Is Jesse Ventura the Right Candidate for Minnesota?

Forest Lake, Minnesota -- Minnesota senator Norm Coleman's Senate seat is up for re-election this November, in what could be one of the most polarizing Senate races in the country. Coleman is the viewed as the quintessential Republican, and branded with the stigma of being close friends with President Bush. His opponent, Al Franken, is viewed as the quintessential "rich Hollywood liberal." There seems to be very little middle-ground for moderate voters in the state. There could be a third option in November, however, as many pundits have suggested that former governor/wrestler/actor Jesse Ventura may also run for Coleman's Senate seat. But could Ventura win the election? And if he did, would it be a good thing for the people of Minnesota?

Winning a senatorial election would definitely be an uphill climb for Ventura, but not out of the realm of possibility. He's made a career out of being a political outsider that has come from long odds to win elections. His political career began in 1990 when he defeated an 18-year incumbent to become the mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. His greatest victory, however, came in 1998, when he came from nowhere to be elected governor of Minnesota over the heavy favorite for the job, Norm Coleman. Ventura's personality and public-speaking ability give him the opportunity to influence a lot of voters and gain a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Ventura is currently polling at about 24%, though that is much better than his polling numbers 5 months before being elected governor in 2000. This time around, he already has some credibility, having held a high political office before.

This race also seems primed for a third candidate to jump in and steal the election. Both Coleman and Franken have drawn extremely harsh criticism from the opposition party, and that has made members of their own party leery about supporting them too heavily. Ventura, with his socially liberal, but fiscally conservative politics would provide more moderate voters with a nice alternative to ultra-conservative Coleman and ultra-liberal Franken.

Ventura winning a Senate seat might not be a terrible thing for the state of Minnesota. Ventura was extremely popular in his term as governor until later in his term, when he became bogged down by constant media scrutiny. Being in Washington D.C., away from the pressures of the Minnesota media would allow him to focus on his job without being constantly analyzed and scrutinized.

Ventura has also been vehemently against the Iraq War, which is a key issue with Minnesotan voters. The biggest reason Coleman is in such a tight race for his Senate seat is because of his unwavering support of President Bush and the Iraq War. Franken is also strongly against the war, but Franken would have to endure a constant barrage of attacks from the Right, because he is so liberal. Ventura's reputation of being fiscally conservative would endear him to many on the Right.

Jesse Ventura has a history of drawing attention to himself with controversial remarks, but he may just be the best candidate for one of Minnesota's Senate seats. He's a political outsider with moderate political views that can appeal to voters of both parties in a race between candidates from the two political extremes.

More information: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_senate_elections/minnesota/election_2008_minnesota_senate