treasurer, co-chair of African American Political Caucus, former chair of Minneapolis NAACP chapter
# Mary Markwardt, chair of Senate District 46
# Kim Kang, chair of Senate District 33
# Sharon Bahensky, associate chair of Senate District 32
# Norbert Gernes, chair of Senate District 42
# Jim Emery, chair of Senate District 40
# Dottie Gilkeson, chair of Senate District 63
# Maryanne Bryndal, DFL Feminist Caucus member, DFL Veterans Caucus member and a Senate District 42 director
# Cheryl Poling, treasurer of DFL Feminist Caucus and a director in the 3 rd Congressional District and Senate District 42
# John DeSantis, chair of Senate District 32
# Jodi Wolk, Senate District 33 affirmative action officer
# Lin Myszkowski, Osseo School Board member
# Dan Ryan, Brooklyn Center City Council member
# Daniel Weinand, DFL Executive Committee
# Bruce Sanders, Maple Grove city assessor
# John Sullivan, former member of National Human Rights Campaign Board of Directors
# DFL Veterans Caucus
# eQualityGiving.org
# VoteVets.org
# Asian American Action Fund (AAA)
# U.S. India Political Action Committee
# Minnesota Asian Indian Democratic Association (MAIDA)
# Don Skoglund, Vietnam veteran, VFW member, Vietnam Veterans of America member and American Legion member
# Lou Ellingson, U.S. Navy veteran, VFW member
# Tim Carlson, former State Senate candidate
# Pakou Hang, community organizer and former St. Paul City Council candidate
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OOOOOO The Maple Grove City Assessor, everyone else might as well go home. And the DFL chairs from the district? What machine will they bring with them? I remember in 2000 when Gore came to downtown Mpls, and Soupy Sales-Belton announced all the DFL cadidates. She couldn’t remeber the name of the poor person they sacrificed to the altar of Ramsted. This tells me the 3rd district “machine” is probably a Yugo.
You obviously have no understanding of the 3rd CD whatsoever…
Bonoff has the “support” of her colleagues (she got them when she was the only person in the race…)
but Madia has the support of the 3rd CD and its delegates. He also has support at the national level (several members of the DNC, including Rep. Honda)
Constituents in the 3rd want someone who will take the district BLUE, with his gaining momentum and attention at the national level, Madia is their best shot…
Great some members that have no business claiming support from their positions. I will be sure to have a chat with the school board members and of course my Favorite Maple Grove stooge Mr. Sanders. Hope he didn’t want to serve another term. :)
CORRECTION: Madia has the support of 6 Senate District Chairs…
Wow. I have been impressed with what Madia has had to say but I didn’t think he had a chance. Those strong fundraising numbers and endorsements make me think he might have a chance. Lets hope.
Wendell Anderson endorses Franken. My memory may be playing tricks on me, but wasn’t he a Ciresi supporter in 2000?
That would be interesting if he had…Wendell Anderson also backed Andrew Borene — it appears it’s not about who can serve well, but which alpha male with the huge sense of entitlement is stepping up..
Candidates should be careful with these endless endorsement lists. It is fine to have endorsements from political activists and elected officials from the district. But many of the people on Madia’s list have no connection to the third district. I remember a few years ago we had a candidate in the 7th ward in Minneapolis who compiled a very impressive list of endorsements from all over the city. Most of them didn’t live in his ward. His opponent had a shorter list - but all of them lived in the 7th ward. Her name is Lisa Goodman and she is still in office. I say this as a disinterested observer. I have no favorite in the third district - since I live in the fifth.
I would submit that Ash Madia’s list includes many who actually do live in the district who participate in local politics, too. The out of district endorsements are there to offset the out of district endorsements of opponents. Both lists are rather impressive, frankly. It’s good to have excellent candidates to run for the endorsement. As a 3rd CD resident of 24 years, I am thrilled with this crop of candidates.
The Democratic party is really enjoying this “embarassment of riches” on every level. That’s why I’m optimistic for the next 15 years.
Alan - why is it that almost all the Senate District chairs in the district are supporting Ashwin.
Could it be that they have the same questions about Bonoffs competence and ginned up “business experience” that i have been asking about.
You can only prop up a candidacy so far with money, questionable resume and “pass the pillow endorsements” from your elected DFL buddies who are busy endorsing each other. At some point competence and the truth must count.
Also I did not know that Pogemiller, Latz, Simon, Kellihor etc live in the 3rd.
questionable resume?? nobody has been able to articulate what is questionable… could this be an attempt to create a buzz that is baseless?
