Tina Smith now has at least one GOP challenger for the US Senate. This one has some virtues: not Tim Pawlenty, not Whelan nor Limmer nor Lucero nor Peggy Scott, with it hard to see this candidate having co-sponsored or promoted much of the divisive trash those legislators have fostered. But what issues do resonate with the person taking over two minutes to say, "I'm in?" Watch the video and then in a comment restate her key positions on key issues.
It is almost as if this candidate might say or believe medical research needs no impediments and living, breathing, actual humans, whatever their sexual preferences and identifications, are at least as important as embryos.
BOTTOM LINE: Seemingly less Middle Ages inquisitional than a GOP candidate might be. Hence, the bet is she does not get the endorsement and/or loses in a GOP primary. May there be GOP inner party voices and GOP voters in Minnesota proving me wrong.
All that having been said, an experienced former legislator has said sometimes compromise is needed to get things done, and if Ellison can defer to Tina Smith, others looking to nose count each of the two parties' federal Senators should heed Ellison's reasoning.
Neither party is perfect, with one less imperfect than the other.
UPDATE: Same person, 2013, a newbie entering the Minnesota Senate, interviewed.