The Minnesota Gubernatorial Race in One Chart

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P.S. Minnesota’s unemployment rate under DFL Governor Tim Walz is also the lowest in recorded history, just 2.2 percent.

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About Joe Loveland

I've worked for politicians, a PR firm, corporations, nonprofits, and state and federal government. Since 2000, I've run a PR and marketing sole proprietorship. I think politics is important, maddening, humorous and good fodder for a spirited conversation. So, I hang out here when I need a break from life.

15 thoughts on “The Minnesota Gubernatorial Race in One Chart”

  1. https://www.startribune.com/counterpoint-actually-blue-states-still-fare-better-on-covid/600124468/

    See link above from my op-ed in the Star Tribune a few months ago confirming Loveland’s great point. Here’s a key paragraph: “How much do these differences matter? If 39th-ranked Minnesota had the same aggregate death rate as 15th-ranked South Dakota, we would have buried an additional 5,000 people, on top of our current total of about 9,700.” A good challenge to Jensen would be to ask him to name the 5,000 Minnesotans he thinks we could have dispensed with so that we could have the so-called “freedom” on the anti-vax, anti-mask, anti-everything states..

    • I remember this great piece, Dane. Yes, I’m sure we’ll hear Walz delivering a version of that line many times. In a state where 69% are fully vaccinated and 75% are partially vaccinated, I don’t know if a high profile anti-vaxxer is a natural for winning a plurality.

  2. And by the way, I loved your recent piece on the tiresome and misplaced scorn heaped on Democrats for “messaging” failures. I’m working on similar commentary that scolds old white liberal codgers like myself, for excessive griping about the younger new zealots at the ramparts of progressive change.

    • Thanks, Dane. Yes, the Democrats are about to lose big in the mid-terms because of big macro-political issues — the party in power usually loses big in mid-terms, Democrats usually turn out poorly in mid-terms, and this post-pandemic inflation is very unsettling.

      But geezer Democrats are already planning to blame it on young Democrats who dared to finally demand police accountability, racial justice, and other progressive policies. They’re not the problem here. In the long-run, they’re the solution.

      • Great points about the blame game, and I might be just stealing those two paragraphs for my piece, and linking to your “messaging” commentary. Another good one today about Minnesota GOP legislators dereliction of duty. Here’s a slogan for conservative Republicans, whose ascent one could trace to Goldwater’s nomination.

        “Your Republican Party: Dismantling the American Social Contract Since 1964”

        I think many would actually approve of that wording.

  3. How dare your facts conflict with my feelings! I’m triggered! Micro-trauma!

  4. You and Dane have nailed this. And I like Dane’s chomp on the jugular — we need to be running ads and talking about what Republican officeholders are doing to us and our children and our children’s children. Don’t talk about process and legislation and programs. “Which 5,000 Minnesotans would you offer up to die?” “Republican officeholders don’t want you to vote because they know you won’t choose them, and they love the power and the fame that they get by keeping you from kicking them out of office..” “They’re okay with your kids and grandkids living with killing heat and worldwide food shortages and climate refugees by the millions seeking safety by crossing our borders.” “Ron DeSantis decided it was fine with him that XX,000 more of us Floridians died of Covid than the national average as long as he can look like a champion of freedom and indulge his lust for national office. Are you okay with dying for Ron’s White House run?”
    Take the gloves off, use the facts, show what they’re doing to keep power. “Like $7 gasoline? Thank Trump, who toyed with Ukraine to boost his re-election, losing a year and a half when we could have helped Ukraine prepare for invasion, sending arms and support that could have shortened or even headed off this war that’s spiking gas prices.”
    I’m too angry to be clever. I’ll leave that to you two. Kick these malevolent bastards in the balls.

  6. As for Iowa, not sure why Joe didn’t include it, but I checked latest stats for death rate by state, and all four neighbors were higher than MN. Dakotas were much worse than IA And WI, but remember that WI has Dem governor and was less defiant on public health science. And thanks Bruce B for inspired rant!

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