I'm curious about people's explanations for the astoundingly poor showing by Shane Price last night...the representative of Minneapolis's "second party" (the Greens) received about half the vote of the endorsed Republican for an open seat.
I am no expert on the 3rd ward, but a couple of guesses pop to mind: 1. Shane was a great repository for a protest vote in 2001, but when the protest source (Biernat) was gone, so was the candidacy. Interestingly, three DFLers finished ahead of Shane - proving that the DFL "brand" is not poison in the city...as long as DFL alternatives emerge to incumbents/endorsees (think Rybak over Sayles Belton). Side note: I understand Don Samuels received a letter from the city party telling him to desist in using the term "Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate" on his literature. Personally, I think the only thing that would have been objectionable is if he'd called himself the DFL "endorsee" (which Olin Moore won fair and square). Such pressure is short-sighted: if Samuels wins, the party will need him more than the other way around. He becomes a strong possibility as the party's standard-bearer in '05 against Natalie Johnson Lee (since Samuels lives in the new 5th Ward). Disclaimer: I'm not predicting a Samuels win, this year or in '05. But the above is a scenario that sure could happen. 2. Shane simply didn't have the campaign that Samuels (or Olin) did. The Samuels campaign brain trust had several veterans of the Rybak campaign, or Rybak's supporters. I think the inside story of the night was their use of absentee ballots - heretofore a tactic perfected by state and national Republicans. I heard that the Samuels campaign submitted 175 absentee ballots out of 183 cast....and roughly half of his 363-vote primary total. Nothing illegal about it, and smart as heck for a Dec. 30 race. Getting residents to fill out absentee ballots DURING doorknocking may be the wave of the future - it IS perfectly legal - and that was much more than Samuels' margin over Margo and Valdis. Disclaimer to wave of the future: it's probably easier to get residents to fill out an absentee ballot at the door when there's only one race on the ballot. Other explanations welcome and encouraged. David Brauer King Field 10th ward today, 8th ward down the road _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
