Hate to be scooped on a Range story, but here it is from MNPublius (broken by MinnesotaDemocratsExposed I believe): State Sen. Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook) is running for governor.
This is not surprising. Bakk has been hinting at this for a while. He’s getting out early probably to shore up union support and carve his piece of the pie for what will likely be a very large field of candidates. I know some members of the Iron Range DFL delegation very well, but I have never gotten to know Bakk very well. On one hand I like the idea of an Iron Range governor, but on the other I have my doubts that Bakk is the guy who can pull it off.
I was a delegate and 100-plus hour volunteer for Doug Johnson’s campaign for governor in 1998. Most non-Rangers don’t even remember Doug Johnson’s run for governor, but it’s where I faced my first political fires. Back then, the thinking was that with so many “city folk” running in the primary, we could run a pro-life Iron Ranger, snap up the non-metro vote and squeeze through to the general election. Unfortunately for Doug, as I’ve written before, the Range is built around a political coalition like any place and our ’98 Range coalition was split between the Range power structure backing Johnson and the unions which backed Mike Freeman that year.
So why is Bakk out so early? He wants to get the unions and keep the Range power structure. Let’s say he is able to unite Johnson’s and Freeman’s people from 1998 … that’s good for about 40 percent in a primary. It also puts 40 percent on the first ballot of the convention in the conversation. BUT, this is not 1998. The party has changed in 10 years and I seriously doubt the Obama movement folks are going to be lining up for Bakk as a first choice.
So Bakk is in. He’s a contender, but I need to see more before I list Bakk as top tier. I have poured a lot of my time and heart into Iron Range campaigns and saying this is not something I take lightly. Bakk is re-elected by wide margins in his 6th SD but a guy like Tim Walz or even someone like Margaret Anderson Kelliher could walk in and take a chunk of the Range vote. Probably not a majority, but enough to neutralize the regional appeal.
God, it ain’t even November ’08 yet. What are we coming to?
I am from St. Louis Park, and a big Obama man, and I really admire Senator Bakk. I think he has done an incredible job as chair of the tax committee trying to balance between Governor Pawlenty, Majority Leader Pogemiller, and actually getting good work done.
I would agree that he will have a difficult time getting the endorsement. Kelliher and Walz are the giants of the party right now, and the Democrats of Minnesota are hungry for the governors mansion. It seems difficult to believe we will want to take a chance on a Northern State Senator with pretty low name recognition.
He will be a good voice for the party and help keep the debate focused on many important issue up in the Iron Range. So regardless, I am excited to see him officially annouce.
Bakk can certainly do this (as I think several of our DFLers can) he needs to find a strategy to take on those weaknesses head on and highlight his strengths. Off the top of my head:
1. Talk with Labor and have them cool their jets on this one for a while.
2. Hire several fundraisers who have their own areas of success (phones, events and internet).
Don’t even think about starting off with volunteers, you get great returns on investing in professional fundraisers.
3. Don’t write off the Twin Cities.
Get a couple of political organizers to keep him aware of the activist action down here. Don’t be afraid to come to the progressive events as the DFL Tax Chair and speak loud and proud about fair taxation.
4. Extend that calender beyond this June.
These delegates are not going to be the same in two years. There will be a new election of delegates in 20 months. The consistent activists and most likely delegates are the State Central Committee members. I would speak at the state convention but, continue to speak and attend events around the state going through the local activists.
There will be a lot of Presidential and U.S. Senate events going on over the next five months. Having Bakk out there talking about fair taxation, Minnesota values and ending this damn war will keep his speaking engagements in front DFL audiences consistent.
5. Get a political communications person and have that person compile relevant news from around the state twice a week, meet with you and decide where a commentary is necessary, a statement or even ‘town hall’ type event.
6. Sometime next year, float three names for LtGov (non-Rangers). Attend different events with them and get the feel of how it works- then choose early as hell. Let people see and get to know exactly what the next team would be like and how different it would be from Pawlenty/Molnau.
7. During session, don’t run from a camera or microphone. Its going to be about recognition of your name and issue. Fair taxation is a good start. Being the Chair of the Tax Committee is golden.
8. Invite DFL and Progressive groups up to the Range and Northland. The SCC will be meeting up north, if not, request that they do and throw a nice beer bust for the Young Progressives (we’re not so young) or host a welcoming social hour with other Rangers (make them pay since you need to save your cash).
9. Loosen that grip on the purse strings and sponsor some DFL events outside of the Range.
10. Hope that Rukavina doesn’t run.
That’s all I have off the top of my head. I remember when Jerry ran for Senate (and Johnson two years before that), the biggest rap on Rangers was they could not raise the money to be competitive. Starting off early with fundraisers will help stave that stigma off. The rest of it is a name game and familiarity.
Entertaining a few pro-choice suburban women as Lt Gov choices is not a bad deal. There are a couple with some real business world cred that can be helpful.
So, that’s Tom Bakk, Susan Gaertner Ellen Anderson, Chris Coleman, RT Rybak, Doug Peterson, Joe Atkins, Tarryl Clark and Margaret Anderson-Kelliher. Am I missing anyone from the DFL side?
The republicans have Carol Molnau and???, Erik Paulsen?
Its internet advice, worth what it cost to produce.
I’d kind of hate to lose him as chair of the tax committee…..