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15.10.13 23:08

THREE WEEKS UNTIL ELECTION DAY - MAYORAL CANDIDATE #28: BETSY HODGES (DEMOCRATIC-FARMER-LABOR PARTY) Councilmember Hodges (44, Linden Hills, filed 8/12 [6th]) made her intent to run almost a year ago...even as Mayor Rybak hadn't completely decided against running for a fourth term. (She SAID she wouldn't run if he did.) Notice her sure-to-be-corrected-by-Elections-without-several-phone-calls-requesting-an-amended-filing party listed up there, which is one word too many - if Mark Andrew were smart, he'd have contested her filing two months ago. (I suppose he still could - maybe someone could put a bug in his ear...) She was responsible for perhaps the best political theatre of the early going, throwing a pizza party to ensure the lack of a quorum at the DFL endorsing convention and thus the lack of an endorsement chosen between herself and Mr. Andrew. That they were the last two standing is probably the basis of a lot of folks (who should know better but don't) feeling that they are the top two choices in this race. Keep in mind that that convention was back in June, a good two months before the short filing period ended. She's wrapping up a second term on the City Council, and as Chair of the Ways and Means/Budget committee, were she to be elected mayor it may be - say it with me - a step back for her as far as wielding power in the city. So once again, we're left wondering just why run for mayor...unless, of course, being mayor is considered a fine stepping stone to other, perhaps "larger" offices? (I don't mean to be all speculation and conspiracies with the "big" candidates, but it does seem to be turning out that way. I guess...with these candidates you can easily read about any day in the local rag, I readily admit I'm a little faster and looser as far as providing biographical details and policy statements. But I'm hoping that's part of why you're here!) She's got about 3400 Likes and about 2000 followers, putting her near the top in both categories - although that just may mean she's got a decent budget to buy Likes and followers. Her website looks like it cost a lot, but that colour palette - ew! Not only has she secured the CRUCIAL Josh Hartnett endorsement - which somehow did NOT make it onto her website's "endorsements" page! - she conned supposedly-libertarian-leaning Chris Kluwe into endorsing her (or providing a quote to put in a big purple box on her website - despite Kluwe not only no longer being a Viking but ALSO not being a resident of Minneapolis...OR Minnesota, for that matter; he resides in Southern California). Kluwe's endorsement ALSO doesn't appear on the "endorsements" page. On the plus side, she's largely credited with helping end the pension mess which could have become our biggest, most pain in the assiest budget trouble - some would add "and all she had to do was help broker a shifting of the burden away from Minneapolis and onto Minnesota" but I really gotta stop sharing such cynical thoughts! With any luck, Minneapolis has moved past the "lesser of two evils" mindset, but if they haven't - or if enough of them haven't - she'd probably win, were the election to be held today. I add that caveat because Mr. Andrew and a newly-registered PAC ("Coalition for a Better Minneapolis") are poised to unleash a whole lot of spending of other people's money - actually, NOW I see that Hodges ALSO has a PAC on her side ("Committee for a Greater Minneapolis") - ugh, what creative names. Let's hope these two cancel each other out...which should happen probably right around the time you've seen their television commercials for the fourth or fifth time. Ah, I can see it now: "Man, they BOTH suck! I wonder if there's another alternative? Perhaps the Internet could help me find a candidate I could vote FOR, so I can vote AGAINST all these monied, self-interested, probably completely corrupt candidates..." But I honestly can't tell you if I'd be a better mayor than this lady or not. I do believe that I would! Am I right or wrong? It's YOUR vote! NEXT: Probably the exact opposite of the frontrunners...and a sad story on top

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