Posted: 5/8/02

Moe is DFL choice for governor

T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter

After hours of bending over tables to grasp delegatesí hands, jokes about the ethnic origins of sandwiches ó backslapping retail politics not fitting the cool, crisp image of Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe ó something clicked.

It took six ballots, but Moe left the Minneapolis Convention Center on Saturday with the gubernatorial endorsement of the DFL Party.

Moe outdistanced State Auditor Judi Dutcher and Sen. Becky Lourey of Kerrick, in the quest for the party laurels.

Minnesotans are looking for someone with experience ó someone to bring people together, Moe said. He is the longest serving majority leader in state history with three decades in the Senate.

ìThey know that you cannot gamble away another four years without putting Minnesotaís good reputation in jeopardy,î he said.

Hard won

But Moeís endorsement was hard won ó the balloting taking six hours.

Convention leaders froze the floor at 10 minutes to noon for the first ballot of the day.

From the start, Moe took the lead with about 43 percent of the vote, Lourey and Dutcher garnering 26 percent and 31 percent, respectively.

Over the space of the six ballots, Moeís delegate count slowly advance. After the third ballot, Lourey, polling 23 percent ó about 10 points behind second place Dutcher ó dropped out.

ìI believe that politics as usual canít cut it anymore,î Lourey said, addressing the convention. ìI believe itís time for a woman,î she said.

While ìsuggestingî delegates support Dutcher, Lourey did not formally endorse her. Rep. Tom Huntley, DFL-Duluth, Dutcherís running mate, said Loureyís friendly advice was appropriate.

ìWeíre all independent people here,î he said.

Lourey had support in northern suburban counties, showing strength in Kanabec, Chisago, Isanti, Mille Lacs counties.

ìUp in the 8th District is sort of Becky Lourey,î said Gary Oman, of Isanti, an Isanti County delegate.

ìWhen itís over, you can live with the results,î said Lourey of a maximum effort.

ìItís the state of Minnesotaís loss,î said Sen. Twyla Ring, DFL-North Branch.

Moe vs. Dutcher

Lourey garnered 305 votes in the third ballot, and those released delegates broke about two to one in favor of Dutcher in the fourth ballot.

But Dutcher still trailed by eight points.

Kathryn Geary, of Becker, said she was supporting Dutcher because Dutcher was well educated and prepared.

ìSheís the most electable. And I think sheís gutsy. Sheís not afraid to stand up to Ventura,î said Geary, early in the day.

But Moe edged upward, by the sixth and last ballot having about a 12-point lead over Dutcher. After a lull, word went out that Dutcher was dropping out of the race and people began gathering before the stage.

Dutcher, a former Republican and relative newcomer to the DFL ranks who insisted that she was ìnot an accidental DFLer,î from the beginning of the campaign had had a sense of serenity, she said.

ìKnowing it (her gubernatorial bid) would work out as it should work out,î she said.

Shortly after Dutcherís concession, Moe was unanimously endorsed by the convention.

But one element of Moeís climb was that he was passing two woman.

Some of the biggest cheers Lourey and Dutcher received at the convention came when the two women made reference to the need for a woman in the Governorís Office ó something thatís never happened.

Moeís strength

But Alice Johnson, a delegate from Spring Lake Park, said Moeís commitment to womenís issues is unmatched.

ìRoger Moe was one of the strongest male feminists that I have experienced ó before it (feminism) was popular,î said Johnson, a former DFL lawmaker.

Shari Moore, a delegate from Apple Valley, also strongly supported Moe.

ìRoger has a perfect record. He has done more for the state than anyone else than whoís in office now,î Moore said.

One basic element which separated the convention from others in recent DFL history is that all three major gubernatorial candidates chose to abide by the endorsement process.

Tom Dwyer, a delegate from Coon Rapids, said he ìlovesî that fact.

Dwyer, who has been attending DFL conventions since the early 60s, said the last time he remembered all the candidates abiding was three decades ago ó in 1970 in Duluth.

ìIf we abide by the process every four years, we win,î he said.

Indeed, all the DFL candidates spoke of party unity. ìThereís not a lot of animosity out there,î Huntley said, peering out over the convention floor.

Moe promised an aggressive campaign, saying having the party convention early provides an extra month of unfettered campaigning.

He doesnít care whether he faces Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Sullivan or House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty, R-Eagan, Moe said.

He doesnít believe Ventura will run again, Moe said, in recent weeks suggesting Ventura is something of a historical curiosity.

ìBecause he (Ventura) has to defend what heís done,î he said.

Moe earlier announced Sen. Julie Sabo, a first-term lawmaker from Minneapolis and daughter of Congressman Martin Sabo, as his lieutenant governor running mate.

On Saturday, too, delegates endorsed Rep. Gregory Gray, DFL-Minneapolis, for state auditor.

Top of Page