Seifert wins straw poll

Marty Seifert, the long-time GOP leader in the Minnesota House, became the clear front-runner for the upcoming 2010 governors race. Seifert is one of nine GOP candidates seeking to secure the party’s nomination to replace Tim Pawlenty, who won’t be running for a third term but is mulling a presidential run in 2012.

Seifert trends a shade or two more conservative than T-Paw, which is a good thing for the party faithful; he finished with 37 percent of the straw poll results in that crowded, nine-candidate field. Tom Emmer finished a strong second with 23 percent, and former state auditor Pat Anderson received 12 percent of the votes.

It is likely the next GOP candidate for Minnesota governor will come from among that trio and the other six probably are getting an early indication that it’s just not their year.

However, a lot could happen between now and the party’s official vote a few months from now, so don’t look for Seifert’s LED tail lights to put others in the dust just yet; there’s always a chance a new name could emerge, such as former Senator Norm Coleman, who despite losing a close Senate race with Al Franken, still enjoys wider name recognition that Seifert, and has broader appeal across party lines – which would make liberal GOP members quite happy indeed.