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By Phil Krinkie
If you have been following any of the press coverage of the legislative endorsing process around the state over the last month, you could certainly be forgiven for concluding that only Republicans are ousting incumbent House members during the current round of conventions.
There has been story after story about the six House Republicans who voted to override Governor Pawlenty’s veto of the $6.6 billion Transportation bill and subsequently failed to gain their party’s endorsement. The gnashing of teeth and the groans of right wing fanaticism has been unrelenting. A Star Tribune commentary recounting the actions of the endorsing convention in District 41 where Representatives Neil Peterson and Ron Erhardt were seeking re-election was even entitled "Endorsements had the ring of punishment."
Having personally attended the Edina/West Bloomington convention I can only say that Star Tribune readers were treated to an interpretation of a Republican endorsing convention that the vast majority of those in attendance didn’t share. The convention – that took place at South View Middle School in Edina – was among the most civil and smooth-functioning of any I’ve seen in over 20 years of involvement in Republican Party politics.
Yes, some of the speeches at the convention contained tough words and there was expressed disappointment with Rep. Peterson’s and Erhardt’s recent vote to override their Governor’s veto. But despite what media reports would have you believe the delegates’ consideration for support went beyond just "one vote." The majority truly believed these two gentlemen had strayed from the basic principles which guide their party and therefore were denied the Republican endorsement.
The irony is that just across town in North Minneapolis there were two incumbent Democrats that were also denied endorsement at their own District 58 convention. I’m referring to longtime Representative Joe Mullery (who was denied endorsement by Minneapolis School Board member Peggy Flanagan) and freshman Representative Willie Dominguez (who was denied endorsement by Bobbie Joe Champion, a Wellstone Action staffer). Not having attended the District 58 convention personally, I can’t speak as to what was on the minds of the DFL delegates who wanted change, but having been around the political block a few times, my guess is that Mullery and Dominguez weren’t liberal enough.
Having officed next to Rep. Mullery for a couple of years, I can attest to his liberal philosophy and his consistent party-line voting record. But his adherence to the party platform didn’t seem to appease the DFL delegates at his convention. As far as Rep. Dominguez is concerned, it seems to be that the delegates at the convention simply wanted someone else.
The real story here is that while the media has focused their attention on selected Republican endorsement battles, the same events have occurred at DFL conventions with not a word from the mainstream press.
Elected officials are not icons who represent “all of the people.” They are representatives of their party: Republican or Democrat. And if they fail to measure up to the standards or ideals of their party, they risk losing the support or their party whether they are Republicans or Democrats. |
