Margaret Anderson Kelliher wins the DFL endorsement, (I called Kelliher as their strongest candidate almost a year ago...) when I said this:

Her liberal views, her bobbling of this legislative session may have an effect, but she looks so much like a nice Minnesotan that she can probably get around that. People have a very short memory. This legislative session- believe it or not- will not be on the radar in 2010.

Never under-estimate demeanor and style. Yes, I realize that it's comical that I'm using the word style in regards to the Speaker of the House-but that's exactly what it is.

And yes- she wins the primary too.  As the wind shifted a bit, I was actually relieved it was Anderson Kelliher over Rybak.  Rybak has a ton more natural charisma and no crazy St. Paul voting record to defend.  I also think voters are waking up to the idea that it's the issues, not identity politics, that matter most. 

The good news for Republicans is that either of our candidates- Marty Seifert or Tom Emmer- can beat her.  The bad news is that we could really screw this up.  We've been in this position before, running against a dull-female-Ivy League-graduate and Amy Klobuchar wolloped Mark Kennedy by 20 points.  I volunteered a bit on that 2006 Senate campaign and remember asking the GOP candidate at a meet and greet..."How are you going to position yourself against a woman?  How do you win women's votes?"  His answer (and I'll never forget this)  "we're going to win men's votes and we're going to do that by showing Amy Klobuchar a lot."  My face turned beat red and my stomach did a back flip as I looked for the closest way out of the room.  Kennedy deserved to get his ass kicked for that.

Both Seifert and Emmer are men who respect smart women, it's obvious when you meet either.  But they had better surround themselves with people who feel the same.  There's no room to take anything for granted in this race, none.  

From here on out, it will be about this "historic" opportunity to elect a woman as Governor in Minnesota.  The media has already been all over that soundbite and just like with Obama- we'll never hear the end of it.  It will also be about "serious solutions" and the same old broken record of DFL lies, (the only solution that the DFL ever has is raise taxes and keep spending.)

Regarding the "historic" election, the only thing the GOP candidate needs to say to this is, "I'd love to see a woman elected Governor of Minnesota, just not a liberal one that wants to kill this state economically."  (They don't get more lefty-loony than Kellier who actually proposed legislation to criminalize Cascade.) 

So while dullness has its advantages, (dull people don't easily offend and tend to let others be the focus,)  strong contrasts are necessary in an election. The black and white of Emmer/Anderson Kelliher on both style and substance would give voters a very clear choice this fall.  We'll see Friday if that's how the match-up goes.

Bonus Test for potential GOP Gubernatorial staff:  Did you get the Cascade comment or did you have to look it up?