| Is Congressman Keith Ellison about to endorse Matt Entenza in his bid for Governor?
Could be. Ellison attended Entenza's kickoff fundraiser, the two men marched together in today's May Day parade through Minneapolis, and an email to Entenza's spokesperson was met with a "just wait and see" response.
Ellison would be an interesting get for Entenza. The two worked together in the State House until 2007, when both exited the chamber; one to Washington and the other out of politics after a botched run at Attorney General. During the 2006 cycle, Ellison came out of a crowded endorsement field to win the CD5 DFL endorsement, then won a strongly contested primary, and rode his success among DFLers to a general election win. The activist base -- those most likely to attend precinct caucuses and try to get elected up the ladder -- know Ellison and trust him.
But will that translate to support for Entenza, if an endorsement is indeed coming? Difficult to say. Ellison brings his own superdelegate vote, a good round of media for Entenza, and the ability to put the screws to wavering convention delegates if a floor fight ultimately occurs. But if the comments here on MPP are any indication, there's a good deal of suspicion of Entenza out there among those potential delegates. How well Entenza allays those fears (or doesn't) may have a lot to do with his success in the endorsement race. |
