IIRC, it was the Sayles-Belton campaign that moved for no endorsement. R.T. was gaining on every ballot and had passed 50%- I wish we'd have kept on balloting and delivered an endorsement.A minor clarification to an earlier post that included this statement: "And two candidates who were perceived as blocking DFL endorsements: Rybak and Niziolek went on to win."
My advice to candidates in the 3rd Ward and others:Also, some of the candidates apparently weren't invited to screen for the Stonewall DFL endorsement. At this time (sunday evening) I have yet to receive a request as a Stonewall DFL Board Member for a vote on an endorsement. It will thusly be impossible for Stonewall DFL to endorse before the convention tomorrow. Any alleged Stonewall DFL endorsement before the convention tomorrow is thusly bogus. With Stonewall DFL unable to make an endorsement candidates might want to post their answers to the Stonewall DFL endorsement questionnaire here on the list and in their literature. The questionaire is available at www.stonewalldfl.org/endorsements/questionare/city_council.htm .
Go to the convention and the screenings, talk about your issues, make your case to those in the process and very knowledgeable in the issues. Even if you lose some votes because you aren't bound by the process, you will learn a lot, and probably pick up supporters.
(For example, the Central Labor Union and several other unions told me they were endorsing Mayor Sayles Belton before I even sat down to screen. I used the screenings as ways for me to give my views on labor and learn something along the way. Some life AFSCME were very engaged and asked sincere questions....Others like the Central Labor Union were polite enough, gave me a little pat on the head and sent me on my merry way. Their strategy to endorse one person before they even heard from me was not, in my view, very smart, but I hope my victory in spite of this has helped illustrate for them and others that there is a danger in not giving emerging voices a fair chance to make their case...If candidates see this kind of behavior from interest groups trying to shut you out, feel very free to use this example as a cautionary tale.....It's about time we were rid of this old style politics.)It appears that Labor has similarly micromanaged their endorsement in this race. The Central Labor Council had a list of labor delegates to send their letter announcing their endorsement to. Why couldn't they use that list to invite 3rd ward labor folks to attend their screening? Candidates who weren't invited to labor's screening or who felt they weren't heard their may want to post their position on labor issues here and in their campaign literature also.
But also show respect for those who aren't in the room. Those people who are at home, or driving their kids to something, or working, or volunteering on something else worth while or who simply don't know about the event....also deserve a chance to be heard.I've tried to tell all the candidates right away that I'm a disenfranchised delegate and probably wont be able to vote in the endorsing convention. None the less, every single candidate has been willing to talk to me at length anyway. I think this reflects the multitude of excellent candidates we have to choose from in this race.
peace,
Dyna Sluyter, disenfranchised in Hawthorne
R.T. Rybak East Harriet
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