[IronJack]

Maybe the voters aren't so keen to accept Coleman as they are to reject Wellstone. I don't understand how a state of down-to-earth Scandinavian farmers could ever have elected such a socialist in the first place. Maybe the zeppelin-sized mosquitoes drained most of their blood and they were in a state of diminished capacity when they pulled the lever.

But it appears they've had a transfusion ...

[GraniteStateConservative]

I agree. Coleman is the great hope for this seat. Should Wellstone pull this out, he's in this seat until he dies. I can't see the MN GOP finding a better candidate ever-- a Republican with a great record and a base in the liberal Twin Cities. Coleman should be picking up independents like Clintoon picks up women while he globetrots making speeches for $100K per visit.

[Valin]

Maybe the voters aren't so keen to accept Coleman as they are to reject Wellstone

This would apply to me. But then I'm one of the most right-wing people I know.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Coleman was just too recent a convert and Ventura was promising a return to smaller government in '98. And its just as well. Coleman's loss gave him time to prove his bona fides. The Wellstone cult will be difficult to defeat.

[Movemout]

It helps that the Mind and Wellstone have proven themselves to be jerks, albeit liberal jerks while Colemann has been steady as he goes. 97-98% name recognition is pretty damned high. I almost disbelieve that statistic for any politician.