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| Talk things over with people you trust, Jim. There are options where your skill set might fit best. Perhaps in a smaller law-making body. (photo credit: Strib) |
... and, again hearsay, Aplikowski got endorsed for the SD35 special election.
Reader help on confirming this would be greatly appreciated.
If so, Abeler is free to weigh options, including a more local seat in a non-partisan way that could be a refreshing thing for him, if a majority of his GOP conveners went that way, in a rancorous undisciplined fashion. Not being there, but outside that tent looking in, I can only guess at rancor levels and such.
As soon as any reader learns whether Abeler will mount an SD35 GOP primary challenge or not, the courtesy of a notice to Crabgrass readers would be helpful.
_____________UPDATE_____________
One thing I have appreciated about Jim Abeler, over time; he is attentive to email inquiry regardless of the politics of the sender.
In response to an email, (and possibly in light of the above concluding paragraph) he noted this morning:
I'm all in. [...] please remind people to vote for me on Tuesday, Jan 12.
if you have any good sign locations, I'm in the market.
[emphasis added] While liking Abeler's approach rather than any slash-and-burn alternative there may be on the GOP side, his Jan. 12 message is for all, DFL crossover voters included.
The Governor's Writ of Election sets Jan 12, 2016, for any necessary party primary contests, (with Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016, being the determinate election date for the SD35 special election). In the dead of winter, both dates, so let us all hope for a good weather turnout.
IN THE LAND OF THE BLIND THE ONE-EYED MAN IS KING.
Hopefully, neither Abeler nor his supporters will take great offense at that terminology. As one closer to Wellstone in sentiment but feeling Paul was a bit too moderate, that is how I feel, and it is fair to all that I say so.
The Crabgrass position, implicitly clear already but worth explicit stating: Should there be a DFL primary contest, (with none apparent at present with Roger Johnson presently the only DFL candidate, and a good one, as a moderate), I would vote that ballot.
However, if Johnson remains unopposed within the DFL when Jan 12 arrives; I would walk or crawl on hands and knees through eight feet of snow and howling winds if needed, to reach a polling place to crossover vote the GOP ballot, favoring Jim Abeler.
Any progressive in my position can view Jim Abeler as a sensible, well-grounded but clearly right-of-center moderate, who, while far from my own politics that way, is head-and-shoulders more appealing than an inexperienced and overly abrupt and opinionated trailer camp landlord who stands as a zealot of the new GOP local leadership putsch.
To me at least that is a crystal clear viewpoint. And this is said with an understanding that Abeler would stand the better chance of defeating Johnson in the February 2016 special election, so that some DFL insiders obviously might wish for an Abeler primary defeat as more favorable to Johnson's ultimate prospects and opportunity.
The only question relevant to me after that clarification: Should Abeler not win in February, could he still then offer a candidacy for some other office or would he be time-barred? Any reader on top of deadlines for filings who could answer that question is invited to comment. There is the county board, where my understanding is that Abeler resides in a board district that will be contested on the November 2016 general election ballot.
___________FURTHER UPDATE____________
Of interest, in September a Ramsey blogger picked Aplikowski, bio here.
Judging fairly, the online blogging is premised on belief set, not on any easily suggested limitation.
Others however, ...
___________FURTHER UPDATE__________
Brodkorb reports for Strib, this link for detail.
A question for our Republican friends: Presuming Abeler wins his primary (likely dependent on turnout which for special elections in the cold of winter is an uncertain factor), then will Aplikowski resume hos blogging, and if so, would he be supportive of Abler, or go back to whining over the Pawlenty veto override, etc.? Andy's habit was to scrupulously observe Reagan's Eleventh Commandment, except when he did not want to in which case he'd sometimes express scorn, and whether or not that factors into his primary prospects, the question is where will his head and heart be if he loses the primary?
Harold Hamilton already has shown an anti-Abeler predilection, so Jim might find out who his friends are should he win the GOP primary.
___________FURTHER UPDATE__________
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| Representative, or anomalous GOP district voters? |
And how will possible bloc voting in that district population sector play out when primary time arrives?