Democrats agree that they want to wrest the northern Minnesota 8th Congressional district from freshman GOP U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack. Beyond that, they have little accord.
Former U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan appears to have a lock on Democrats convention endorsement and both former state Sen. Tarryl Clark and former Duluth City Council member Jeff Anderson plan to run in a primary, regardless of what happens at the DFL's May convention.
In announcing his plan to run in a primary Thursday, Anderson took swipes at both of his opponents, basically calling Nolan "a candidate trying to rekindle the past" and accusing Clark of "transplanting for personal opportunity."
Update:
Nolan's campaign hit back late in the day.
Nolan's campaign manager Michael Misterek said of Clark and Anderson: "Both have actively sought the DFL endorsement to no avail. Tarryl got out after losing to Rick by wide margins in the DFL Straw Ballot. Jeff got out after losing badly last weekend in his hometowns of Ely and Duluth and in every other county throughout the district. Let's call the decision to go to a primary what is it, a defeat for both of those candidates."
