Sad news: Scotty Mortensen withdrawals candidacy for CD6.

[Demrock6]

If you have not yet, please take a moment to visit www.scottymortensen.com and see what we lost. I hope he does not give up the ambition to run for office again in the future be it state or federal. In an email to supporters:

I began this campaign as an ordinary citizen to run for US Congress to speak up for the interests of everyday people. Unfortunately, we have not generated enough contributions and support to continue. I now formally withdraw from the 6th District Congressional race. These 2006 elections are critical for Democrats to take every possible seat in order to regain control of one, or both houses of Congress to force Republicans to begin to deal honestly with the American people. I feel I can best help the Democratic Party by stepping aside now. In the coming weeks and months, I will be contemplating how I can best help effect political change in our state and nation. I wish to thank all those who have helped and contributed to my campaign. One of the best things that has come out of this is all the wonderful friends I have gained throughout the campaign, and that alone has made it worth it.
Sincerely,

Scott Mortensen
-----------------------

Perhaps drop him a thank you note. It is one this to complain online, but another to have the courage to run for office. Keep up the good fight Scott!

Demrock6

[Minnesota Raindog]

1. That's really unfortunate

Now the Washington kingmakers and party hacks will get their wish with another Janet Robert clone in Elwyn Tinklenberg. Anti-gay, anti-choice, pro-gun. Unless, of course, Patty Wetterling made the right choice and jumped back into the 6th District race where she belongs.

[CatholicEdHead]

3. Will Wetterling switch races?

Does Amy Klobuchar have the lead in the primary race so far?

Is a Klobuchar vs Kennedy or Wetterling vs Kennedy race the better one?

I am a Klobuchar supporter and my Republican-leaning parents (not hard core Kool-Aid drinkers) were very open at the State Fair to Klobuchar and thought Wetterling was too inexperienced.

The best stragety may be Klobuchar vs Kennedy for the Senate Race and Wetterling vs Bachmann for the 6th.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. That makes more sense to me, too

But it's too bad about Scotty. I enjoyed meeting him at the picnic this summer.

I hope he finds something else to run for.

[Spike from MN]

5. Yeah, I agree.

I just think those are better match-ups.

Bummer that Scotty dropped out. I still think he'd be a great Rep. I hope he decides to run for office again in the future. IMHO, he's just the kind of guy we need in Washington.

[Carolab]

8. I think that's better, too.

I was originally for Patty but wonder whether or not she's tough enough...although I have heard Amy can be "divisive"--which given the person who said this I would take to mean not necessarily on the progressive side of the fence. Certainly a VAST improvement over Kennedy. I think Patty would do well to keep on working locally, too. She'd easily clobber that wacko Michelle Bachman.

[goodhue]

2. that is too bad

[DemonFighterLives]

6. Scotty, Sorry to see ya go

Now regroup and get back in there!

[katinmn]

7. Damn!

Scotty was an extremely hard-working, passionate, and progressive candidate. I wish the DCCC would have supported him.

Now CD6 gets a Repub Congresscritter for sure. Patty doesn't look like she's switching races to me.

[Demrock6]

9. In fairness to Elwyn Tinklenberg....

Yes he is to the right of most of us, but he is not as far to the right as I had once thought. I was at a candidate forum between Tinklenberg and Mortensen last week. My biggest fear was that Tinklenberg would not be a fighter, I think I was wrong. think of him as a Harry Reid candidate. Tinklenberg strongly supports the core Democratic values that happen on a day to day basis in the House. We already have wedge issues dividing the country, we do not need wedge issues dividing the Democratic party. Like it or not but it is time for us to get united behind our candidate. If we are not united behind our endorsed candidates be it Senate, Governor, or whatever repukes win.


That being said one of Scott's strengths was he was not well polished. He was a real person, fighting for real people and was proud of it. Mortensen was ready to fight with the fury and passion of Paul Wellstone!! Man I am bummed. Paraphrasing from the forum:

"I may stand up here and be a little shaky. I am not a polished career politician. I have not built any sports stadiums. But as a single father taking care of my little girl I know what everyday people go through. I will always fight for the common man."

Something along them lines anyway. Demrock6

[liberalconscious]

10. I prefer Patty personally

I do not understand why people believe that Kloubchar is a better senate candidate than Wetterling. I know Klobuchar can raise a lot more money, but there is no way that she will raise more money than Kennedy. This is especially true when considering all of the out of state money that will flowing into this election as it is one of the few races that Republicans have a chance in winning.

I also am not convinced that Klobuchar can can gain votes in area outside of the Twin Cities. It is a given that any DFL candidate will get the Twin Cities, but what about the rest of Minnesota? Patty has already proved her ability to get votes in these areas. In her congressional race she did better in the 6th district than Clinton, Kerry, Dayton, and even Wellstone ever did. She was even able to convince 4% of the people who voted for Bush to vote for her instead of Kennedy.

I also believe that the only way that the democratic party will be able to regain power is to put more resources toward grassroots organizing the way Wellstone did. The Republicans have been out-organizing democrats for way too long. Wellstone showed the importance of organizing in his senatorial campaigns. When you compare the grassroots organizing of Wellstone's campaigns to the to the grassroots organizing of Patty's campaign she is off to a great start. In Wellstone's first senatorial race he received contributions from 30,000 people. Patty already has contributions from over 13,500 people. Those numbers tell me that Patty is our best chance in out-organizing and beating Kennedy.

Those are my reasons that I support Patty. I am interested in hearing why people are supporting Amy though.