The stalemate at the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party’s 8th District convention in Duluth saw the field whittled from five to two, but returned no endorsed candidate.
The 170 delegates failed to give Leah Phifer or Joe Radinovich the party’s nomination after 10 rounds of voting, putting the party on course for an August primary election between Phifer, Radinovich and a defiant Michelle Lee, who was the only one of three deposed candidates who vowed to continue in the race. Jason Metsa and North Branch Mayor Kirsten Kennedy both said they would fold up their campaigns.
“Unfortunately, mine’s not moving forward,” Metsa, the state representative from Virginia, told the assembled delegates.
So Metsa suspends his congressional run and will concentrate on reelection to the legislative seat he holds. His FEC filings indicate he will not be pressed for cash to run the legislative campaign. Details of how the money will be repurposed from federal to state intent may exist, but they are apart from the CD8 representative question.
With Metsa's move, Michelle Lee might be a spoiler to take votes away from Phifer, if Phifer chooses to contest a primary, or to be a main challenger to Radinovich if Phifer defers from the primary.
It is now, wait and see. Phifer, not Lee, holds the DFL Environmental Caucus endorsement. Lee as a late entrant has not had the same late entrant traction Radinovich achieved, with Rick Nolan's blessing.