Re: [Mpls] Strib columnist blasts Stonewall DFL

[Bert1956]

The point of the endorsement process is that if there is an endorsement, then no other candidate of the party is to proceed to the primary. If you don't think a candidate is good enough to merit that, then don't endorse. That may or may not happen in any of the conventions this year. Frankly, as a committed Democrat, I'd like to hear whether a candidate is willing to abide by that before I spend my time considering them.  And, yes, as a long time party activist, that is a factor in my support of candidates, in addition to the abilities they bring with them. Frankly, I miss the Republican party in this town. An effective Republican party provided all the discussion we needed, without our having to provide more than one DFL candidate to carry on the discussion. In a two-party town, it is perfectly and totally legitimate to narrow the field of candidates within your party to one. I say this as a former candidate who was not endorsed and did not proceed to the primary, despite suggestions to do so. I will say that the DFL has no obligation to create that dialogue. We are a political party, not a public utility.  Our goal is to win elections, and hopefully at the same time to promote good public servants. As a party, we will be judged on our political judgment of our candidates. I don't know if the Stonewall DFLers are all "regulars" and I don't know whether you can say that a convention of (probably ) 2000 people will be "insiders" or grass roots representatives of the citizens of Minneapolis. The larger the group, the harder it is to say that they are 'insiders.' There just aren't that many seats on the inside of civic life. PS, I'm not a supporter of the incumbent mayor, but I do understand that the Stonewall DFL may be maximizing their leverage and power to attempt to end the mayoral campaign early, should they choose to act as the recommendation to the Board indicates. That is their political right. If another group such as a union or other issue-based interest group did this, would it be news? It happens all the time and is not covered, so I guess it's no big deal.