Richard Painter MN Senate

[Cattledog]

Link to tweet

[madaboutharry]

1. He is a republican.

He is a decent man, and if he runs for Senate must be defeated.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. It's not clear whether he'd be running as a GOPer or an independent.

The web site mentions that he's a long-time Republican but it also emphasizes that he's "independent." I doubt very much that he could win a Republican primary because the state GOP is in Tim Pawlenty's pocket, and it's increasingly obvious that that snake wants the job. If Painter were to run as an independent, though, he could split the GOP vote. The Trumpkins in the rural areas will go for Pawlenty but enough of the suburbanites might vote for Painter to hand the election to the Democrat, Tina Smith.

[Gabi Hayes]

9. Nobody who isnt a cable news junkster knows who he is

That said, I hope he runs Indep

[Rebl2]

3. Hes

a Republican, so no. He’s great on MSNBC, but would like to see him stay there giving his opinion on that thing in the White House.

[TeamPooka]

4. another fucking Republican thread I have to trash.

[BannonsLiver]

7. Trash away

Won’t change the fact it will be a fucking huge battle to hold on to this seat. Some of us predicted that when Franken was being railroaded by anonymous sources and Hannity acolytes, along with a legion of Russian twitter bots stirring the shit pot.

[EffieBlack]

12. Yep.

[kentuck]

5. I like Richard Painter but...

we don't need any more Republicans in Washington.

[scarletwoman]

6. Crap. If he runs as an Independent the Repug will win,

because he'll split the anti-gop vote.

No thanks, Painter. Love your commentaries on TV, but don't need you to run for Senator.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. I'm not so sure. He might pick up enough votes from educated suburbanites

who wouldn't vote for a Democrat but don't like Trump or GOPers aligned with him to split the "conservative" vote. The only announced GOP candidate is a state senator, Karin Housley, a Trump supporter who has been nastily trolling Tina Smith (Franken's replacement) on Twitter. But if awful ex-governor Pawlenty wants the nomination he'll get it. Pawlenty is a snake and he's not very popular except with the GOP party poo-bahs. I think Painter, running as an independent, could split the GOP and ensure a win for Smith.

[EffieBlack]

13. Hes more likely to split the GOP than the Dems

[tritsofme]

14. Im not so sure. He doesnt have a history as a Republican politician in MN

Or a natural base of support in their party, Painter mostly became famous for his anti-Trump advocacy within the last year or so.

If Republicans run a relatively normal candidate, I would be very worried about Painter dividing the anti-Trump vote.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. "If the Republicans run a relatively normal candidate" --

There aren't any relatively normal Republicans any more.

[milestogo]

8. He's no Al Franken.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. Of course not. He's a Republican. He hates Trump, but he's still a Republican.

[nadine_mn]

15. No, but unlike some of our Democratic officials, he had Franken's back

And called it out for the Roger Stone led bogus smear campaign that it was.

Many Minnesota democratic officials disappointed me with their haste to jump on the bandwagon with out giving an ethics investigation a chance.

He has repeatedly called out racist and immigrant bashing and fear mongering by the GOP and trashed not just Trump but all the treasonous jackasses in Congress.

I will vote Democratic as always...but Painter is not cut from the same cloth as Pawlenty, Emmer, Jason Lewis, Coleman, Michele Bachman and other names that have been floated for the seat.