urbanMSP

Aside from a couple precincts in Ward 11 and Ward 13, it looks like Anne Mavity didn't really resonate with Minneapolis voters.

We'll see how Marion Greene does. My primary concerns with County business are transportation (bikes, LRT, county stroads, etc.), but I realize they do a great deal more that impacts the most vulnerable in society (healthcare, homelessness, etc.) I'd also like to see the county budget reigned in a little bit, given the shrinking federal resources that fund many county programs and increased property taxes of the past decade. When talking about property taxes, people seem to focus too heavily on the City portion, even though the County and school district are taking nearly as much.

Here are your candidates for Hennepin County in November: http://candidates.sos.state.mn.us/Candi ... didateid=0

Marion Greene it is, I guess...

No one dared challenge McLaughlin or Higgins.

County Commissioner is a good gig if you can get it. Basically a guaranteed seat as long as you want it. No one knows what the county does, and therefore isn't paying enough attention to know if you're doing a good/bad job. Plus it's mostly non-partisan.

Don't forget it's one of the best-paid elected jobs, too. Six figure salary vs $45k (roughly, if you count per diem) for a state legislator.


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If by best paid, you mean they make about as much as some random Target HQ employee, then yes, I suppose they are.

Meanwhile, I'd love to see Eddie Frizell knock off Stanek for Sheriff.

What do we know about Eddie Frizell, other than that he lives in Maple Grove and he did not seek the DFL endorsement (or any endorsement)? What are his political leanings? Stanek is a conservative/Republican, and though the office is officially non-partisan, I believe it matters.

On expanding the role of the Sherriff's Office, drawing the ire of the County Board: http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 42094.html

And of course, pot makes you violent: http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2013 ... iolent.php

Honestly, I don't know a thing about Eddie's political leanings, but I've had a fair amount of interaction with him -- he spent a good amount of time working at the neighborhood level, and he was a guy you couldn't help but like. Perhaps his very pleasant exterior was just masking a heart of coal, but I'd be surprised.

Peter McLaughlin is not running unopposed, Captain Jack Sparrow has filed! http://occupirate.blogspot.com/

Peter McLaughlin apparently doesn't have a Wikipedia page. 5/7 commissioners do. Only he and Jan Callison do not. Is there no justice?!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hennepin_C ... government

Eddie Frizell is really going to have to ramp up that campaign soon. He won't win based on his DFL leanings (vs. Republican Stanek) alone. In a technically non-partisan race for a technically non-partisan position, the incumbent will be heavily favored. If this guy doesn't start getting his name out there and start picking up endorsements (like of state reps, mayors, former mayors, etc.), I think his chances will be slim.

Here's a MinnPost article about the Sheriff's race.

Not that I necessarily trust the employees picking who their boss is, but I thought this was interesting:

In July, a majority of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Deputies Association opted to back Frizell’s campaign. With 87.5 percent of the rank-and-file voting, 75 percent of the members endorsed Frizell, with only 9 percent endorsing Stanek. About 15 percent voted not to make any endorsement.

I'm in the anybody-but-Stanek camp, so I'm glad there's a viable alternative.

I'm in the anybody-but-Stanek camp, so I'm glad there's a viable alternative.

Amen

Stanek has been racking up (liberal) endorsements, including Senator Bobby Joe Champion, County Attorney Mike Freeman, and five Mpls City Councilors:

Minneapolis City Council President Barb Johnson
Minneapolis City Councilmember Abdi Warsame
Minneapolis City Councilmember Andrew Johnson
Minneapolis City Councilmember Blong Yang
Minneapolis City Councilmember Lisa Goodman

I'm no fan of Stanek, but I'm also not yet convinced that Frizzell is a credible/formidable opponent. It certainly looks like an uphill battle against a strong incumbent.

I was shocked to see all the Stanek signs in St. Louis Park yesterday. A Stanek sign is likely taboo in most Mpls neighborhoods.

There are several Stanek signs in my Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood. But I suspect it is some form of Polish solidarity.

Quite a few Stanek signs down in Richfield as well.

I think Frizell may have entered the race too late (i.e. well after DFL caucuses/conventions this spring) and just doesn't have the infrastructure in place to run a strong campaign. It seems like he's shaping up to be little more than a protest vote. I'll probably still vote for him, but thus far I'm disappointed in his campaign's reach and endorsements. I imagine the Strib will endorse Stanek, unless they have a specific grudge against him.

Yep, they endorsed Stanek: http://www.startribune.com/opinion/edit ... 81232.html

Southside Pride (Ed Felien) endorsed Frizell of course...

Rich Stanek has been the bully boy for breaking up demonstrations and ending occupied homes. Also, while he was a state representative, he carried and passed the legislation to eliminate city residency for city employees—which might have made the Minneapolis police a little more sympathetic to Minneapolis residents. He is so unpopular that the Hennepin County Deputies Association endorsed Frizell 8 to 1.

It's really too bad Frizell didn't announce his campaign way back in the early spring and gather the endorsement of the Hennepin County DFL. Though the endorsement itself wouldn't have meant much, just being active in the party at the time would have helped his campaign get some money earlier. He started late and clearly is running on a limited budget. Stanek continues to get endorsements and supportive LTE in the Journal, etc. I think I'm more disappointed that it isn't a competitive race than I am that Frizell is going to lose. If Frizell had even rallied the hardcore Minneapolis lefties to his cause, this would be an interesting contest in an election year with little else to care about. With Dayton and Franken sailing to easy reelection, this should have been the preeminent race in the west metro, but it's barely attracting any attention at all.

I can relate...

Finally, some good political news. http://m.startribune.com/politics/state ... ?section=/