‘I want to run again for office, and I want to win next time. However, for a number of reasons, I don’t think that I’ll be running for Congress in 2010. I had a good shot at it, I gave it everything I had - as did my team - and I came up short. While, in retrospect, I think I made some mistakes that I’ll correct the next time I run, I think somebody else should run against Paulsen in 2010 - and beat him.’
Despite the fact that he lost, I came away from the 2008 elections impressed with Ashwin Madia. His upset of Terri Bonoff in the endorsement race was simply stunning. Say what you will about the tactical choices his campaign made in the general election, but no one can argue that Madia didn’t work his ass off to win that race. I am glad he plans to run for office in the future. I hope he starts out a little further down the food chain next time. I think Madia would be a fantastic addition to the state legislature.
You mean, he will not run in 2010.
“I think Madia would be a fantastic addition to the state legislature.”
But where?
He lives in 45A, which already has a DFL representative. If he moved back in with mom and dad, he could run in 43A, and then lose to Sarah Anderson by more than 8 points.
“I hope he starts out a little further down the food chain next time. I think Madia would be a fantastic addition to the state legislature.”
Bingo. I was critical of Madia as a candidate for the US Congress, but I think he could make a great legislator. I would love to see a guy of his caliber get things done in St. Paul.
Legislators retire, move on. He’ll get his chance, soon.
If Bonoff runs against Paulsen in 2010, then Madia could run for her Senate seat in SD43. But, it would still mean another move.
Ashwin is representative of the pattern of Iraq veterans running for office as Democrats.
Why would one do that?
I was fine with him running out in the suburbs but if he moved back to Minneapolis and intends on staying here, I won’t be supporting him whatsoever in any race. He is too moderate for us city liberals so if he is going to run for something, he better move.
Run for the state house seat in Maple Grove, whathisface never seems to do that well percentage wise for what Maple Grove should be voting.
Madia can’t win because he’s gay. Minnesota isn’t going to elect a gay into congress, especially in that district.
Are you insane? he's not gay. obviously you don't know him. he is a very straight and very hot man.
And a very good kisser. And i'm a woman. what yahoo writes about a guy's sexuality without any facts to back it up? Billybob is a perfect name for a hillbilly bigot who likes to spew lies about someone he obviously doesn't know. Maybe you want him and he rejected you?
I hope that he runs for the SD43 seat if Bonoff runs for Congress. I believe it’s where he grew up and attended highschool. He could also try to take on Sarah Anderson but that would be a very tough race.
Taking on an incumbent GOP’er for the State House or Senate is not an easy task, but Ash could do it. We just need to have strong candidates running in several winnable races, and I believe they are out there.
Madia put together an impressive machine & he spoke very well.
The range of people supporting him was astounding. I met people at debates, etc who I never
expected would be Madia supporters.
He ran in one of the most anal districts.
A place where the nasty stuff resonated, so long as the side doing it was bible-thumping.
The kind of subtle racism applied against him didn’t help.
That Wendy Wilde pulled a good third of the votes against Ramstad in 2006 says a lot.
Ramstad was pretty well liked across the board, despite being a Republican.
He could not have survived in this dog-eat-dog climate that the right has fostered.
Next question…who, besides Bonoff will decide to run in 2010?
Mockingbird - The 3rd CD is alot of things, but bible-thumping isn’t one of them. Paulsen’s strong religious views were more of a liability than an asset. Now, the 3rd CD certainly gravitated toward the family man, and Paulsen is one. But a bible-thumper doesn’t equal family man, and vice-versa.
Ironically, Ramstad spent most of his term as a bachelor.
Assuming Paulsen has a safe two years, he should enter the 2010 election with good backing. There are a few who could successfully take him on. I see Melissa Hortman as one (although I think she said she wouldn’t run in ‘08 because of family, and will that really change in two short years) and Andy Lugar as another.
What is the point of saying the candidate was fine, but the district was bad? Its like saying that your candidate would have won except that the media was unfair or the Republicans played dirty. Or complaining that the sky is blue and the earth is round. You can’t change the district. You have to find a candidate that can win in that district.