Comments on: DFLers desperately need an earlier primary

By: joey

joey — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:51:32 +0000

The September primary is insane. Not only does it crunch the general election and force a depleted candidate and campaign structure to pivot fast, as the post says, it also means the bulk of the primary campaign occurs during the summer when no one is paying attention. A May or early June primary would solve both problems. Both the primary and general, campaigns and elections, should occur when people pay attention and turn out.

By: Holly Cairns

Holly Cairns — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:14:05 +0000

as I understand it the endorsement process is needed because the average person doesn’t pay attention to politics as much as they should (but they suffer the consequences anyway).

What do you think, John Lewis, or anyone else?

By: johnLLewis

johnLLewis — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:38:06 +0000

Holly, why do we need an endorsement at a convention? Why can’t we just have everyone campaigning and volunteering for their candidate in the primary. Then it comes down to who does the best job of turning out voters, which should really be the standard by which we choose our candidate, not who does the best job turning out activists.

By: johnLLewis

johnLLewis — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:34:55 +0000

I agree with Bob T. Either choose the candidate at an endorsing convention or have a primary. Not both. What is the point of having both? I have never understood that.

By: Holly Cairns

Holly Cairns — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:15:01 +0000

Bob T: We need an endorsement. One candidate backed by us, the DFL party, is the best. Even if they endorse a wild card, like they did with Madia.

By: Holly Cairns

Holly Cairns — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:51:54 +0000

Enough with the inter-party inside baseball BS…

I’m feeling that way, too. Sometimes I wonder if we forget what the people really hear and see, and want.

By: Holly Cairns

Holly Cairns — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:50:01 +0000

I was thinking in terms of name recognition (which takes money). I think in statewides name recognition is very important. Yes, electable. I agree.

By: BobT

BobT — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:16:12 +0000

I agree, except that instead of forgetting the endorsing convention, could we please just not have an endorsement at all?

I am sick of watching a tiny band of DFL insiders with no apparent outside demands on their time pick our candidates every year. Lets have a primary and get it over with.

Oh yeah, and the general should be an Instant Runoff election. Let everybody compete.

By: Minnesota Central

Minnesota Central — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:07:48 +0000

The last three gubernatorial contests have been determined by the appeal of the Independence Party’s candidate.
A nasty primary only helps the IP candidate.
Ask yourself, did Priscilla Lord Faris have a chance to win the US Senate DFL primary ?
Follow-up question, considering her attack ads on Al Franken, how many voters did she push to Dean Barkley ?

The date of the primary may be inconsequential versus the “tone” of the primary and the relative strength of the challengers. The MN-GOP has figured it out. They will have a straw poll in October that will cement who the leaders are (Marty Siefert, a SueJeffers-type to appeal to the Ron Paul crowd, and an also-ran.) By January, MN-GOP candidates will be announcing the termination of their campaigns and the party faithful will start calling Siefert as the “Governor-elect” as their message to the base will be clear and motivating – appeal to the MCCL/NRA crowd, “veto” the DFL-controlled legislature, and Coleman’s “stolen election”.
I am an independent voter and am not pleased that “Governor-elect” Siefert will win.

One thing that the DFL could do as a game-changer is to WITHHOLD the endorsement at the endorsing convention. Having a primary which challenges the party-activist’s nominee does not help the party. At the endorsing convention, just vote to accept whoever the primary winner is. It will be a lot easier for the losing candidate’s supporters to accept the nominee. Yes, the party would have a nominee that does not have a clear majority, but that will make rallying the troops easier as the enemy will not be who won but Siefert.

Otherwise, the nomination will be decided by Dayton and Entenza — - do they pull a Lord Faris and become the nominee via a primary only to lose to Siefert ?
The MN-GOP will remain firm and every vote that shifts to the Independence Party only hurts the DFL … so forget the endorsing convention and go with the primary winner.

Just a suggestion.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:08:34 +0000

“start by saying that anyone running for endorsement that refuses to accept it as final at the convention should not be supported”

Right there is the reason the DFL hasn’t elected a governor in 23 years. The DFL endorsement process needs to be kicked to the curb.