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Minnesota Secretary of State

Posted: June 4th, 2013, 1:24 pm
by Steve Holt
Ritchie will not run again:
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2013 ... _state.php

Rachel Larson Bohman (formerly Rachel Smith), who previously headed up Anoka and Hennepin County elections, has announced that she is running. Personally, I previously worked with her at Hennepin County and can say she is a 100% class act. She's a total professional and has my support.

Apparently Reps Pat Garofalo and Steve Simon are also considering jumping in the race.

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 4th, 2013, 1:27 pm
by David Greene
Simon would be a good choice too, I think. He's worked on a lot of election issues over the years.

Garofalo = frightening

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 4th, 2013, 2:02 pm
by gpete
And Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley) and Sen. Roger Reinert (DFL-Duluth) rumored to be "considering it."

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 4th, 2013, 2:35 pm
by gpete
And former Rep. Jeremy Kalin (DFL-Circle Pines) and Sen. Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove) and Rep. Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers).

Expect a TON of DFLers to enter this race. Very few statewide offices are open right now, so the ambitious-types have nothing to run for. SOS suddenly looks appealing to many of them.

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 4th, 2013, 2:40 pm
by Steve Holt
Eeek.

I like Rachel because she really isn't that partisan and has actually worked with election administration first hand. I would hate for it to go to a relatively high profile legislator simply because they have the ability to fundraise.

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 5th, 2013, 11:30 am
by fehler
Those seem to be the only two types that run for SoS and AG (and State Auditor). Wonks who nobody knows that'd do a good job, and careerists wanting a higher profile for eventual Governor/US Senator run.

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 5th, 2013, 3:37 pm
by nasa35
thank goodness he is leaving. Nothing worse than a crook over-seeing elections.

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 5th, 2013, 4:08 pm
by FISHMANPET
Are you going to back that rather audacious claim up with any facts, or should we just trust you on it?

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 5th, 2013, 6:22 pm
by nasa35
Are you going to back that rather audacious claim up with any facts, or should we just trust you on it?
If you were following the elections on his watch you wouldn't need to answer that.

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 5th, 2013, 6:24 pm
by FISHMANPET
Soooo, that's a no?

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 14th, 2013, 7:35 am
by Steve Holt
Garofalo is out of the running

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 25th, 2013, 11:39 am
by Steve Holt
Winkler says he is no longer considering and won't be running. Unclear if its related to the "uncle tom" business.

Rep. Hilstom, however, is:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/displa ... -hillstrom

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 25th, 2013, 1:48 pm
by twincitizen
Winkler is certainly ambitious and outspoken, but I never thought he was too serious about a run. It's tough for a current Representative to run because they would have to give up their seat in the legislature. In contrast, a State Senator or former legislator has nothing to lose. Hilstrom is the exception I guess, in that she's been in the House for a long time (14 yrs!) and is ready to put it on the line to move up. Winkler on the other hand would have been a young, ambitious, well-liked Democrat with nowhere to go if he lost.

I don't find his statement all that offensive. Risky, yes, perhaps ill-advised because people are all so super-sensitive, but not really offensive or worthy of apology.

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 25th, 2013, 2:34 pm
by QuietBlue
I don't find his statement all that offensive. Risky, yes, perhaps ill-advised because people are all so super-sensitive, but not really offensive or worthy of apology.
I'm sorry, but what? He used a racist term, plain and simple. How exactly is that not offensive?

I respect what Winkler's done in the past, but what he did today is not remotely okay.

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 25th, 2013, 3:02 pm
by mattaudio
I bet if you ask people, 9 out of 10 would have no clue that what he said was "offensive."

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: June 25th, 2013, 3:10 pm
by Viktor Vaughn
Hmmm... I agree with Twincitizen. Kind of a risky thing for a (white) politician to say, but could you really think of a more poignant way to describe Clarence Thomas?

If the shoe fits...

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: July 9th, 2013, 1:02 pm
by Steve Holt
Fmr Rep Jeremy Kalin is in. Surprises me, I had sort of assumed he'd given up on politics for good.

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: August 2nd, 2013, 1:23 pm
by Steve Holt
Aaaand Rachel Larson Bohman has dropped out. Not clear why. Disappointing.

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: August 2nd, 2013, 1:52 pm
by MNdible
STEVE HOLT!

(Sorry, I've been wanting to do that for a while.)

Re: MN Secretary of State Election

Posted: August 2nd, 2013, 1:54 pm
by mplsjaromir