Who’s running for attorney general?

BY ED FELIEN

Matt Entenza dropped out of the race for attorney general at the very last minute, which set off a mad scramble in the DFL Primary. Bill Luther is perhaps the most well-known name. He’s the former congressman from the 6th District, who lost to Mark Kennedy.

State Senator Steve Kelley got a lot of press at the close of the last session as the primary architect of the Twin’s stadium bill. So, if you’re in Hennepin County and you like not being able to vote on whether the County should tax you a billion dollars and give it to Carl Pohlad, then Kelley’s your man.

He ran for DFL endorsement for governor. As political wag Ed Fesler notes: Kelley’s health plan was the MN Medical Association’s plan for a mandate on individuals. The attorney general regulates all nonprofits. We don’t allow for-profit health care in MN. So the AG can have a hugely important role. IF the attorney general wants to do it.  

Fesler supports Lori Swanson, also Mike Hatch’s choice: The difference between Steve Kelley and Lori Swanson on health care is much more important than the differences between the Democrats running in the 5th District primary.
Lori Swanson has a chance! There must be other people out there who want the AG to keep fighting corporate evildoers and health care profiteers.

Of course, there are many who will wait for the General and vote for Papa John Kolstad, “Tough. Knowledgeable.” He stands for U. S. out of Iraq now! Universal Single Payer Health Care. Enforcing Minnesota Environmental laws. Protecting Minnesota Small Business.

If you signed a petition for Papa John, then you’re not supposed to vote in the primary for some other candidate for attorney general, but I don’t know if that law is ever enforced, and neither did the people I talked to at the secretary of state’s office. In any case, you can vote in the DFL primary even if you signed a petition to get a Green or Independent candidate on the ballot for the general election, but you’re not supposed to vote for the specific office for which you nominated a Green or Independent candidate.

There is no primary in the Minneapolis School Board race. Not enough candidates filed. They’ll all go to the general election.

There is a primary in the 1st County Commissioner district, but Peter McLaughlin and Farheen Hakeem are expected to face off in the general election, and my old friend Jan will probably be eliminated.