Big Battle Shaping Up Over Open Minnesota House Seat

[babylonsister]

Big Battle Shaping Up Over Open Minnesota House Seat
By Marie Horrigan | 10:36 AM; Sep. 26, 2007


Minnesota’s 3rd District race, one of the hottest in the country, is tightening as several top contenders have already declared themselves out of the running. GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad announced his retirement last week.

The chance to run for a seat that so rarely opens up is an enticing one for many candidates, but also requires politicians to balance whether they have the wherewithal to face the realities of running for what is shaping up to be among the toughest contests of the 2008 election cycle.

Fundraising, lining up support, and establishing a grass-roots organization will be immediate priorities for candidates in the 3rd District. One necessary qualification will be “willingness to drop whatever else you’re doing, because this is going to require a full-time commitment given the level of competition,” said Lawrence Jacobs, director for the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota.

“This is going to be a crowded field and it’s going to require a lot of work for fundraising and for campaigning,” Jacobs added.

more...

http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/09/open_house_seat_scrutinized_by.html