In the race to succeed retiring State Senator John Watkins (R-SD10), the candidates currently listed on VPAP are: Dems Emily Francis (a strong progressive and environmentalist, Dan Gecker (who has run as an “I” in the past and who says his political hero is Ronald Reagan); Republican Glen Sturtevant; and Libertarian Carl Loser. In the Dem primary, since the strongest progressive and environmentalist by far is Emily Francis, you just know who the Dem “powers that be” (e.g., Dick Saslaw, who despises progressives and environmentalists with a burning passion) would be supporting the conservadem, and you’d be right.
But now, a major wild card is rumored to be entering the race, and it could mess up all of the “powers that be”‘s well-laid plans. That would Alex McMurtrie, a former Republican (correction: the Washington Post article I linked to was wrong, McMurtrie was a Democrat, although it’s easy to confuse, as his campaign slogan reportedly was “Conservative Alex McMurtrie” – lol) House of Delegates member (back in the 1980s), now, who last ran (as an “I”) and got crushed by John Watkins (R), who’s now retiring, back in 1999.
Who knows what the guy really is now, but he donates to both Rs and Ds. Anyway, I hear from sources that he turned in his petitions yesterday to run as a Democrat in the primary for the SD-10 Dem primary. This could be fascinating, as it means two white, male, conservadems will be running, along with a woman who happens to be a progressive and environmentalist. Also, McMurtrie is by all accounts “loaded” in terms of money. So…could McMurtrie split the votes with Gecker and gives Francis a clear path to winning this primary? We can only hope. Stay tuned.
P.S. I also hear our old friend Paul Goldman may be involved in the McMurtrie race. Goldman’s really got to be giving Dick Saslaw heartburn these days, and I can’t say that doesn’t put a smile on my face. 🙂
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