Minneapolis mayor's challengers are asking: Where's R.T.?

As the mayoral campaign in Minneapolis enters its final weeks, the challengers are asking: Where's R.T.?

Two-term Minneapolis incumbent R.T. Rybak has yet to appear at a voter forum with those seeking his job.

The latest no-show by Rybak -- his office said he was busy phoning targeted voters -- happened last week during a taping involving mayoral candidates at Minneapolis Television Network, which provides public access cable.

That prompted complaints from two of the five candidates appearing on the show, co-hosted by bloggers Don Allen and Terry Yzaguirre.

"Just think, wouldn't it be great if we actually had the mayor of the city here?" asked Papa John Kolstad, whose Republican and Independence party endorsements make him one of the more visible challengers.

"Elections are about people who are in office to be accountable," he said, "to come to the citizens and come to the challengers and to talk about what's going on in their city, and if they can answer those adequately, they should be reelected.

"I think there's really something wrong in the city about democracy. That's what we brag about in America and in Minnesota, democracy, and about the public process. You cannot have a public process when the elected officials will not come out," Kolstad said.

In St. Paul, Mayor Chris Coleman and appeared with challenger Eva Ng this month at a post-primary election candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

But Minneapolis, under its new ranked-choice voting format this year, did not have a primary to winnow the candidates, and a field of 10 is challenging Rybak.

Moreover, the Minneapolis league isn't sponsoring a mayoral forum, mainly because sponsoring seven forums for other municipal races exhausted its volunteer resources, according to President Deborah Jindra.

Julie Hottinger, Rybak's campaign manager, said he plans to appear on Minnesota Public Radio with endorsed challengers, but that will be less than 24 hours before voters go to the polls.

Flowers has accused Rybak of using a Rose Garden strategy, which in presidential terms means that an incumbent is campaigning from the White House rather than across the nation. Rybak has said that he is campaigning throughout the city.

But it also can provoke a backlash from voters who feel a candidate hasn't earned their vote, he said. Schultz added that avoiding opponents also helps Rybak preserve his image if he runs for governor.

Kolstad has noticed: "I've always liked R.T. Rybak, but I think I'll have to run for governor so I'll be able to challenge and talk to him about the city of Minneapolis and to debate him."