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Friday, February 16, 2007

Smilin' Norm Coleman: Conservative to his fans

Polinaut provides a link to a PDF version of a fund raising letter from Smilin' Norm Coleman:

It's your early and generous support -- $25, $50, $75, $100 or more up to $2,100 per person -- that will launch my re-election campaign and defend my conservative record from the Democrats' attacks.

That's a fine statement to make. If Coleman is proud of his conservative record, he should run on it. But I'll wager that Coleman pulls a Mark Kennedy in time for the general election and starts describing himself as moderate, independent, and bipartisan.

Labels: Smilin Norm

2 Comments:

It's hardly fair to call that a "Mark Kennedy." Everybody, left or right, fakes a move to the center for the general election. Or else they fake a move to the outside for the primary. Or both.

By Joey de Vivre, at 6:19 PM

I think that's true for Presidential elections, is somewhat true for statewide elections, and mostly not true for local elections. Kennedy had a very conservative voting record representing his district, but tried to portray himself as a moderate. Coleman, likewise, has a conservative voting record and will likely portray himself as a moderate.

Franken has the advantage of not holding political office. He has no record -- other than his radio show and books -- to run away from.

In the end, I think it's easier to run to the middle when you don't have a voting record to be measured against.

By Hammer, at 7:40 AM