WoMN Focus

In today’s Star Tribune, Lori Sturdevant writes that this year voters seem to want a little less stubble on the faces of their gubernatorial candidates.

Speaking last month before a Twin West Chamber of Commerce audience sprinkled with gubernatorial wannabes, I was pressed to predict the two big-party nominees for governor in 2010.

The candidates in attendance– all of them male — sat in rapt attention. I took a deep breath.

“With all due respect to the male hopefuls here present, I think there’s a lot of interest in both of the big parties in nominating a woman for governor this time,” I allowed.

Dismissive looks crossed a few candidates’ faces. But in the rest of audience, I spotted affirmative nods.

As we’ve mentioned here repeatedly, there are many women from both sides of the aisle considering a run. Sturdevant focused her GOP attention on former state auditor Pat Anderson, whom she considers the female front runner now that Rep. Laura Brod is currently out due to health issues. That matches up with Sarah Janecek’s thoughts in her latest round of power-rankings.

But should she change from just expressing interest to an actual exploratory effort, I think Rep. Michelle Fischbach could be a pretty strong contender as well. Although Janecek relegates her to second tier due to, among other things, her untested fundraising prowess, I have to assume that having a husband who runs the largest pro-life organization in Minnesota would give her candidacy a boost. With Anderson’s heft as president of the Free Market Institute, a battle between the two could have interesting results; when it comes to focusing on fiscal or social issues, who would be victorious within the party’s base?

In some ways, heading into 2010 the MNGOP has just as wide an array of excellent female candidates for their party as the DFL does. The real question seems to be whether the party delegates agree and give one the chance to run as the nominee?

(For an excellent scorecard of who is in and who is out in the race for 2010, click here)

Via Polinaut:

DFL state Sen. Tarryl Clark told me today that she’s considering a run for governor in 2010. She said she’s looking at her options but said she’s concerned that none of the DFL candidates are from the “growth areas” of the state.

Scheck also has his list of potential gubernatorial candidates. Of the 20 Republicans who have not ruled out runs, 1/4 of them are female candidates (Laura Brod, Pat Anderson, Michele Bachmann, Carol Molnau, and Michelle Fischbach). Of the 12 DFLers running, considering, or at least not saying no, 1/4 of those are women as well (Susan Gaertner, Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Tarryl Clark).

Minnesota has never elected a woman governor, and now we have a 1 in 4 chance of making it happen. I couldn’t be more excited.

WoMN Focus will be watching every step of the way.