MN CD8 candidate Leah Phifer's unique approach of an extended district-wide summer learning tour has been reported; e.g., MinnPost coverage and Aaron Brown's insider view from his background within the District. With Nolan's dropping out of the contest Phifer is the longest-standing DFL declared candidate for the CD8 seat.
Phifer has been anything but a St. Paul hilltop legislative presence; which might favor her or cut against her, depending on outlook. She seems bright and hard-working within the district's general grassroots population, more than having worked within established party boards and sectors.
It might be that CD8 is the most interesting Congressional district in play; with it being free of any actual, direct incumbency weight in balance. The DFL insiders in CD8 likely know one another with Phifer outside the loop, which should prove interesting. This might be the year of the outsider; where surely the Feinstein situation shows entrenched party insidership, including even powerful long-standing Senate incumbency, can be put to a challenge.
DCCC did a very negative thing to one TX7 candidate, and the alert is out: Who's next? So far there has been no DCCC "red-to-blue" meddling apparent in MN CD8, neither before nor after the Nolan announcement of withdrawing from the contest to be with family. Stauber sits unopposed so far on the Republican side, while the Nolan departure has fostered new entrance and new exploration among actual/potential DFL candidates.
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One thing to see and like about the Phifer candidacy is attitude: it is neither stale Rukavina messaging nor warmed-over Bakk.
Compare and contrast.
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Friends of the Boundary Waters do call attention to another candidacy, which is stale Rukavina redux, ya betcha.
But -- a hat in the ring as Congressional? Leah makes it to the heavyweight division . . .