Flaking
By Mitch Berg
We’ve had two stories in the past few weeks about traditionally-DFL sinecures softening up, bit by bit.
The first was yesterday; Aaron Brown notes that HD6B – the post-redistricting home of Iron-Range DFL political statue Tom Rukavina – has seen the local paper endorse the Republican challenger, nurse and political newcomer Jason Colangelo, over career DFL/union Jason Metsa:
Aaron “Minnesota” Brown:
In all likelihood, this race will fall easily to Metsa.
But I’m going to keep an eye on 6B because Colangelo has done well in winning over some notable support thus far…Last week he received a remarkably enthusiastic endorsement from the Duluth News Tribune and I predict that editor Bill Hanna is cooking up an epic Mesabi Daily News endorsement for Colangelo after the MDN bludgeoned Metsa before his August primary win over Lorrie Janatopoulos.
Colangelo might be green, but he is following a playbook that I’ve always considered the GOP’s best chance on the Range — unabashedly pro-union, some fairly reasonable ideas for an expanded Range economy, all while preserving the GOP base on social issues. Enough to win? Not likely this year, but if Colangelo “beats the spread” on this one we could a more competitive challenge from him in the future, provided he can handle the heat of increased scrutiny.
This, in “normal” times in Minnesota, is unthinkable.
But these aren’t normal times. Brown:
But if Rep. Chip Cravaack’s attempt to turn the Range GOP red with a tent revival of mining politics works, watch out here.
And there are rumors filtering down from the Range that Cravaack’s strategy is hitting paydirt in some unexpected places.
More as those rumors get more substantial.
More at noon.
October 10th, 2012 at 10:45 am
I am seeing far more Cravaack lawn signs than I would have thought possible on the range. Nolan’s signs are sprouting up, but, it’s about 50/50 in places that once were 95/5.
I wouldn’t be surprised to end up seeing one or two range republicans win.
October 10th, 2012 at 10:46 am
I found it very telling that Cravaack has already been endorsed by at least one of the big mining unions. Some of the Iron Rangers that participate here may be more qualified to speak about the mood up there than I am, but from what I have observed and heard on business trips up there, the prevailing sentiment seems to be that Chip has done more in a couple of years to help them than Jimmy Oberstar did in 20!
October 11th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Jesse is a good friend of mine and it would be great to see him take Tommy “osama bin owata” Rukavina’s seat… but don’t hold your breath… he doesn’t have as much name recognition or “DFL” after his name or a trunk load of ballots that show up on Wednesday morning…