DM- This was a question i had posited to YOU in another thread and you never answered.
“I am asking people to evaluate her claims of “experience”. I am asking questions whether the “positions she has held and risen to at each” came due to her merits or because the person who put her in that spot in the only one executive position she has had was a family friend.”
My concerns regarding her “experience” have been well articulated. Neither did i get an answer from a person who claimed he knew the CEO of Navarre (more on this company and its management later) personally. I have done my homework on this and my opinions are not coming out of the blue.
Many independent review of her debate and public performances openly see the lack of correlation between her “business experience” and articulation …..
I am pretty sure I can speak for the other endorsees in saying that our decision to endorse Ash was about him being such an amazing candidate and not about Terri being horrible. She is a great person and a great state senator. Like many people in the district, I had a very difficult time deciding. I helped campaign for her during her special election and I have always enjoyed every opportunity I have had to talk to her. Ultimately, however, I think Ash is in a better position to really be a champion on a number of issues at the national level that have not been receiving nearly enough attention.
I would encourage everyone though to remember that we are in the wonderful position of having three fantastic candidates, anyone of which is head and shoulders above the rest.
And all the Ash supporters here, lay off the negativity towards Terri. It’s not needed and it isn’t helpful.
I’m not taking sides, yet. I think all three candidates are exceedingly stong in certain areas.
I pledge to all three candidates: Which ever wins the endorsement, will have my full support!
I thought I made it clear that I have no favorite in this race. I don’t think that Bonoff’s endorsements from my “elected DFL buddies” outside of the district are any more useful than Madia’s.
I have to agree with Dan Weinand here. I, too, like Terri as a state senator. She’s doing a fabulous job representing her district and we need her to stay there. Jim Hovland is a good candidate, too. I’m just not convinced this is his race. I am convinced, though, that Ash is a great candidate and will be a great congressman. Every time I see him I am more convinced than ever.
I’ve watched two debates now, and my conclusion is this:
Hovland give the Dems the best chance of winning.
Bonoff does come off as a little light at times and leaves you scratching your head more than occasionally. Madia is obviously good on the campaign trail but heavy on the soundbytes and I hear the same rotation of answers to each question. I also question how well his style would collaborate with the other party.
Hovland is more and more giving thoughtful, original answers that directly address the question asked. He also sheds light on his thought process which indicates to me he is giving you a piece of himself and not just his rehearsed snippet.
I’ll tell you this, though, Paulsen will have done his homework and will be well-versed on the facts and data. He might be a softspoken guy, but there will be no lack of substance behind his answers.
rm - regarding “Also I did not know that Pogemiller, Latz, Simon, Kellihor etc live in the 3rd.” While these individaulsdon’t live in the district, they serve with Sen. Bonoff at the legislature and so their endorsements carry great validity about her competence — more so than the baseless, veiled implications you continually throw out in the blogs.
Voter - Read the posts by Alan be you start your lectures. Alan was pointing to Ashwins endorsements by politicians outside the 3rd, to which I pointed to the same for Bonoff.
“more so than the baseless, veiled implications you continually throw out in the blogs.”
I don’t throw baseless allegations. I continually point out the lack of correlation between Bonoffs supposed “executive experience” and her performance in debates. Almost every blog that reviews her debate performances come up with huge disappointments about her performance.
I have enough corporate experience to spot an empty suit a mile away. Maybe u should get some.
I had read Alan’s points. Yours, however, are a broken record, tiresome, repetitive and still, baseless.
Voter - “I had read Alan’s points.”
And found nothing that i what i had posted was in direct response to what he had posted.
Voter - “Yours, however, are a broken record, tiresome, repetitive and still, baseless.”
With nothing but hot air from you to contradict anything i have posted about Terri.
Go do your homework a little better before your analytic incompetence gets boring…
It is unsettling to me that Madia’s close supporters, such as rm, trash Bonoff’s reputation in Karl Rove style. Terri’s been vetted and has won twice in a Republican ditrict. Madia has no track record as a democrat — not even as a voter. Ask Madia who he voted for in 2000 — see if he’ll admit to you that it was not Gore. Interesting to me that the close supporters of a newcomer to the DFL would throw the unfounded garbage you bring to the conversation. I guess that’s what brothers are for…
Voter - “Terri’s been vetted”
by whom, that rag called the Sun Sailor? If she has been vetted, how come her debate performances are so pathetic.
