Mr. Gingrich and Mr. West sometime ago had a policy disagreement. Might it be related to Mr. Nixon's "Southern Strategy" and Mssrs. Koch's and Ms. Kiffmeyer's voter ID amendment trainwreck? Notions of a GO Party "big tent" aside, GO Party effort toward an engineered voter "tiny bottleneck" may be an ever-present worry.

And who do you suppose Mr. Gingrich envisioned benefiting?

Add to that a hat tip to a reader who called my specific attention to Allen West, where previously I had only a vague ill-grounded notion of some idiot going around calling the Congressional Progressive Caucus a pack of marxists; Tail Gunner Joe style. I have done some reading about Mr. West. Whatever the criticism some might have, he seems something of a cut above Sarah Palin.

This link. This Google.

Then there is Kos.

Yes, old news from 2011, but it generates a thought of a "candidate know the turf" test. In that, I would want both Ms. Sivarajah and Ms. Whelan to drive Ramsey Blvd, and then expound on Republican tax policy as it relates to local government functioning in fundamental ways the public expects. I think there was much trumpet fanfare about the County Board "holding the line" on taxes, so, candidates, drive that road and explain declining basic spending over a tax-and-spend critical posturing.

In terms of that 2011 SNAFU -- Learn from history or repeat it; but don't make me take a poll test on it.

In terms of history - Ms. Kiffmeyer and history - Secretary of State is an important race in Minnesota politics.