'No Endorsement' is the best endorsement

Tomorrow the DFL State Central Committee convenes to consider endorsement of a Attorney General Candidate. It is my hope that clear heads prevail, and that the members allow the people of Minnesota to make the call on this one.

This is real simple. All three candidates will remain on the ballot regardless of what happens Saturday. All three candidates are competent and qualified to hold the office. However each candidate brings their own strengths to the table. For a small group of party loyalists to meet in August to throw a dart on this one deprives the DFL electorate of a fair and untarnished view of these candidates.

I am joining others in the Minnesota Blogosphere requesting the DFL State Central Committee to take a pass on this endorsement. The voting public will have ample time to vet these candidates during this short election cycle. They are the ones who will be served by the primary victor. Let's give them the opportunity to select the most qualified and competent candidate to server as AG.

Flash

UPDATE: WOW!, Wege and I agree on something:

This Saturday will be an acid test. If they endorse an AG candidate — any of them — they will have failed. There is absolutely nothing to be gained by endorsing one of three such highly qualified candidates. An endorsement will be one big F### you to everyone in the party that disagrees with the party apparatus.

And again, if they endorse, I'll be voting for one of the two other folks, regardless of who they pick.

Democracy means letting the people pick. Not the media, not the DFL, not some jackass in DC. When you do the picking for the people, they tend not to care so much, and then you lose.

I'm tired of losing, even if the DFL isn't.

No endorsement this Saturday.

My guess is he'll have more later! (I guessed correctly)

MinnPolitics:

There will be a primary, so it's not like an endorsement will end that. I can certainly see why some people think an endorsement at this stage is a bit pointless.

Luke at New Patriot:

I hope the SCC will vote for no endorsement. All the candidates will be on the ballot no matter what, and that only one candidate is actively seeking the endorsement.

The DFL delegates already picked a candidate for AG at the State Convention. He turned out to be not such a good choice after all, but I don't think it's right for the SCC to make the choice in the name of all the delegates who will not get to decide the second time around.

I don't have a preference in this race yet, but I think all the candidates are fine Democrats and would make a good AG.

'Just Say No' from the BotML:

As a blogger, it’s incumbent on me to tell people what to do even if they don’t care, and as an alternate to the committee, I might even be able to affect the outcome. Either way, I know who I plan to back.

Nobody.

It’s not that I don’t have a lean on this race. Put a gun to my head, and I’d probably back Steve Kelley right now. But there’s no gun to the DFL’s head, and no good reason for us to pick a front-runner in this truncated contest. All three candidates are appealing. Steve Kelley ran hard for Governor and impressed people with his gracious exit from the race, and he deserves much love for leading the charge against Cheri Yecke. Bill Luther is a former congressman with a solid record of accomplishment, and a skilled campaigner. Lori Swanson is the rawest politician of the group, but having served as Solicitor General, she might be the best-qualified to serve. Each candidate brings something valuable to the table, and all are superior to the candidates the Republicans are fielding.

Matt at MNPublius agrees:

I do agree that a not endorsing anyone and leaving it to the primary may be the best move right now,

AG (Truth Surfer) and Lapis (Broken Nails) agree in Wege's comments:

Ag wrote:
you can add me to this list too, for whatever it is worth

the SCC should not endorse before the primary.

Lapis wrote:
I'm right there with you. No endorsement.

One of the arguments that I've heard for endorsing is to get full financial support from the DFL. The DFL should just fully support the DFL candidate that the people choose on Sept 12.

Noah (Blanked-Out)

MN AG 2006: an endorsement would be unfair
August 11th, 2006

The DFL State Central Committee meets tomorrow in Sauk Rapids. There are three impeccably qualified candidates for Attorney General. Everything I’ve heard, read and been told has confirmed that any of these candidates would be both good for the job and would be competitive against Jeff Johnson.* I am advocating for no endorsement and automatic endorsement for the winner of the primary.