DFLers have long known that the 3rd district Congressional battle is one of the best chances for a pick-up in the House this year that Democrats have, but it looks as though the national media has caught on as well. Chris Cillizza has seen fit to once again move the race up in his weekly ranking of competitive house races:
17. Minnesota’s 3rd district (R): This suburban Twin Cities district is playing host to a great congressional race to replace retiring Rep. Jim Ramstad (R). The contest looks like a toss up but the DCCC is now up with a commercial casting state Sen. Erik Paulsen (R) as a career politician and Patriot Majority Midwest is also hammering Paulsen on TV. It could make the difference. (Previous ranking: 18)
Madia and his campaign have been running circles around Paulsen in the 3rd and the DCCC has noticed. The DCCC is now hitting Paulsen hard but there’s little doubt that the Republicans will do (and have been doing) anything and everything they can to hold the line in the western suburbs. So I certainly hope that the national operators continue to throw more resources and attention at this compelling pick-up opportunity. Fortunately, I have no doubt that Madia will continue to out-class, out-smart, and out-hustle the Bachmann wanna-be that is Erik Paulsen.
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If Madia can “out-class, out-smart, and out-hustle” Paulsen as you say, then he deserves the seat. If people of the 3rd make up their minds that he is their best representation, then the seat is his.
But is it really a good thing for the communities of the 3rd CD that nationwide action groups and the political machine DCCC could decide this race (as Cizilla plainly says?)
I’d like this to be a good, honest, hard-fought battle for the votes from people of the 3rd. But that, to me, means Paulsen, Dillon, and Madia duking it out, not money from Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and Beverly Hills determining what happens here in suburban Lake Wobegon.
Hey, I agree 110%, which is why we need publicly funded campaigns!!! Until that point though, we have to use the system we have. Let’s get all this outside influence out.
Now, DTM, are equally disappointed in the enormous amounts of outside money someone like Bachmann gets, especially the fact that she is basically propped up by and serves the moral majority types instead of Minnesota citizens?
Anyway, maybe we can agree that public financing would help to get outside money away from all sides and they could all serve us.
Thanks, Alec
Actually, yes, I am equally disappointed. I wish these elections were decided by constituents and communities getting to know the candidates.
I don’t like that the RCCC has put money in this race, and the DCCC matched them and raised more, plus you have all these other organizations and large dollar donors from New York and LA who will influence the outcome of the race for OUR congressman.
Think of all the time Paulsen/Madia have spent fundraising. what if that time was used to actually study the issues?
Yep, PF4AWG. We’d all be better off.
I’m warming up to the idea of publicly financed campaigns.
DtM - you’re paying for it now. There’s a little chunk of campaign dough in every product that you buy.
Except now, you have no control over how it’s spent.