First District Republicans remain without a standard bearer after a bruising, 23-ballot fight between Mike Parry and Allen Quist.
Back when Mike Parry was running in the Senate District 26 special election, Bluestem spent an exciting day at the Waseca City Hall reading minutes of city council meetings, curious about the then-Private Citizen's attempt to sell the small Southern Minnesota city's Maplewood Park for development.
The citizens of Waseca voted him out of office for that one, among other things.
One peculiar issue that Parry also trying to take up at various times was the city's liquor ordinance, objecting to sanctions imposed on businesses whose employees served to minors or who bent other provisions. Parry argued that only the server should be punished, not the employer. It never went anywhere, perhaps because the incentive for businesses to turn a blind eye to wrong-doing while reaping the profits from such behavior is blatantly obvious.
Karma is a bitch, they say.
The AP reports (using material originally reported in the Mankato Free Press by Mark Fischenich) that municipal liquor ordinances stepped into Mike Parry's life once more:
As the exhausted delegates headed for the doors, both candidates said they would have been happy to keep going. But Kato Ballroom Manager Larry Bowers told The Free Press that city liquor ordinances required him to shut down at 2 a.m., even though he wasn't serving liquor.
"I can't afford to lose my liquor license," Bowers said. "... My bosses would fire me."
Bluestem is uncertain where that's karma embracing Parry or Quist as far as the endorsement goes. We're inclined to agree with Josh Moniz's analysis at the New Ulm Journal that Congressman Walz may be its darling.
In Republicans adjourn in First District, still want to endorse, Moniz reports:
Despite the delegates' focus on electing a leader, a common concern began to emerge among delegate speakers as the convention entered the early morning: the intensity and length of the endorsement battle was only helping Walz's congressional campaign.
"We've proven the definition of insanity by doing the same thing, over and over again, while expecting a different result," said one delegate who didn't identify himself.
Another delegate who argued in favor of an earlier vote for no endorsement begged the present delegates to end the proceedings before the candidates' challenges of each other made the race unwinnable.
Read Moniz's piece for details on the free-for-all at the Friday night debate and convention floor action.
Having gotten themselves into this hole, the Republicans intend to keep digging. And the lede for Mankato Free Press political writer Mark Fischenich report,Republicans to try again in May to endorse Parry or Quist, makes Bluestem wonder if he'd sign on as assistant scriptwriter for Emo Senator, Southern Minnesota's most watched telenovela:
The record-setting, exhausting, ultimately fruitless Republican congressional endorsement battle between state Sen. Mike Parry of Waseca and former state Rep. Allen Quist of St. Peter ended just before 2 a.m. Sunday with a television-drama tag-line: To be continued ... .
Mark, give us a call. Writing like this could punch up our ratings:
The mood in the historic ballroom underwent striking changes over the course of the 14-hour marathon. It was light but energized as the candidates made their opening speeches, both using cute-as-button granddaughters as visual aids in emphasizing their concern about how the federal debt will harm future generations.
Parry supporters seemed increasingly grim as his delegate lead shrunk to 142-140 by mid-afternoon. Then, after the Quist momentum stalled and Parry’s numbers climbed, Quist became much more aggressive in his attacks on Parry and the shouts and cheers from the delegates became noticeably more surly.
Quist portrayed Parry as wishy-washy on key issues like taxes and balancing the budget.
“It’s not going to be the mushy guy who’s going to win (in November),” he said. “It’s the consistent conservative who’s going to win.”
Shortly after 8 p.m., Quist brought up Parry’s overwhelming defeat when running for re-election to the Waseca City Council.
“He gets the booby prize for losing by the biggest margin,” Quist said.
But the energy level seemed to be dropping fast, and Parry — who stayed relentlessly on message (I’m the guy who can win in November) — got a tad bit goofy as he improvised in trying to fire up the crowd.
“This is so great!” he shouted. “I just had a sandwich! It was great! I’m ready!”
More staid but able reporting is found at the Rochester Post Bulletin, but loyal fans of Emo Senator should go rest the rest at the Mankato Free Press and the New Ulm Journal. Meanwhile, over in Winona, Emo Senator and The Quistian's archfoe is running like he always runs after receiving his paqrty's foruth endorsement.. The Post Bulletin's Bryan Lund reports:
“I think I am certainly targeted,” Walz said, “because they know that I am resonating.”
Walz’s response to that pressure is to rely on a time-tested strategy.
“I always run like I’m ten points down,” he said, “We’ll just continue on. I think, if anything, I’ve always run the biggest grassroots campaign that’s ever been run in Southern Minnesota. We are now better at it.”
During his acceptance speech, Walz was interrupted three times by standing ovations from the enthusiastic assembly of delegates.
Tune in for the next exciting episode of Emo Senator, Southern Minnesota's most beloved telenovela.
image: Fiddle-dee-dee, The Emo Senaotr will try another day.
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