Democratic Hopes to Hold Minnesota Senate Seat Brighten
Republican hopes of taking Mark Dayton's Senate seat this year took their second big hit in less than a month when Mike Ciresi, the ultrarich lawyer, announced that he would not seek the Democratic nomination. First Patty Wetterling dropped out of the race, electing to run for the House instead, and consolidating Amy Klobuchar's hold on the Democratic caucus endorsement. Now the only formidable Democrat left contemplating a run announced he was staying out. This is important not because Mr. Ciresi was going to beat Ms. Klobuchar, a popular and successful DA; he probably would have lost. But his bottomless pockets would have made it a bruising and expensive process.
Now, the Republican standard-bearer, Rep. Mark Kennedy, is going to face a Democratic opponent that didn't go through a divisive primary. If Rep. Kennedy thought there was any chance of that happening, he probably would have stayed out of the race rather than face the likely prospect of involuntary political retirement.
5:25:31 AM 
|
|
