Eric Black over at the Minnesota Monitor has the scoop: apparently, the NRCC is working fast and furious to convince retiring Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad to reverse his decision to retire… and, according to inside sources, Ramstad is seriously considering it. And this decidedly non-Shermanesque statement from one of Ramstad’s aides leaves the door wide open for a change of heart:
“Jim has been overwhelmed by the huge number of Minnesotans urging him to reconsider, but he has no plans to run for re-election.”
“No plans” is legendary Washingtonspeak for “I haven’t made up my mind” or “I won’t tell you yet”. It’s no surprise that the NRCC would make the effort to reverse Ramstad’s decision. Without him on the ballot, Ramstad pushes what was once a safe seat into toss-up territory for the GOP, forcing national Republicans to spend precious resources defending the district that Bush carried by a narrow three point margin against Kerry in 2004.
And in an update, Eric Black writes that a second source believes that Republicans have a good shot at changing Ramstad’s mind:
A second and very reliable source, with insider knowledge of National Republican Congressional Committee efforts to get U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad to run for reelection next year, says the committee believes there’s a better than 50-50 chance Ramstad will do it.
Democrats have a strong contender in state Sen. Terri Bonoff, who reportedly raised $90K in about a week after jumping into the race. Does Ramstad figure that she’ll withdraw her bid if he decides to run again? If not, why on earth would he want to turn down retirement and face one of the more competitive races of his career?
Stay tuned.
Race Tracker: MN-03
I’d like to think this indecision would cost him support, but this is Jim Ramstad….it’s his seat as long as he has any designs on keeping it. If he stays, he’s a shoo-in. If he goes, it’s advantage Democrat, particularly if Bonoff is the candidate. I can understand why the Republicans are trying so hard to get him to stick around at least one more cycle.
in the process? ramstad equivocates, says it’s boring and hard and lonely and then the minority leader comes and begs and cajoles and promises he won’t have to raise a penny himself and will have a leadership position until his corpse is wheeled out, and finally, quietly, he decides to stay.
but a month after announcing his retirement? weird. and there is a frontunner on the republican side. is this a slap to him?