Guessing about 2010

MN Publius, one of the state’s top progressive blogs, has a great backgrounder on potential candidates for the 2010 DFL gubernatorial nomination. Read it right now. I commented on their post over there and decided to share some of those thoughts here:


Since this is just a good ol’ guessing game, I’ll make my educated guess about the 2010 DFL ticket: Tim Walz for governor/Tony Sertich for Lt. Gov.

I know all the Range legislators. (Toms) Bakk and Rukavina are both good guys and both really want to be governor, but both also have major barriers to an endorsement and nomination — especially as the state continues to change demographically.

Tony Sertich is by far the most plausible and well connected Iron Ranger for a statewide run, but he probably knows that he would have a hard time in a cold run against all the characters listed at the MNPublius post, especially his boss Margaret. So, it would be very easy for him to sign on as a geographical balance to whoever wins the endorsement … probably Walz, but he’d work just as well with anyone else on Publius’s top tier list. Then, Tony would be a top tier contender for any number of offices in the future. Remember, our last DFL governor, Rudy Perpich, was an Ranger too and he knew that the Iron Range entrance to the governor’s mansion was through a tunnel dug through the walls of the Lt. Governor’s office.

I say that Walz is my early favorite because he has a great back story, he enjoys popularity outside his district, he’s a great retail campaigner and his new chief of staff, Josh Syrjamaki, has Range roots and connections. (Iron Range delegates led Syrjamaki’s efforts to win the state DFL Chair position three years ago before he fell short of Brian Melendez). Syrjamaki can help Walz gain a solid share of votes in the 8th CD and then Walz can use his CD01, 02, and 06 appeal to outgun the metro area’s top candidate or candidates.

All guessing, no confirmation, but that’s the biz.

While I’m at it, I further guess that Walz/Sertich creams the ticket of former Sen. Norm Coleman and Imperial Viceroy Marty Seifert 60/40. And I get a pony. 2010 is going to be a great year.

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