S*******i
发帖数: 2018 | 1 Franken 想耗着也耗不成了
Minnesota’s Democratic governor said he plans to appoint Lt. Gov. Tina
Smith to succeed Democratic Sen. Al Franken, who is resigning over
allegations of sexual misconduct, and endorsed her for next year’s special
election for the seat.
Ms. Smith, 59 years old, joined Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton for his second
term starting in 2015. She previously worked as Mr. Dayton’s chief of staff.
The seat will be subject to a special election in November 2018 to fill the
remaining two years of Mr. Franken’s term, which expires in January 2021.
Ms. Smith said she plans to run in the 2018 race.
“I will run in that election and I will do my best to earn Minnesotans’
support,” Ms. Smith said at a press conference with Mr. Dayton.
Ms. Smith said she would be a “fierce advocate in the United States Senate
for economic opportunity and fairness.”
Ms. Smith’s plans to run in 2018 could quell some Democrats concerns about
hanging on to the seat after speculation that Mr. Dayton might appoint a
caretaker with no ambitions to stand for election. Democrats feared a wide-
open party primary could make it easier for a Republican to stage an upset
in the blue-leaning state, which voted narrowly for Hillary Clinton in the
2016 presidential race.
“High-quality Republican candidates will come out of the woodwork for this
seat,” said Kathryn Pearson, a political science professor at the
University of Minnesota. “It only increases the excitement and intensity of
what was already going to be a big election year in Minnesota.”
Last week, Cook Political Report rated the 2018 race to fill Mr. Franken’s
seat a tossup, citing a “very fluid” situation. Also on the ballot in 2018
is Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, but she is considered a safe bet for re-
election. |
|
