Bob CollinsDFL Chair Ken Martin provided a how-to in alienating voters of Woodbury with his reaction to Jason Lewis’ announcement that he’s entering the race for Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, even though he lives in the 4th Congressional District. In this case, Woodbury.
Here’s Martin’s press release:
It’s nice to see so much interest in the second congressional district this election cycle, however Jason Lewis and his extreme priorities are out of sync for this district. Even the Republicans in CD 2 would be embarrassed by Lewis’ far-right views, not to mention the fact that he doesn’t even live in the South Metro.
His radical views may play in Woodbury but they won’t resonate with families throughout the 2nd district.
Lewis is nationally known for his radical opinions and backwards rhetoric and the last thing Minnesota families need is to send another dysfunctional voice to Washington.
In a time when so little is getting done for the American people in Washington, we can’t afford to send another divisive ideologue to Congress who has no interest in doing what is best for the people of the 2nd Congressional District, only in doing what is best for the far right wing of his party.”
Why would “radical views” play in Woodbury?
DFL politicians have had success there on a regular basis. One of two state representatives is a member of Martin’s party.
The state senator is also a DFLer. Susan Kent knocked off GOP incumbent Ted Lillie in the last election.
A previous state representative — a Republican — was one of the five GOPers who broke with the party to vote to allow same-sex marriage in Minnesota.
In the 2012 constitutional amendments that would ban same-sex marriage, voters in both of the city’s legislative districts easily turned the attempt aside, by a wider margin than many of the larger communities in the 2nd District.
Not exactly radical Republicanism there.
Oh, the congresswoman representing Woodbury is a DFLer.
It’s true that Woodbury leans more right than left, but it’s also more purple than red, and the legislative seats have often been swing seats.
It’s also an area that state DFL leaders have never quite understood since its Democratic pedigree is more centrist than leftist, which — outside of Minneapolis and the Iron Range — is how you get a Democrat elected.
