You have clearly stated my theme on this site for the past six months. If the "big boys" (no offense intended to "big girls") are willing to challenge Gordo face-to-face, then let's hear it NOW and let's get going. If not (and so far, I am hearing nothing), then let's invite all the current and former state legislators (party switchers too), state treasurers, former national art endowment supervisors, former Harvard law students, current and former trout and salmon advocates, and everyone else to have a go at it. You will most likely not win, but it will be a hell of a learning experience.

I agree... we need to flesh out the candidates, regardless of if you (or me) thinks they be tier B or topshelf. Best run them through some sort of sorting machine to sort things out, sort of.

My gut churns when I hear that the insiders are all going to agree on a candidate, which the base is then expected to endorse. That's the traditional formula that gets us to the perpetual lesser of two evils scenario in November.

If Democrats are really committed democrats, let them open their process and find a way to really engage the grassroots and the netroots and identify a candidate that is not Smith-lite, someone who is really committed to public needs, not someone who simply rolls over every time corporations whine for more tax cuts and regulatory exemptions.

Dan, Good to hear from you. My guess is that one reason Ron won in January but Gordon won in November is because Ron' campaign had, as you say, a great candidate and a serious grassroots-driven, winning strategy to mount this challenge.

The people who ran the Salem office in January 1996 (sorry I don't recall their names a decade later) were the very model of the sort of people we need on major campaigns.

One small quibble: The trick to winning elections is to attract the votes of swing voters, the folks who wouldn't read a blog like this and who don't eat, drink, dream about politics. One way to do that is to avoid jargon. Most folks think of US Senators, members of Congress, members of the legislature, etc. generically as elected officials, not "the electeds". That term sounds like a way to differentiate campaign staffers from the folks who win elections and are sworn into office.

Clear language ("I wish a member of Congress or a statewide elected official would decide to run for US Senate", for example) costs nothing but a little attention, and doesn't sound like jargon.

Dan, Good to hear from you. My guess is that one reason Ron won in January but Gordon won in November is because Ron' campaign had, as you say, a great candidate and a serious grassroots-driven, winning strategy to mount this challenge.

The people who ran the Salem office in January 1996 (sorry I don't recall their names a decade later) were the very model of the sort of people we need on major campaigns.

One small quibble: The trick to winning elections is to attract the votes of swing voters, the folks who wouldn't read a blog like this and who don't eat, drink, dream about politics. One way to do that is to avoid jargon. Most folks think of US Senators, members of Congress, members of the legislature, etc. generically as elected officials, not "the electeds". That term sounds like a way to differentiate campaign staffers from the folks who win elections and are sworn into office.

Clear language ("I wish a member of Congress or a statewide elected official would decide to run for US Senate", for example) costs nothing but a little attention, and doesn't sound like jargon.

andrew simon is absolutely right.

amy klobuchar was an unknown until she made it through the primary. mark kennedy was the republicans silver horse. he was their start candidate; the future of the MN gop, and originally the national gop's top priority pick-up opportunity.

i look forward to and expect a healthy primary.

As a former Minnesotan with family still in the state who give me periodic political updates, two factoids about Amy Klobuchar. She was a very popular elected official in Hennepin County, in the heart of the Twin Cities, Minnesota's major population base. In addition, my understanding is that her father is Jim Klobuchar who was a very popular newspaper columnist. So the Klobuchar name had a certain name recognition outside of politics.

"The trick to winning elections is to attract the votes of swing voters, the folks who wouldn't read a blog like this and who don't eat, drink, dream about politics."

Words of wisdom from the invertebrate branch of the Democratic party. I think I heard some idiot pollster say the same thing recently. I should become a Republican, as that may be the only way the Democratic party will have an interest in my vote.

Democrats in Congress need to make use of the next year wisely. Bless the crimes of the Bush administration by doing nothing, which is happening now, and I won't be able to give Democrats my vote. The Democratic party is trading away Democrats for the know nothings. Of course that makes picking up the swingers that much more important.

<h2>The reason Wyden won in January and Smith won in November was because the January election was vote-by-mail and the November election was poll voting. Period. They're different animals and yield different results.</h2>