The Arne Endorsement

The governorship is the DFL's to lose, and they have been good at that. Four years ago the seat was all but secured, but then a mis-step, and mis-speak, and a Right Wing smear machine that can twist reality better than Dune was folding space, turned the tide.

Now the Republicans have a new tool in their arsenal. A Republican Independent Candidate with a plan to protect corporate interests on the back of the Low and middle class. This candidate wants to expand the most regressive of taxes into the sacred cow of clothing. I am convinced it is a way to make him look liberal, to siphon votes, see, it is the only way the Right can win. And Arne is in on it:

Former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson is climbing on a campaign bus this morning with Independence Party candidate Tom Horner, whom he is endorsing in the governor's race.

"I'm calling this the Common Sense Tour and common sense indicates you can't grow Minnesota by taxing those people who grow jobs," Carlson said.

But they think they CAN grow jobs by raising taxes on those that don't even have them.

Seriously, the Right knows they have an unwavering base that will vote for anything with an R on it, as long as it is moving, and in some cases, it doesn't even have to be moving. But this base isn't quite big enough to ensure another plurality victory, so they need a splitter, a spoiler, someone who can balance out the remaining voters to allow their candidate to sneak in again. Lest not forget the last two elections:

2002 Gov Race
46.7 Rep
45.7 DFL
06.4 Indy

2002 Gove Race
44.4 Rep
37.2 DFL
16.4 Ind

So in comes Former Republican Governor Arne Carlson with an attempt to keep Horner in the news, with a perception of bi-partisanism. The Right won't budge, they have an election to win, but the Left may start to move which may make Horner appear viable. And THAT is all the Right needs to find an opening.

It's part of the plan, and Arne is in on it!

Flash