Former Congressman Rick Nolan, looking to make a comeback after a 30-year hiatus, is announcing some support for his bid to the get Democratic backing to take on Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack in the 8th District.
Nolan, who served in Congress from 1975 to 1981 in the old 6th District, said he’s got backing from state Rep. John Persell of Bemidji, the assistant House minority leader, and former state senator and gubernatorial candidate Becky Lourey. Earlier, he’d announced the support of state Rep. Ryan Winkler and former state Rep. Tim Faust.
It may seem early to be announcing this kind of support, but Democrats are practically falling over themselves to run against Cravaack, who surprised everyone by beating longtime Congressman Jim Oberstar in 2010. That came in the nation-wide Republican resurgence. The seat has been in the blue column for decades, and now Cravaack has announced that his family is moving to New Hampshire, which means in addition to overcoming the sophomore jinx, he may have to battle charges of carpetbagging.
Other announced Democrats in the race are Duluth City Council Member Jeff Anderson and former state Sen. Tarryl Clark, who lost to Congresswoman Michele Bachmann in a different district in 2010.
Falling over themselves? I wish it were so. The list of top-tier Democrats who declined to run here is shockingly long: Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon, state Sen. Roger Reinert, Duluth Mayor Don Ness, former state House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, state Rep. Tom Rukavina, and state Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk. I think that’s all of `em – and that’s quite a list!
Hopefully someone will reconsider, since Cravaack has gotten off to a very rough start and is unlikely to get a much friendlier district via redistricting. But really, the story here is how many big-name Dems don’t want to run.
If Nolan runs in the primary – he will win and easily beat Cravaack – yes, he of the New Hamsphire Cravaack’s.
Nolan is the best retail politician in the DFL and no one else is close. He fits the district perfectly. He could end up winning with close to 60% of the vote. If the DFL goes with Clark it would be a carpetbagger vs carpetbagger contest with Chip winning.