Norm Doesn't Rule Out 2010 Gubernatorial Run -- Or Further Litigation On The Senate Race
Speaking to reporters yesterday at the Conservative Heartland Leadership Conference in St. Louis, Norm Coleman did not rule out a run for Governor of Minnesota in 2010, now that incumbent Republican Tim Pawlenty has announced he isn't running again. But he also seemed to leave the door open to further litigation over his former Senate seat, in the wake of reports that he was ready to throw in the towel after the state Supreme Court presumably rules against him.
"I'm still waiting to hear from the Supreme Court," said Coleman, when asked about a gubernatorial run. "Remember I just gave a speech about being focused? I'm a very focused guy, and the focus is on keeping my Senate seat."
Coleman could potentially start out as one of the immediate frontrunners for the Republican nomination for Governor of Minnesota, thanks to a higher profile than any other remaining GOPers and perhaps a feeling among the party base that they were robbed in the Senate race. It should also be noted that while Minnesota is heavily Democratic in most respects, the state Dems have been habitually unable to win the statehouse since they lost it back in 1990.
He also sought to tamp down the Roll Call report that "sources close to Coleman" said he would not appeal a state Supreme Court defeat -- the kind of story that would consign him to political irrelevancy if it became widely accepted. "Again, I'm focused on the Minnesota Supreme Court, but I haven't ruled anything out. It's not a question of appetite," he said. "And the only person that close to me would be my wife, and I know she hasn't been speaking to -- 'sources close to.'"
Josh
Matt
Eric
Tick tick tick...
June 5, 2009 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
The DFL has been unable to win back the governorship for two reasons.
First, the candidates they have put up have been, at best, mediocre campaigners - and in some cases, mediocre candidates as well. Ann Wynia, I'm looking at you - and John Marty...
Second, the "Independence Party" seems able to draw from DFL'ers who feel that a protest vote is something other than suicidal foolishness. That has given us the appalling Pawlenty administration, following on four years of Jesse Ventura-driven strangeness.
If Quimby runs for Governor, his negatives will be high enough to outweigh any Republican anger, legions of right-wing lunatic Star Tribune comment posters aside.
June 5, 2009 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I have to admit that I have never regretted voting for Jesse Ventura and if Senator Amy would be as articulate and as convincing in attacking Republicans today as Jesse still is, I'd be thrilled. Wellstone is the only authentic candidate the DFL has fielded in decades. Sheesh, Arne Carlson was far better than most Democrats since the days of Mondale, Humphrey, etc.
This isn't just a Minnesota problem either. If the Republicans weren't lunatics, we'd have a hard time winning most places.
June 5, 2009 7:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Add Mike Hatch to that list of mediocre campaigners.
June 5, 2009 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
i think coleman is playing cat-and-mouse over this thing, and he will try to see if he can at least retain the support of core Republicans (if only for trying to DELAY franken's taking up his rightful seat in the Senate) before appealing the case.
of course, the whole issue could be rendered moot if the MI Supreme Ct ORDERS Pawlenty to certify, or even implies that he is obliged to do so, and if they don't at first, but hand Franken a win, Franken would of course appeal to the Court for such an order if (as I suspect Pawlenty would do in the absence of any concrete directive from the state ssupremes) Pawlenty balks.
Really the GOP has little to lose by stalling Franken, and something to gain -- as our system provides little effective penalty for brazen obstructionism -- from the right
June 5, 2009 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink