Lori Swanson set to run for MN Governor, with Rick Nolan as running mate.

[Minnesota Mike]

She wasn't endorsed by the NRA in 2014 but by some other gun rights group.

http://www.startribune.com/gun-owners-pac-goes-for-dfl-ag-swanson-anyone-but-dayton-for-governor/270025961/

Walz needs to use this to gain the upper hand.

Walz is also pro-gun himself or at least was until Parkland when he decided to favor an AWB.

You don't win in rural Minnesota by being to anti-gun.

[Progressive Pessimist]

If all that is being said about Swanson is true, it's starting to seem like Dayton made the right call in appointing Smith rather than Swanson to the Senate seat.

[Minnesota Mike]

If all that is being said about Swanson is true, it's starting to seem like Dayton made the right call in appointing Smith rather than Swanson to the Senate seat.

Swanson's fine. Smith's fine. Both will win easily if they are on the November ballot.

[GlobeSoc]

Swanson winning the primary might cause the DFL to re-evaluate the idea of having conventions

[Jeppe]

Swanson actually defeated a congressman in 2006 in the DFL primary for Attorney General, funny how history repeats itself.

I think many of the criticisms about Swanson joining in the race are very gendered. She owes nothing to Walz, who didn’t even win the party’s endorsement, and she has every right to join the race. Walz was going to run for Governor regardless of whether Swanson entered the race a year ago or last month, so it really doesn’t matter anyway.

Swanson is the stronger candidate anyway, she performed the best out of all the statewide DFL candidates in 2010 & 2014, while Walz almost lost to a badly-funded, unknown challenger in 2016, even as Collin Peterson easily won re-election in a much redder district right next door.

[Minnesota Mike]

Swanson actually defeated a congressman in 2006 in the DFL primary for Attorney General, funny how history repeats itself.

Not that it matters but for the record she beat a former congressman (Bill Luther who finished 3rd in the primary), not a sitting congressman.

[Minnesota Mike]

Swanson winning the primary might cause the DFL to re-evaluate the idea of having conventions

I'm afraid you will never kill the conventions but maybe they will continue to lose their influence. Nothing wrong with Party activists making there recommendation but candidates should move on to the primary regardless and have to voters decide.

[Jeppe]

Swanson actually defeated a congressman in 2006 in the DFL primary for Attorney General, funny how history repeats itself.

Not that it matters but for the record she beat a former congressman (Bill Luther who finished 3rd in the primary), not a sitting congressman.

The guy who came in second was also the candidate endorsed by the DFL. So Swanson beat a former congressman & the DFL endorsed candidate in the primary. Pretty impressive for a first time candidate, who had never held elected office before.

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

Swanson actually defeated a congressman in 2006 in the DFL primary for Attorney General, funny how history repeats itself.

I think many of the criticisms about Swanson joining in the race are very gendered. She owes nothing to Walz, who didn’t even win the party’s endorsement, and she has every right to join the race. Walz was going to run for Governor regardless of whether Swanson entered the race a year ago or last month, so it really doesn’t matter anyway.

Swanson is the stronger candidate anyway, she performed the best out of all the statewide DFL candidates in 2010 & 2014, while Walz almost lost to a badly-funded, unknown challenger in 2016, even as Collin Peterson easily won re-election in a much redder district right next door.

Winning by 5 points does not indicate an easy win.

[Maxwell]

Swanson actually defeated a congressman in 2006 in the DFL primary for Attorney General, funny how history repeats itself.

I think many of the criticisms about Swanson joining in the race are very gendered. She owes nothing to Walz, who didn’t even win the party’s endorsement, and she has every right to join the race. Walz was going to run for Governor regardless of whether Swanson entered the race a year ago or last month, so it really doesn’t matter anyway.

Swanson is the stronger candidate anyway, she performed the best out of all the statewide DFL candidates in 2010 & 2014, while Walz almost lost to a badly-funded, unknown challenger in 2016, even as Collin Peterson easily won re-election in a much redder district right next door.

Just mentioning that Erin Murphy exists makes this argument bogus.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Swanson actually defeated a congressman in 2006 in the DFL primary for Attorney General, funny how history repeats itself.

I think many of the criticisms about Swanson joining in the race are very gendered. She owes nothing to Walz, who didn’t even win the party’s endorsement, and she has every right to join the race. Walz was going to run for Governor regardless of whether Swanson entered the race a year ago or last month, so it really doesn’t matter anyway.

Swanson is the stronger candidate anyway, she performed the best out of all the statewide DFL candidates in 2010 & 2014, while Walz almost lost to a badly-funded, unknown challenger in 2016, even as Collin Peterson easily won re-election in a much redder district right next door.

