Ron Erhardt told MPR today that if he, as he expects, is denied the Republican endorsement, he may run as an Independent.
Erhardt said he expected to lose his party’s endorsement, but intends to run either in a primary or as an independent.
Republican Kathy Tingelstad of Andover said she would continue to seek re-election, whether or not she has the GOP endorsement.
The Republican party left Ron Erhardt a long time ago, perhaps its time for Ron Erhardt to join fellow moderates Jim Hovland and Arnie Carlson in leaving the Republican party.
UPDATE: Just to be clear, this is not one of the big posts promised by Matt below.
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Erhardt doesn’t fit with the Republican Party. He sure isn’t a Democrat on many issues. Running as an Independent would be the perfect option for him. Heck, he’s always gotten votes from both sides of the political divide.
I’d love nothing more than to see Indies begin to do well, to the ire of both Republicans and Dems.
Independents will side with the Democratic party far more often then with the GOP. Be careful what you wish for.
Republican moderates turning independent is not going to cause the DFL any ire. And unlike the Republicans, the Democrats respect the ideological diversity of their members and don’t punish them for straying. We’ve learned that lesson.
“Independents will side with the Democratic party far more often then with the GOP. Be careful what you wish for.”
The thought process for an Independent isn’t “who do I want to side with”, it is “how do I want to vote on this bill.”
As long as they vote consistently with how they campaign, citizens would be well served to have more three-way races, especially locally.
The Republicans look bad today for punishing the strayers. But history would show us, and I bet the future will to, that what happened is a political manuever, not a Republican manuever. Dems have done it in the past and will again.
“But history would show us, and I bet the future will to, that what happened is a political manuever, not a Republican manuever. Dems have done it in the past and will again.”
That’s probably true. The Democrats have learned their lesson for the time being, but down the road they will forget it again.