Big name Democrats are being forced to choose sides in the three-headed beast that is the Democratic primary in the Eighth District congressional race to take on Republican freshman Chip Cravaack. On Wednesday, DFL-endorsed Rick Nolan got the endorsement of former Vice President Walter Mondale, for whom Nolan once worked as a staff aide. The Mondale endorsement more or less matches (at least in Minnesota) former President Bill Clinton's backing for DFL challenger Tarryl Clark, the fundraising leader in the Aug. 14 Democratic primary. Former Duluth City Council member Jeff Anderson, meanwhile, has the support of a passel of local Democrats, including Duluth Mayor Don Ness, former Minnesota House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, and former state Rep. Tom Rukavina. Mondale's endorsement of Nolan was not necessarily a gimmie. As a congressman in 1980, Nolan backed the late Sen. Ted Kennedy for the Democratic presidential nomination over incumbent President Jimmy Carter and Mondale. But four years later, Nolan was back in the fold supporting Mondale for president.
