Tonight: Ventura To Announce Whether He's Running For Senate
Here's something to keep on eye tonight: Jesse Ventura will be appearing on Larry King Live, where he'll announce whether or not he's running for Senate in Minnesota as an independent.
If he is running, it would seriously complicate an already strange race, where Republican Norm Coleman has been leading Al Franken in this blue state. It's not clear whether Ventura's macho image and essentially libertarian platform -- he's opposed to heavy government spending, is socially laissez-faire, and has said he would run as an expressly anti-war candidate -- would draw more votes from Coleman or Franken.
A Minnesota Democratic source told Election Central that nobody really knows what to expect from Ventura. "Our suspicion remains that the governor is, unless he makes clear otherwise, not in fact in the race," the source said. "But let's wait and see."
Late Update: Ventura has announced that he's not running.
Comments (24)
I ain't got time for this fool.
July 14, 2008 5:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's been some polling that has included Ventura in a hypothetical (after tonight perhaps no longer) three-way race. With Ventura included, Franken's already poor numbers fall even lower. Coleman would likely benefit from Ventura hopping into the race.
That being said, something odd is going down. In a state that Obama is leading by some 18 points, the Senate challenger is down by about 10. And this is against Norm Coleman, by many accounts a fool that is surely counting his blessings having any lead at all.
This could definitely become a three-way race, especially considering how much local (and national) publicity the race will get if Ventura enters.
July 14, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am preparing to laugh myself silly, if indeed he runs. It will be a funny campaign to watch him fall over himself repeatedly.
July 14, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why the long face?
July 14, 2008 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
You ninja changed your avatar now my comment looks sillier.
I demand an apology.
July 14, 2008 7:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I apologize profusely! ;)
July 15, 2008 1:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Today's Star Tribune reported that Franken may have a primary challenger after all:
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/25341044.html?location_refer=Homepage:highlightModules:3
July 14, 2008 5:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't there anybody else to take the dem mantle in Minn? It really is distressing. This seat is a gimme for a decent dem candidate. Come on, somebody has to get in this thing!
July 14, 2008 6:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
The thing that disturbs me is that Franken has REAL Pro-DEM and Progressives bonafides and folk are playig little attention to the issues.
July 14, 2008 6:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unfortunately, that's american politics for you. It sucks, but it is what it is.
July 14, 2008 7:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Richard L. Adlof said:
Yeah, that's what I thought. What's going on? Why doesn't Franken have more traction? Does he need money? Or? If the voters in MN aren't paying attention to issues, what are they paying attention to?
July 14, 2008 9:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
jrowe,
Really, there is nothing odd about Minnesotans rejecting Franken for office - politics is not a joke to us, we engage in discussions, we turn out for elections. Though surely Franken's heart is in the right place, a majority of Minnesota voters will in the end not support his campaign, and the state DFL fools who nominated him should be ashamed of themselves. And Coleman, for his part, is trying to run as an independent this year!
Go Jesse! Please run!
July 14, 2008 8:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I often read other posters' critical comments about Al of the is-this-the-best-we've-got? variety, and I think it's unfair. Al's put together a good team, has campaigned hard and has his heart in the right place. He's so obviously bright, thoughtful and determined to act on his conscience that I don't see how you can criticize him, even if he loses.
July 14, 2008 8:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't disagree with your views and I actually like franken as a person. I just want the seat and he won't win it. It's about winning, not likeability. I liked gore too and he lost. I liked dukakis and he lost. I liked, well you get the picture. We need the seat, not another guy or woman that we liked who lost. Please minnesota, come up with another dem candidate, please!
July 14, 2008 8:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
"We" need the seat? Who is "we"? Minnesotans need a Senator to represent us. Now, I like Al. I think his heart is the right place but he'd have been off coming home to Minnesota a few years sooner.
Norm, for sale to the highest bidder though he may be, did in fact bring a hockey team to St. Paul and that hockey team plays in the very same arena in which the Repubicans will hold their national convention. So Norm has some street cred for delivering the goods. Al does not.
But I don't know who you think the locals are going to put up at the last minute. The party has definitely been charisma challenged of late and the Republicans are inevitably going to get all the publicity through the convention at least since it's being held here.
July 14, 2008 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
1. I of course meant the dems as "we" and I did not mean to imply that the senator should not be acting on behalf of minnesota.
2. I have no idea who is an up and commer in minnesota politics on the dem side. I figure that there has to be somebody. Minnesota is a dem trending state. I find it hard to believe that there is nobody in state politics on the dem side that would not be a good fit. I may be wrong, but I find it hard to believe that franken is the best that minnesota has to offer.
July 14, 2008 10:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
As TK so eloquently put it, yes, the Minnesota Dems (DFL) are just as perfectly capable of forming circular firing squads as the national party.
Hence, a (probably_ re-elected Sen. Norm Coleman, just like a re-elected Gov. Pawlenty.
July 14, 2008 8:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks bro
out here
July 14, 2008 8:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Roy,
I don't mean to criticize Franken or his team, their hearts are in the right place.
What is his message? He needs to be more than the anti-war candidate and show us he's committed and smart about something more than that, which he is, but also he needs to scrub himself of his cynical comedic persona. Every joke he tells, every time he smirks, hurts his chances even more.
You know, it sounds frivolous, but might he get a haircut, change his glasses, and wear more conservative suit coats and go a long way toward advancing his campaign that way???
July 14, 2008 8:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ventura just said he wont run. the fact is, he never was going to. He used his decision and CNN for the last few weeks to get some publicity and to plug his book. His reasons for not running were: no pastor and politics is nasty. i kid you not.
This guy is a joke.
July 14, 2008 9:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's really odd that MN people voted Ventura in for governor, but have an issue with Franken. Franken wouldn't be my choice for Senator, I'm against the celebrity thing in general and Franken, while well-educated on the issues doesn't have a clean articulated point of view. As tk pointed out, if there were no war, what else would his views be?
Of course, I am from the state that had a long history of sending celebrities to large policy making positions:
Helen Gahagan, George Murphy, Ronald Reagan, Sonny Bono, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
July 14, 2008 9:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Al has had a lot to say about health care and I think he is quite sincere about that being a major priority.
Jesse Ventura was a mayor of a small suburb before he ran for governor and had built a radio presence. He can speak Minnesotan. Like Arnold he was a celebrity who had an identity in his own state.
Al has been a long time on the upper west side of Manhattan and his radio show played on an AM station with zilch range. No one but passionate lefties like me heard him. People don't identify him with Minnesota.
July 14, 2008 10:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
By the way, this is worth a listen to, particularly considering this political season:
http://www.last.fm/music/Tom+Lehrer/_/George+Murphy
July 14, 2008 9:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oops! Correct link is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph2_5Io3jAc
and starts about 5:10 (The crack about 3 Senators is because RFK was a NY Senator... )
July 14, 2008 9:49 PM | Reply | Permalink