Voter - “unfounded garbage you bring to the conversation”
thats why i see that you cannot seem to answer my basic question. what exactly was her “corporate experience”. because we don’t see any corrollation in her debates and public appearances.
the truth must hurt. you are entitled to support any … you chose.
Voter - “I guess that’s what brothers are for…”
As i said I have met Ashwin once at one of these public forums and i saw the difference. I have said that the owners of this blog are welcome to contact me and determine for themseleves as to who i am….
I agree — we have a good bunch of candidates and too much negativity is a bad idea. I support Madia because I think he’s an exciting and strong candidate, not because I have any particular problem with Bonoff. I just think a young articulate Iraq veteran with immigrant parents is the best profile to win the seat in November, and that’s what it’s all about.
rm - Bonoff was “vetted” by the voters who have twice elected her over a well-liked Plymouth Mayor. Elected for her ability to lead on important issues like health care, transportation and education. Not for her ability to speak in public, as she does not have that background that a lawyer brings to the table. As for her business experience, I suppose only she or her business associates can speak to that — certainly not me, and probably not you, either.
voter - “Elected for her ability to lead on important issues like health care, transportation and education. ”
being elected to a state senate election where about the only scrutiny one gets is thru that rag called the Sun Sailor, where a candidate and all their buddies get to write form letter op-eds is not exactly scrutiny.
voter - “Not for her ability to speak in public, as she does not have that background that a lawyer brings to the table.”
“her ability to speak in public” - now thats an understatement. This has come up because she claims she was this “successfull business executive”. One does not have to be a lawyer to put forth a coherent thought. I have to do it at work too.
voter - “suppose only she or her business associates can speak to that — certainly not me, and probably not you, either”
Maybe not you. but a corporate hack like me can see thru “business experience” a mile away.
rm- I used to fire people with your arrogance. unbelievable. makes me not want to support your candidate.
rm - “I used to fire people with your arrogance. ”
I am well aware that there are still companies that conformity is the norm. I have a good job where my analysis is well respected because I am candid and without an agenda.
rm - “makes me not want to support your candidate”
I have no candidate. I have only interests. In this case I have an interest that the best candidate actually. For the DFL party leaders to endorse a candidate before a single debate states a lot regarding their own agenda.
“For the DFL party leaders to endorse a candidate before a single debate states a lot regarding their own agenda.”
I completely disagree. If you are close to the legislature, you have gotten to know someone like Bonoff in an ACTUAL WORK setting. You’ve seen her working with constituents, you’ve seen her argue her points WHERE IT MATTERS - in St. Paul.
I would maintain that someone who has seen Terri in action, doing the mundane part of a public servants work, has more reason to support her than someone who is choosing a candidate based upon debates that bear little relation to what you’ll actually be doing in the job.
Same goes for Hovland. Talk to anyone who has actualy worked with Hovland over the years on issues, and they feel very strongly that he would be the right leader.
DM - “I completely disagree. If you are close to the legislature, you have gotten to know someone like Bonoff in an ACTUAL WORK setting. You’ve seen her working with constituents, you’ve seen her argue her points WHERE IT MATTERS - in St. Paul.”
But the fact of the matter stands that they rushed out their “pass the pillow endorsements” even before the first debate.
It speaks a lot about a party leadership that lectures diversity, but then don’t even give the new guy a chance to present himself.
Bonoffs “argue her points” abilities are well on display for the whole world to see.
DM - “Terri in action, doing the mundane part of a public servants work, has more reason to support her than someone who is choosing a candidate based upon debates that bear little relation to what you’ll actually be doing in the job.”
This is the usual storyline. State something that is unquantifiable to smother any deserving new candidate.
I’ve seen how Teddy Mondale and gang in SLP play this game where they continually endorse their buddies citing unquantifiable accomplishments. And once these buddies get elected they continue that grand old tradition and on and on.
DM - If you have seen Bonoffs accomplishments in the HLAC, please tell us some of them. What was her leadership role when the Hopkins School District went broke. Give us a few facts.
I have acquantances who have worked closely with Bonoff on her education and ECFE issues. In those one-on-one working sessions and the associated follow-through in St. Paul, they all speak very highly of her work ethic and responsiveness.
I would grant that my examples aren’t perfect and aren’t as concise as we may like. But I would argue that we have more to go on by using examples of the hundreds of hours Terri has served in the recent past than we do by taking what other candidates say they are going to do in a 30 minute debate.
You put the credence in the potential of the candidate based on soundbytes, fine. I put my faith in the candidate’s proven track record. I want to know how they have performed, not just how they present. Fundemental difference.