That screenshot, if you click and enlarge the image, shows a "Siefert" endorsement in a prominent location - but appearances are deceiving. Especially to the occasional site visitor - me, as the example.
For it is not an endorement, not yet.
It is a paid-for political advertisement [these days a corporation could pay] and not any indication MDE is yet, offically, committed to one of the several GOP guv hopefuls.
This link explains things, and I hope Luke at MDE will appreciate my helping get this message out that, although the site is no longer run by Brodkorb as Brodkorb ran it, (we know that for we have been told that), there has not been any policy change to endorsing any individual, on the site, this early in things.
Now one confusing thing remains, or it is confusing to me because I see it having no explanation. The fact that Joe Repya is running for governor on the IP ticket, or seeking that endorsement, which is big-time news, gets this inattention on GOP blogs - see the "Repya" Googles for MDE and Let Freedom Ring. There are hits, the Googles show that, but nothing recent, about the candidacy for Governor. I would have thought Repya still had substantial grassroots support and credibility among Republicans, particularly those initially liking Pat Anderson and now Tom Emmer and whose orientation can only be guessed at should their favorites end up short of endorsement. It seems it would be noteworthy news that Repya is a candidate, to at least parts of the GOP.
But not a peep.
Yet in the past, there was this positive on Repya's service, while negative on Kerry.
This, singing praises.
Now it's time to bury Ceaser, not to praise him?
Old soldiers never die, might they just fade away?
I am confused.
Could anyone explain this to me. I have exchanged email with Gary Gross, (not Luke Hellier), but that's nothing public. From the email I think it is fair to say Gary discounts Repya's candidacy as inconsequential. By implication it appears MDE as policy or opinion, does too.
I kind of like the guy for having been willing to not blindly follow a beaten path.
Clearly Joe Repya is not within my range of politics, not a progressive - barely arguably a moderate as I see it - but he is a maverick military man, like GOP regular, John McCain.
Maybe, now this is my thought alone, I've not discussed it with anyone, but maybe to get his name and, indeed, his ongoing existence recognized on MDE these days, he should run a prominently featured paid advertisement.
_________UPDATE_________
Here's a screenshot of the Repya website opening page. Like the Rybak site it has an opening "Join the team" page, with a toggle to get into the detail of the website.
Somebody should give the guy attention. I expect the IP will. I expect he will be their endorsed choice. There's a Minnesota nice look to it. But get inside and look around - especially if an independent unsure of whether GOP or DFL two party choices would appeal.
What do you figure it would cost the Repya campaign, to get that same page as the opening page to access MDE? As a paid advertisement, which they're accepting.