[Mpls] Greens' place in the pecking order

[David Brauer]

Dorie wrote:

> No, this is all wrong also...first it is the DFL party, then the DFLer
> party, then the Green party and
>  the Republicans are tied   :+}!  I think the GOP vote is higher than the
> greens in most wards. 

I think on a city-elections level the Greens are clearly number two.

However, if you look at state elections, which David Shove was, the GOP is
clearly number two in Minneapolis. For example, the Greens fielded no state
legislative candidates in Minneapolis in 2004; the GOP candidates received
16-34 percent of the vote.

Another example is the four-way 2002 Guv's race. The Republicans topped the
Greens in every Minneapolis ward but the 6th. In fact, the Greens finished
fourth (behind the Independence Party) in every ward expect the 6th.

Totals from that race were:
DFL (Moe) 57.7%
GOP (Pawlenty) 22.1%
Independence (Penny) 12.4%
Green (Pentel) 7.9%

Within Minneapolis, the GOP is number two federally as well - in the
presidential election and in the 5th District Congressional race, in which
GOP's Daniel Mathias received 23 percent of the vote to the Green's Jay
Pond's 6 percent.

Seems to me the next big target for the Greens should be Peter McLaughlin's
Commissioner seat in 2006. The 6th and 9th Wards have proven the most Green
so far, and those are partly or wholly in McLaughlin's commissioner
district. I suspect an anti-stadium candidate could gain some traction,
though it would still be an uphill fight as Peter retains much support
there.

So is there Green interest in the seat and who are the Green candidates?

David Brauer
Kingfield