Awada - OK, I lied.

Awada - OK, I lied. It's the Fourth, and I'm posting.

I've been saying since the elections that Pat Awada had the potential to do huge things in Minnesota politics. This article in Rake Magazine reiterates many of the reasons. It's a longish piece, but worth a read.

Pat Awada is 36 years old. She is the mother of four children. During the last four years she has become the most controversial woman in Minnesota political history (with the possible exception of Coya “Come Home” Knutson). Her epic battles with the Metropolitan Council over the development of low-income high-density housing in the suburbs earned her the everlasting enmity of suburb-hating urban liberals. Her activist approach to the state auditor’s office has positively unnerved Minnesota’s local government establishment. The Star Tribune’s editorial board has yet to find an Awada position with which it agrees, and when they are not busy attacking the policies themselves, they provide an astonishing amount of space to anti-Awada letters to the editor, many of which verge on the personal.

Of course they do.

Although Awada is actually quite moderate in many ways - she refused to sign the "no new taxes" pledge - she's aroused the emnity of the local left like few recent candidates.

It was inevitable; she's a woman. Women are supposed to be Democrats!

In another forum, a poster raved "She was the meanest mayor in Minnesota and she's taking irresponsibly potshots at public employees from her Auditor's position rather than the people who actually control the purse
strings in local governments. Talk about climbing the political pole on the backs of the powerless." This is fairly typical of what the left says about Awada, who is keenly aware of the reasons for the bad karma:

Ironically, Awada is most closely identified not with an ideology or methodology, but with a suburban lifestyle that rankles many urban liberals. Right or wrong, it’s a reputation earned back in 2000, when she stood up to the Metropolitan Council, a state-chartered planning agency for the seven-county metro area. The Council demanded that Eagan build more high-density, low-income housing, and threatened to hold hostage such Met Council programs as Park and Ride and light rail if it didn’t. Awada won the showdown by correctly pointing out that the Met Council lacks the authority to force municipalities to build specific housing types. She also won enemies: Opponents openly suggested that her opposition to the housing mandate was proof that she was an elitist, a classist, and even a racist. Awada rejects all of the characterizations as emblematic of a left obsessed with labeling opponents. “The liberals’ thing is usually just to cry discrimination or bigotry or, ‘She hates poor people’ or something,” she says with exasperation. For Awada, the argument against mandated housing types was straight logic about the limits of power. “I would never go into Minneapolis and say, ‘Your lots are too small. You can no longer develop like this,’” she huffs over a lunch of White Castles in her office. “I mean, that’s how ridiculous it is to suburbanites.”

Naturally, the media focuses on the side of Awada that's easiest to spin - her "Awada the Hun" image, the "bitch factor" she refers to in the article.

Don't expect to see much play on this side of Awada

At Capitol Direct, Awada set up a playroom and brought her kids to work. But she wasn’t thinking only of herself. She also created a workplace that was particularly friendly to working mothers, and, according to former and current employees, an environment that was especially forgiving of the challenges faced by single mothers. “There’s a very gentle side of Patty, but it really isn’t her public image,” explains close family friend Lisa Holmquist. “My youngest child has Down syndrome and she’s one of the only people outside of my family that I’ve trusted to watch after him.” Holmquist expresses frustration that Awada’s gentler side doesn’t get mentioned by a media that seems enamored of her tough public image. “I’ve known a lot of public and political figures,” she explains. “And I always hate to see someone I know being pilloried in the press. A lot of times it has nothing to do with them.”

Best of all, unlike a lot of female politicians, she doesn't beat us over the head with her gender:

A week later, she reflects on the balance she tries to maintain between her professional and personal life. Awada explains, “Politics is my job. It’s not my whole being. There’s a division between who I am professionally and how I act personally.” She begins to smile devilishly. “Just because I’m a mom doesn’t mean my primary issues are families and children. Mommy issues,” she says with sneering contempt before pulling back with her customary chuckle. “Does my husband have to have daddy issues?” In many ways, this willful compartmentalization is a significant departure from the politics practiced by so many female leaders—from Geraldine Ferraro to Hillary Clinton—who have staked reputations and careers on “feminist” or “feminizing” issues. Pat Awada is a fiscal conservative first. “Mom” is something she leaves at home.

I've been saying since November, and maybe before, that Pat Awada had the potential to replace Mark Dayton. The more I learn, the more I believe it.

Earlier this week, I asked who you all thought would be the best Republican to run against Mark "The Empty Suit" Dayton in '06. There were many good suggestions - Representative Kline, Brian Sullivan, and of course Mark Kennedy.

There's a lot of time between now and '06; we have no idea what's going to happen in the various House districts. If the election were held today, I'd admit that Kline or Kennedy's time in DC would be an important factor. But I'd also ask this: Do you think Kline or Kennedy's districts are solidly-enough GOP to allow the party to give up the advantages of incumbancy in holding those seats?

For now, put me down as an Awada supporter. I have two years to think about it.

Posted by Mitch at July 4, 2003 08:40 AM