Some thoughts on the upcoming midterms in Minnesota.
Stauber will win handily in the Eighth District, which is the one I live in. This area, which was once a DFL stronghold, will flip to the GOP despite the influx of money for Radinovich. He’s a week candidate and the district went strongly for Trump in the last election. The DFL has a lot of lawn signs in Duluth but no strength outside the city. Trump’s support of extractive industries has resonated strongly with miners and there’s a very distinct anti-big government vibe out in rural areas. Radinovich will go down in flames.
Keith Ellison’s nomination for attorney general was a gift to the GOP. His opponent, whoever he or she is, will win big. Ellison might be a popular figure in the Twin Cities but in rural Minnesota, not so much and the allegations of domestic abuse fit the unfortunate stereotype of the out of control black man. Being Muslim puts the nail in his electoral coffin. Who in the world thought this would fly with outstate Minnesotans? Oh, yeah, the Democrats, the same people who nominated another Clinton and gave the election to Trump. Make no mistake, I’m an FDR New Deal-loving Democrat to the core but the leadership of the party at the national and state level is witless, feckless and incompetent. They’re almost as much a party to the destruction of this country as the GOP. You either fight or you’re complicit. I’ll hold my nose and vote for Ellison and, as usual, see my vote mean nothing as he loses.
Tim Walz should win the governorship but it will be very close. He’s a nice guy, very sincere and I’ve thought so ever since he spoke at my older son’s army commissioning years ago. I told him I wished I could vote for him (I didn’t live in his district) and now I can. I think he’ll be a good governor. I don’t know who or what his opponent is besides an empty suit.
I’m not confident about a “Blue Wave” this November, not at all. The GOP is too entrenched at all levels to give up power without a lot of voter suppression, dirty tricks, misleading ads and who knows what else. The Democrats will, as usual, be caught with their pants down and noses in the air. The Trump Regime will continue to hollow out and assault our institutions for the benefit of their corporate and special interest puppet masters until this country is sold at a fire sale.
