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By Laura McCallum
February 13, 2001
An MPR poll shows half of Minnesotans support Democratic Senator Paul Wellstone's decision to seek a third term next year. In the first poll since Wellstone announced his re-election plans, Wellstone's job approval is the highest it's been since he took office, but Republicans say he's still vulnerable.
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Fifty-two of Minnesotans approve of that decision, according to a poll of 625 registered voters conducted last week for Minnesota Public Radio and the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
"There's a lot worse things going on than him saying something like that," said John Parrish,37, a retail manager from Prior Lake who was among those who told pollsters he doesn't have a problem with Wellstone running again.
"Times change, and what he said back then was what he meant then, and I don't think it's a big deal that as it's switched more, I think it's good to have a good balance in Congress," said Parrish.
But 42 percent of those polled do have a problem with Wellstone running for a third term. One of them is Don Norr, 69, a pastor in Duluth.
"He made a big deal, how it was going to be so special that he was only going to run for two terms. And now he breaks that; typical politician talk," Norr told Minnesota Public Radio.
Norr is among the 26 percent of Minnesotans who say they'll definitely vote to replace Wellstone with a Republican. Twenty-three percent say they'll consider a Republican challenger, and 46 percent of those polled say they'll vote to re-elect Wellstone.
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Republicans smell blood when they see a re-elect number of less than 50 percent, according to state party executive director Tony Sutton.
"I saw these numbers, I thought it was great," said Sutton. "They were all over Rod Grams about being so vulnerable with numbers similar to this. This is not good news for Sen. Wellstone today. As an incumbent, he'll be worried about this."
Wellstone wouldn't comment on the poll, but spokesman Jim Farrell says it's encouraging that more than half of Minnesotans approve of his decision to run again.
"This latest poll really seems to confirm what Paul has heard around the state everywhere he goes, that people in Minnesota know about the work that he does here on their behalf," Farrell said.
Fifty-four percent of those polled say Wellstone is doing a good or excellent job, an approval rating that has increased gradually from 41 percent nine years ago.
Saint Cloud State University political scientist Steve Frank says Wellstone is in pretty good shape as he begins to campaign.
"About 90 percent of House members who want to get re-elected, get re-elected; about 75 - actually it was a little higher this time - percent of U.S. Senators who want to get re-elected, so the odds are, that it's very tough to defeat an incumbent. If I were him, I would be pleased with these kind of numbers," said Frank.
No one has announced plans to run against Wellstone, but Republican names being floated include House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty, Congressmen Gil Gutknecht and Jim Ramstad, Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer, and former Senator Rod Grams, who was defeated in November. Independence Party Senate candidate Jim Gibson may also run again.
Political observers say Wellstone's poll numbers could move in either direction, once it's clear who his opponents are.
Laura McCallum covers politics for Minnesota Public Radio. Contact her via e-mail at lmccallum@mpr.org.
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