Failed GOP Campaign Strategy in Minnesota.

[MineralMan]

The Republican opponent of Al Franken in Minnesota, Mike McFadden, is pretty much a one-note campaigner. Every ad points out that Franken has "voted with Obama 97% of the time." That's about all they've got. Beyond that, it's slogans like, "I'll straighten out America and put it on the right track," whatever the heck that might mean.

Current polls have Franken ahead +11.5%. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2014/senate/mn/minnesota_senate_mcfadden_vs_franken-3902.html

As long as Democrats show up at the polls, Al Franken has this one easily.

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Really glad to hear that.

Franken's most assuredly one of the good ones.

[riqster]

2. "As long as Democrats show up at the polls, Al Franken has this one easily. "

As long as Democrats show up at the polls,

Truth.

[MineralMan]

3. Well, MN has always had a strong reputation for GOTV

efforts. I wish everywhere was as dedicated to that.

Minnesotans have grown to like Franken very well. He even has Republicans endorsing him in his own ads. Very effective, particularly the minimum wage series of ads. Good stuff.

[hifiguy]

13. Like Wellstone, Franken

Rolled up his sleeves and embraced the grunt work of constituent service and building relationships throughout the state. He gets things done and people find out that he is effective and they wind up respecting him even if they dont always agree with him.

[yeoman6987]

4. I would be disappointed in the state that voted

Against President Reagan would be for a GOP candidate. This was the only correct state in 1984.

[MineralMan]

5. Like many states, MN is basically a Democratic state.

However, also like most states, it's also pretty evenly divided. In any given election, it can also elect Republicans. In 2010, for example, Republicans won thin majorities in both houses of our state legislature. In 2012, the voters wisely reversed that decision, after the Republicans introduced a number of ALEC-written bills and constitutional amendments. Those all failed and in 2013, we passed a marriage equality law.

So far, it looks like the state has settled, once again, into a Democratic majority state. Voter turnout is a crucial factor here, as elsewhere.

[yeoman6987]

6. Thank! I didn't realize it was evenly split

Glad to see it has corrected itself since 2010.

Good luck in November! We're all pulling for you!

[MineralMan]

8. MN leans Democratic, but the margin isn't that large, statewide.

[IVoteDFL]

12. People are fond of Walter Mondale here

If the Dem running against Reagan had been someone else MN might have voted for Reagan in '84 too. Though I am very proud of the fact that we didn't.

[IVoteDFL]

7. Mikey's ads make him look like a doofus

My favorite is the one that says if he ever votes with any president 97% of the time he'll pack up his things and leave Washington. Just made him come off as desperate and a quitter.

[MineralMan]

9. My favorite was the one where Franken was supposed

to be backing a boat trailer badly. It wasn't Franken, of course, but it also wasn't McFadden who smoothly backed the trailer, either, in the commercial. Bogus. As if the ability to back up a boat trailer is relevant to being a US Senator.

[IVoteDFL]

11. Hardly any of his ads have anything relevant to being a US Senator

I've wondered if he even knows what a Senator does. A lot of his ads attempt to be humorous too. I don't know if he thinks that will make him seem more down to earth or if it is a jab at Franken's prior career. The first one with the kid punching him in the nuts was ridiculous. What about that was supposed to make people want to vote for him? I liked the one where he is "waiting" for Al Franken to show up at the debate too. It was running literally up until an hour of their debate.

[sarisataka]

10. I have noticed most MN GOP ads

focus on how they are willing to work with Dems and go against their own party...
Makes one wonder, is there some reason they are embarrassed to be associated with their own party? Even McFadden touts himself as "independent"

Less than a month and we can send Al back for six more years without a six month wait on recounts.

{also I find that statement "voted with Obama 97%" of the time to be odd. Last I checked, the President does not cast a vote in the senate}

[TlalocW]

14. Good. I want Al to die in office after a long political career...

If only to piss off Bill O'Reilly.

If Bill kicks it first then Al can do what he wants.

TlalocW