On deck in the Fightin’ Eighth

Recently I posed the question: “Who might succeed Jim Oberstar if he moves up to Secretary of Transportation in a hypothetical Democratic Administration?” It’s a question full of logistical problems, including the need for Democrats to win the election, Jim Oberstar to be offered the job and Jim Oberstar to take the job.

Overall, people seem to have settled into two schools of thought. First, many believe he wouldn’t consider the job because House Transportation Chair under a Democratic administration would actually have more power. That could well be true. But Oberstar remains a logical candidate for the job, so let’s keep up with the super fun speculation that keeps blogs like this going.

Here are the names from the DFL bench, people who might one day be Minnesota 8th CD contenders or pretenders. The first group is people mentioned in the comments here, at MNBlue or in a linked post at MNPublius:

• Tony Sertich (House Majority Leader, State Representative from the Iron Range since 2000)
• Don Ness (Mayor of Duluth, former Oberstar campaign chair)
• Tom Bakk (State Senator from Cook, Tax Committee chair, potential 2010 gubernatorial candidate)
• Tom Rukavina (State Rep. from Virginia, longtime outspoken voice for the Iron Range to the outside world).
• Jeff Anderson (a newly-elected DFL at-large city councilor in Duluth)
• Liz Kuoppola (a city councilor from Eveleth who was instrumental in the organization of the Go Run conference this spring encouraging hundreds of Iron Range women to run for office or join the political process)

That’s a good group. Here is a group I am adding for good measure, because I actually live in the district and see some of the undercurrents:

• Tony Lourey (freshman State Senator from south of Cloquet, son of liberal stalwart Becky Lourey)
• Tony Cuneo (also a newly elected DFL city councilor in Duluth)
• Jeremy Kalin (freshman State Rep. from swing district in fast-growing southern part of 8th CD)
• Jerry Janezich (former State Sen. and DFL U.S. Senate endorsee and current MNSCU lobbyist who desperately wanted to go to Congress back before it was realized that Jim Oberstar was made of titanium).
• Harry Welty (former Republican, Unity and Independent candidate for this seat, he recently switched parties to DFL; a former Duluth School Board member who has made a name as the outspoken leader of a group opposing an expensive school facilities plan in Duluth).

SO, WHO’S THE FAVORITE?

You’ll have to come back and find out tomorrow. (Forgive me, I’m finishing my book; I need to stretch this). My analysis may surprise you. I’ll talk about Republican options, too.