Here’s an update from the House District 4A race. This is the seat that popular incumbent Frank Moe (DFL-Bemidji) is abandoning to pursue a Ph.D. and focus on his family. We’ve got endorsement fights on both sides of the aisle.
DFL
There are still only two announced DFL candidates for endorsement: Leech Lake band member and attorney Irene Folstrom and Beltrami County Soil and Water commissioner John Persell. Both candidates have run unsuccessful campaigns for the legislature before and have learned from the experience. The word from the district is that Folstrom and Persell are both working the delegate lists hard and that it’s hard to say which currently has the upper hand. There remains the possibility that other candidates could jump in, but no one has expressed any public interest. The SD 04 DFL will hold a series of forums for delegates to meet the candidates.
DFL 4A endorsement race forum times and locations:Sunday, May 18 in Deer River at the Helping Hands recycling center board room – 5 p.m.Tuesday, May 20 in Cass Lake at the American Legion – 6 p.m.Thursday, May 22 in Bemidji at the Eagles Club – 6 p.m.The SD4 endorsing convention will be held on Saturday, May 31 in Cass Lake at the Palace Casino at 10 a.m., registration at 9 a.m.
GOP
Meantime, the Republicans have a race for their endorsement as well. Furniture entrepreneur Tony Williams was originally unopposed to challenge Moe, but with Moe’s departure John Carlson, an insurance man from Bemidji, announced his intent to seek the Republican endorsement for 4A State Representative. Initially it seemed that Carlson would be the more organized candidate, but Williams has posted to this blog vowing a hard fight for the GOP endorsement. The tone I’ve heard from Bemidji is that Carlson is the guy to beat here, but in these hastily assembled open races it’s all about who can turn out delegates.
There are so many variables up and down the ticket this year that I can’t properly handicap this race yet. My gut says this seat still leans DFL but is by no means an assured victory. So much depends upon the strength of the endorsed candidates.
I believe it is safe to assume that John Persell is ahead in the delegate count, but having an endorsing convention on May 31 is dicey at best. Energizing the base to show up will be the challenge for both candidates.
BTW, Folstrom is not an attorney. Her press release states that she graduated from law school, not that she passed the bar, which she did not (yet).
You note that Folstrom ran for the Senate seat endorsement against Mary Olson in 2006. One curious fact is that she has failed to file finance reports for her Senate campaign since 2005. I am pretty sure that the Campaign Finance Board frowns on that kind of lapse–and usually makes their displeasure known by way of a hefty fine.