[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: May the best candidate win

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
May the best candidate win
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1188998182.shtml


   Looking again at what Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller said on
   The David Strom Show and what he has said since, I wonder how he rose
   to power. Actually, I don't. He's in a safe district, a very safe
   liberal district and therefore runs essentially unopposed. If there is
   no credible challenge or threat thereof, politicians of either party
   are free to pursue their personal visions.
   I link that with the scramble to hold the first Primary going on at
   the national level and again come back to my idea of holding real
   Primary elections at the State level. A real primary pares the field
   to a manageable list of candidates. In my city, for example, two
   Council seats are up every two years. If more than four file, a
   Primary is held and the top four go to the General election. Why not
   do this for Legislative seats?
   Imagine that we hold a Primary election the second Tuesday of
   September, leaving about 8 weeks for the General election campaign,
   which is plenty of time, already more than we would like. Also imagine
   that these are non-partisan elections. Party identification is shown
   on the ballots, but the ballot might have 2 Democrats, 1 Republican,
   and 1 Green in Pogemiller's case. Whoever the top two are move on,
   even if that means no Republican or no Green, even if neither Democrat
   survives.
   Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty had a Primary challenger in 2006. If
   he continues his maverick ways and runs again, he'll likely have one
   in 2010 as well. Sue Jeffors at least forced Pawlenty to throw out a
   little red meat at the 2006 convention, only to revert to form,
   signing the Twins Stadium and Smoking Ban bills. The 2010 backlash
   could be more significant.
   Getting back to Pogemiller, there have to be some disgruntled in his
   base as way. He promised much, proposing to raise every tax in the
   land to their thresholds of pain. There was even less restraint on an
   off-year bonding bill. Cornered by these all or nothing bills,
   Pawlenty found the courage to veto most of them. Angered by continued
   DFL arrogance, the GOP delegations held fast and sustained the vetoes.
   The result? Failure by DFL standards, even if spending again rose far
   faster than inflation and population. Even now, it's all too obvious
   who's holding up the Special Session, again because Pogemiller is
   unwilling or unable to use his leadership position to cut and enforce
   a deal.
   It's not hard to imagine a Green party challenger, even another more
   restrained DFL challenger in 2010. It's not hard to believe they would
   out-poll any GOP candidate in that district. So, fine, let the Primary
   pick that Green or DFL candidate, maybe both if Pogemiller completely
   collapses. Even the threat might bring Pogemiller back to political
   reality.
   Such a threat would be good for a couple of Republicans as well.