Fanning kicks off campaign, joining Clark, Anderson and Nolan in DFL MN-8 race

On Sunday, Daniel Fanning kicked off his DFL campaign for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He joins Tarryl Clark, Jeff Anderson and Rick Nolan in the race to challenge U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN8) as the first DFL nominee in MN-8 not named Jim Oberstar since 1974.

Last week Fanning, an Iraq war vet and Duluth-area organizer, announced the endorsements of Chisholm Mayor Mike Jugovich and Buhl Mayor Craig Pulford, two active central Range mayors well known in DFL circles. Nolan had previously announced a gaggle of DFL endorsements from current and former DFL officials. Jeff Anderson had announced endorsements from Range figures like Ron Dicklich, Gary Cerkvenik, Kim Stokes and Jerry Janezich, once a rumored candidate himself. Before that, State Sen. Roger Reinert of Duluth and Rep. Carly Melin of Hibbing had endorsed Anderson.

These endorsements paint a larger picture of a muddled race in which Anderson, Nolan and now Fanning are divvying up local support while Clark leads the fundraising race. As I’ve said recently, it will be impossible to say which candidate has the legs in this race until some sort of competitive comparison can be made. That opportunity may arise this Saturday, Oct. 15 at a DFL forum and possible straw poll at the Park Hotel in Hibbing.

That event, of course, will be happening at the same time as my non-political (and arguably more entertaining) Great Northern Radio Show, also in Hibbing across the highway at the HCC Theater. Quite a night in old Hibbing! Stay tuned…

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