Dan Cohen's 2013 bid for mayor isn't the first time he's run for the office, and the previous time in 1969 was memorable for several reasons.
First, hard as it may be to believe in a city that votes 80 percent of better DFL today, the DFL-endorsee didn't even survive the primary.
Second, President Richard Nixon stepped into the fray, endorsing fellow Republican Cohen, who had been president of the City Council. This was pre-Watergate, so that was considered a plus for Cohen.
Third, Cohen was swamped, losing the general election by some 29,000 votes, capturing only his home 7th Ward and the 13th.
Fourth, the winner was Charles Stenvig, a police lieutenant who emerged on a law and order campaign. It was the first of two non-consecutive terms Stenvig served. In some Republican areas, he captured better than half of the tally.
