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Interesting comments on this thread. A lot of comments from people that don't seem to be Minnesotans. Those people should realize that 1)Jesse took a lot more votes away from Coleman than he took from Humphrey, 2)he campaigns conservative, but his social agenda is VERY liberal, 3)he campaigned on given back the surplus, then backed down on it and spent it wastefully on stuff like light-rail so it couldn't be returned to the taxpayers, 4)his only concern about the second amendment is how it applies to himself. As long as he can personally carry, he does not care in the least about getting concealed carry to be the law of the state for all citizens of the state. 5)His staff is VERY liberal. One of them was cited for exposing himself in a gay steamroom. The guy is still on Jesse's staff. I certainly won't say that Jesse is anywhere near as bad as Clinton, but the "convince people you're a centrist and govern as a sleazeball liberal" seems to fit both.... IMO.

I'm also from MN, and I don't think that Ventura or Coleman really have much of a chance of defeating Wellestone. First, Ventura's not a maverick dark-horse candidate anymore. People here have had time to figure out what he's about, and I, like many others, have decided not to vote for him again.

Second, Wellestone can run this ad with great success: "Remember what happened to us the last time Minnesota had TWO freshman Senators? I'll save you the local political history lesson...we got totally robbed by the government." And it's true, the last time we had two freshman senators (Grams/Wellestone) we got $.43 back for every dollar that we sent to Washington. This compared to $2.21 for S.Carolina, $2.12 for Mississippi, and $1.68 for Georgia.

Third, this is one of the bluest of the blue states, last real state in the country where progressive Republicans and practical Democrats still work together in relative peace. It's possibly the only place in the country where a man like Wellestone can find a home and still be expected to remain an honest politician.

Ventura is too loud for MN, a place that's deeply rooted in German/Scandanvian taciturn humor. Coleman has a chance (he did bring back hockey), but the Republicans out here are suspicious of his former-Democrat status and the Dems don't like his anti-abortion stance. Wellestone might take a little flack for his "two-term" promise, but if he's forthright about why he decided to run again (as Wellestone is wont to be) then this should die down early in the campaign.

In short: I'll be voting Coleman, but I think that he has a better chance at taking Dayton's seat in the next election than he does this year. Ventura will most likely be political history come next fall.

2)he campaigns conservative, but his social agenda is VERY liberal, . . .

He's closer to being a goofball libertarian than a true conservative. No wonder the rabble is huzzahing and cheering him on this thread. They smell one of their own.

He also despises the conservative Christian voter base and buys into the gay-rights agenda. Log Cabin Republicans (Lib-Dem sappers in the ongoing war on America) would love to see him win.