COnvention (with no endorsement) there has been little talk of who I really
feel won a true victory that day.
The Green Party Candidate.
Ward 10 is a very progressive Ward (Ralph Nader received over 20% in all the
precincts in the Wedge). In Ward 10 there are two candidates I am currently
excited about and a no-endorsement is a big victory for my candidates. There
are now going to be several DFLers, a Republican and an Independence Party
candidate splitting up the moderate-conservative vote, leaving a very good
chance of a Green Party candidate (who runs a very serious campaign) to get
through the primary.....once that is done I see them as the front-runner in
the general election.
Most of you have probably already noticed the campaign of Green Party
activist Mark Knapp in Ward 10. There is also another great candidate,
Natalie Collins, competing for the Green Party endorsement at this Saturday's
endorsing convention.
Mark and Natalie are both great candidates, and I think progressives will see
this election as something different-- as with every race where there is a
Green candidate in Minneapolis, there is no George Bush in the race for the
DFLer to scare progressive voters with. This way we finally have a closer to
level playing field, and as a professional campaigner who used to work for
DFLers I honestly cannot see a few Greens not getting elected in these
municipal elections this summer.
Thank Jesus! It's a 2-party town again.
Chris Allison
Chair, Bastille Consulting
Whittier
Organizing for a just and green Minneapolis.
In a message dated 4/3/2001 8:58:37 PM Central Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Former 60th District DFL Chair Scott Persons put a clever DFL reform spin on
the Saturday 10th Ward result. He and other Nizolek campaign strategists
worked hard to keep their supporters in place as long as it took to prevent
an endorsement. There actions were a defeat for the DFL and its endorsing
process for sure. But saying that no endorsement represents a "big win" is
pure campaign rhetoric and ignores some key facts.
Despite having declared his candidacy in advance of the 2000 caucuses and
campaigning for well over a year, Dan only mustered about 45 supporters to
the convention. Doug Kress, who led on each ballot until adjournment, began
campaigning in January and former Mpls school board member Ann Berget
started later yet.
Dan's decision not to abide by the endorsement pretty much ensured that he
wouldn't pick up many new supporters during the convention. Forcing an early
adjournment was the best he could hope for.
Ann Berget's gamesmanship and supporting role in this block can't be
understated. She came into the convention with a long record of public
service and far fewer delegates than either of the other two. After weeks of
waffling, Ann made a last minute decision to declare that she would abide by
the endorsement.
With that, the wiley Ms. Berget was able to demonstrate her renewed loyalty
to the DFL at the beginning of the day, get dumped in the third ballot and
then take her dozen or so supporters to join with Nizolek and adjourn sans
endorsement, just in time for the NCAA tipoff. A three-way DFL race against
two men is exactly what she wanted.
No doubt an endorsement for any of the candidates would have been difficult
to overcome. This campaign will now be won on the doorsteps of the 10th
Ward.
Congratulations and condolences to all the candidates!
Still a believer,
Niel Ritchie
East Harriet Farmstead
10th Ward
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
> Scott Persons
> Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2001 9:40 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: [Mpls] 10th Ward win for Niziolek
>
>
> The silence on this list about what happened in the 10th ward on Saturday
> has been deafening. Saturday was such a big for victory Dan Niziolek
> because he was able to block an endorsement with his hard work,
> outstanding
> experience, and strong support from the community. When a
> candidate is not
> abiding by the endorsement blocks it; a block is a win. (A big win!)
>
>> Scott Persons
> Lyndale Neighborhood
> Ward 8 (half a block out of Ward 10)
>
>
> _______________________________________________
