My Caucus Turnout - Bad for GOP, Worse for DFL
My senate district (45) lies in a deep blue DFL stronghold. I expected a lower turnout for my GOP caucus in New Hope, about 75% less than showed in 2008: 256 vs. 1,100 in 2008. Many in our local party were disappointed until we read this snip in our local Sun-Post paper:
Low turnout characterized the Senate District DFL caucuses meeting at Robbinsdale Middle School, according to Senate District 45 DFL Chair John LaPointe of Robbinsdale.
Nearly 300 people turned out, compared to 800 in 2006 and 3,600 in 2008, he said.
"It had been trending up every year since 2000," LaPointe said. "This year we anticipated we'd be back up to between 1,000 and 1,200. To have only 300 show up was quite surprising."
I was also surprised at their remarkably low turnout: about 90% less than in 2008. All three of our state legislators are DFL, and one has been in office since Nixon was President: Lyndon Carlson. This lifer has been the subject of bad press recently, being the #1 earner of per diem (daily expenses) in the House last year: almost $17,000 added to his annual salary). Carlson plans to run for re-election in November, along with 45-A Rep. Sandra Peterson and Senator Ann Rest. Two are career politicians and the other (Petersen) is well on her way to joining them.
SD45's DFL Chair offered an explanation for their low turnout: "People say they don't want to get rallied again right now. What I'm getting from a lot of the diehards is that everybody's getting worn out." Given the worn out-looking DFL lifers (pictured at right) representing our district, I can see why they're not rallying. Two GOP candidates are seeking endorsement so far, including Nick Petersen for Rest's seat and Ron Stoffel for Carlson's (endorsement takes place at the SD45 GOP convention in Robbinsdale March 6). The Sun-Post did not mention any Independent Party candidates. There is also a Draft Mark Martin site recently posted to unseat Sandra Peterson. If there's ever a chance to capture frustrated Democrats and Independent voters, this is the year. If Scott Brown could win in blue Massachusetts, there's hope for change in SD45.
Cross-posted and comments welcome at FreedomDogs.
(Photo by Red Bartholomew).
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