Please stop it, I have no problems with Erin Murphy and Tim Walz's running mate is a woman. Swanson is just pissing me off since now if Walz's seat flips his retirement will be in vain, and I am pretty sure she convinced Rick Nolan to drop his reelection bid as well, so those things really p!ss me off.

[IceSpear]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

Hey, I hate Begich too.

[MAINEiac4434]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

Bill Walker is already a conservative and deeply unpopular, so it doesn't matter. If anyone should drop out of that race, it's the incumbent Governor.

[Jeppe]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

Yeah, they love Walz & they hate Swanson because she’s sending him into retirement. They wanted a coronation for Walz, not the tough race that Swanson’s entrance is causing, so they’re blaming it on her for not capitulating to Walz simply because he entered first.

[Oryxslayer]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

Yeah, they love Walz & they hate Swanson because she’s sending him into retirement. They wanted a coronation for Walz, not the tough race that Swanson’s entrance is causing, so they’re blaming it on her for not capitulating to Walz simply because he entered first.

Meanwhile I always wanted Swanson to be the next governor, so I am perfectly happy with how events have played out since the convention .

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

Yeah, they love Walz & they hate Swanson because she’s sending him into retirement. They wanted a coronation for Walz, not the tough race that Swanson’s entrance is causing, so they’re blaming it on her for not capitulating to Walz simply because he entered first.

Look, we've talked about this sort of stuff before and I know you're not just trolling.  I also have more sympathy for where you're coming from here than I would somewhere like NE-2 since Swanson and Walz would both win easily.  However, Walz clearly wants to be Governor and has been running a strong campaign for a while.  Lori Swanson simply did this as a completely unnecessary face-saving whim after not getting a coronation at the convention for AG.  She clearly doesn't care about being Governor and thus is far less likely to be a good one.  I'd be fine with her or Walz had she jumped in early on when practically everyone was waiting to commit to any candidate until they knew what Swanson's plans were.  Frankly, the way Swanson got into the race was immature and irresponsible.  

As for this being gendered criticism, as others noted, Murphy's candidacy disproves that.  I understand how important it is to you that there be greater female representation in the government and that this is a safer chance; I am far from unsympathetic, to say the least.  However, I would hope you could acknowledge that most folks 1) supporting Walz do so for reasons having nothing to do with gender and 2) that (even if you disagree) folks like myself may just be legitimately upset by the way Swanson went about this.  Again, I'd have no problem if she'd gotten in earlier on.  

Small side point re: Bill Luther: He was a former Congressman who had never been terribly popular and wasn't particularly influential either.  Luther lost by double-digits in 2002 after a pretty embarrassing campaign scandal and was hardly a strong campaigner.  Just saying

[Maxwell]

look i mean none of this particularly matters - All three are going to beat Pawlenty, potentially by a lot.

[Minnesota Mike]

look i mean none of this particularly matters - All three are going to beat Pawlenty, potentially by a lot.

Murphy would be a tossup IMO.

[Mycool]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

I was going to comment, and then realized IceSpear summed up my own thoughts rather succinctly.

[Zaybay]

If all that is being said about Swanson is true, it's starting to seem like Dayton made the right call in appointing Smith rather than Swanson to the Senate seat.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

I was going to comment, and then realized IceSpear summed up my own thoughts rather succinctly.

No one has said Mark Begich is a FF for jumping in at the last minute, but thanks for playing

[IceSpear]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

I was going to comment, and then realized IceSpear summed up my own thoughts rather succinctly.

No one has said Mark Begich is a FF for jumping in at the last minute, but thanks for playing

Plenty of people here were happy about it.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

I was going to comment, and then realized IceSpear summed up my own thoughts rather succinctly.

No one has said Mark Begich is a FF for jumping in at the last minute, but thanks for playing

Plenty of people here were happy about it.

link?

[wesmoorenerd]

Lori Swanson is a massive HP for jumping in the race at the last minute and scrambling the race, even though a Democrat will probably win it regardless. But Mark Begich is an amazing FF for jumping in the race last minute and scrambling the race, even though him doing so raises the chance of a Republican win drastically.

I was going to comment, and then realized IceSpear summed up my own thoughts rather succinctly.

No one has said Mark Begich is a FF for jumping in at the last minute, but thanks for playing

Plenty of people here were happy about it.

link?

I'm glad Begich jumped in. Not only is Walker a terrible Governor but he's a former Republican who doesn't deserve to automatically get Alaska's fairly sizable Democratic base. I'm glad Begich is giving Alaskans a real choice this November instead of two fairly conservative candidates. Not to mention Begich is a significantly better candidate in his own right.