Endorsement Denied

After a rocky start, the Minneapolis City DFLers dug in for what would be a long day. After multiple ballots, and McLaughlin in the lead. The only thing they accomplished was adjourning.

Minneapolis DFLers went home late Saturday without endorsing a candidate in the mayoral contest between incumbent R.T. Rybak and his main challenger, Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin.

After five ballots, McLaughlin led 53 percent to 45 percent. Both candidates got 45 percent on the first ballot, but McLaughlin continued to climb. He did not, however, reach the 60 percent of the delegates required to get the endorsement.

McLaughlin called the results evidence of dissatisfaction with the mayor.

Each candidate had their own spin, Peter's much more positive then R.T.

McLaughlin called the results evidence of dissatisfaction with the mayor.

"This is a huge win," he said. "They're not satisfied with the performance of the sitting mayor."

I am not that keyed in to what happens in Mpls politics, but I have met the mayor on several occasions. He has pulled up a stool at Rock Bottom just to hobnob with the patrons. I found him personable and engaging. Once you meet him, you get the strong feeling he is a 'get things done' kind of guy, which is why he probably said :

"Now we're moving on to my turf, going out and talking to real people," he said of the coming campaign.

RT will do well on the campaign trail, and will easily survive the primary. But we have seen in Minnesota that any thing can happen, at any given time.

There is no such thing as a sure thing, at least not in Minnesota politics.

Flash