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I think they seek the same seat. While not explicitly said that way, at Residual Forces here, debating one another implies it. Good luck to each of the pea-pod clones. I wonder about the word "debate" since it seems mainly a juxtaposition of two ambitions each having to view the ambitions of others ahead of each, in the GOP line. It used to be there were the Rockefeller Republicans and the Goldwater Republicans. Now as Barny Frank aptly described the new Republicans, it's the White Rabbit vs. the Mad Hatter. With the House full of Republicans who either "think" like Michele Bachmann or are scared of losing a primary to someone who does.
Both Andy and Jen are Emmerites, true and blue to a fault, with Andy to his benefit in my judgment at least seeming the more secular of the two. Whether that may help or hinder him among that bunch, I am not able to guess. Anyway, start with an image, end with an image:
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| Two of them in there? this link |
_____________UPDATE_____________
Interestingly, Andy notes, "You can listen to the podcast here." I think he is using the term "podcast" differently than I envision it. At any rate, I expect Andy may be a Romney supporter, as a matter of rational thought, and Jen a Santorum supporter, as a matter of faith and belief. That's a guess. I don't talk to either.
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I hope rather than being a popularity contest or beauty contest between two individuals that there is at least some voting delegate knowledge and attention paid to possible differences of opinion on Wilfare, referendum prior to Wilfare, gambling, gambling to subsidize Wilfare, Brodkorb as a chance to improve vs a cause to circle wagons and hide heads in the sand, etc. On the question of whether Sen. Michel should have faced an inclusive ethics investigation for timing of Koch-Brodkorb purge politics, I expect each knows close to the heart the proper answer as a good government question, but neither favors anything like a full inquiry while being a party apparatchik candidate.
Even a party functionary election contest can be a constructive thing, or just a match for who can be the harder working apparatchik. And if it comes down to that, feeling as I do I would hope the lesser effective apparatchik is elected, whichever that may be. I have no basis for any opinion on that question, beyond seeing Andy consistently blogging, in an informative way even while clearly partisan. I would call it effective blogging that way. If Jen Niska has had any generally visible presence to the general public, outside of party insiders, I am unaware of it.
Between the two all I really know is one blogs, and both liked Tom Emmer, loser that he proved to be. That and Jen is married to Harry Niska, a lawyer who recently ran for office once in Ramsey but lost by a narrow margin; that being a coincidental fact and not determinative except that Harry Niska also has held a GOP party office and may continue that way, and concentration of offices in a family can be argued against, the way some private sector firms establish anti-nepotism requirements.