Bluestem suspects that our Minnesota readers will soon have so much of post-primary analysis that they'll soon tire of politics and go boating.
Thus, we'll leave the word count to folks who draw a steady income from such things, and make one fox-like observation. Two of Tuesday's upsets share one common thread: dinosaurs.
Or evolution, as it were.
In Minnesota's First Congressional District, former Beltway lobbyist, Treasury employee and son of a former congressman Jim Hagedorn beat endorsed candidate Aaron Miller. Miller would have seemed to have it all: a military background that matched that of incumbent Congressman Tim Walz, camera-ready good looks, a job in bio-tech.
And Alan Quist's endorsement.
Quist, who sought the office in 2010 (as did Hagedorn, though Hayfield Republican Randy Demmer got the nod and lost to Walz) and 2012, losing by double-digits to Walz in November, liked Miller. Miller was endorsed in early April, and Hagedorn agreed to abide, but after Miller's lackluster state, he jumped again in feet first.
Part of Miller's stumbling was a journalistic "catch" by Mankato Free Press staff writer Josh Moniz, who reported that Miller talked about his opposition to public schools teaching evolution to his daughter; Bluestem looked at the flap here.
The remarks gained national attention, and connected Miller to Quist's claims that humans and dinosaurs had walked the earth together.
Miller latter said his story was "purely an analogy."
Once back in the race, Hagedorn out hustled Miller in campaigning, though not fundraising. Hagedorn started the quarter with $11894.35 cash on hand; Walz had $541,913.61 in the bank. Hagedorn beat Miller in a 53.87 percent to 46.13 percent spread with nearly 99 percent of precincts counted.
Perhaps candidates' handlers will learn to keep an eye on Moniz; he also broke the 2012 story in which Quist primary challenger Mike Parry said at a fundraiser that Governor Mark Dayton "popped pills" at meetings.
Big Bone Bob Frey stumbles in 47A
Prior to Bluestem's prying into House candidate Bob Frey's closets, few knew much about the beliefs of retiring state representative Ernie Leidiger's hand picked heir to the safe red seat in Carver County. Frey enjoyed the endorsement of other conservative state representatives as well. Sensible conservative Waconia mayor Jim Nash and Frey deadlocked the local endorsing convention.
Beginning in the spring, Bluestem mined Frey's peculiar ideas about HIV, creation science and of course, those giant bones. As we pointed out, Quist and Frey had some history together. The research was picked up around the country.
Given the fact that a fiscal conservative, staunchly pro-gun Republican alternative to Frey was in the race, Republican leaders like Senator Dave Thompson and Senate Minority Leader David Hann endorsed Nash, who also picked up the support of gun rights groups.
Tonight, as both of the guys with evolution and Allen Quist in their portfolio ride off into the sunset, we recommend keeping those skeletons in the closet. Just saying.
Cartoon: Allen Quist rides off into the sunset, and we hope he's taking these two with him.
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