Ventura: I'm not running for Senate

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura has decided not to run for U.S. Senate in that state, he told CNN's "Larry King Live" Monday night.

Ventura, a former professional wrestler, had said last week he was weighing whether to run. The deadline to file for the race is Tuesday.

Ventura said he was "close" to running against incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, but he decided against it because he didn't want to submit his relatives to the kind of media scrutiny they endured when he was governor.

As an independent, Ventura won a single term as Minnesota governor in 1998. He beat Coleman and Hubert Humphrey III, a scion of a Minnesota Democratic dynasty.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/14/ventura.senate/i...

[Ian David]

1. Thank god his douchebaggery has limits. n/t

[Skittles]

2. Skittles: No one gives a shit n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

6. I thought previous posts indicated Franken would have a better chance with Ventura out of the race?

n/t

[Skittles]

10. aw, DMM -

I was responding to Jesse, not you

[DeepModem Mom]

11. Oh, I know, Skittles -- I just thought I'd misunderstood the political situation...

in the great state of Minnesota. (I'm embarrassed to admit -- I've never been there!)

[Skittles]

13. I have some Minnesota ties

my dad was born and raised in Minnesota and is buried there - I lived there for a short time in the 70's and my cousins still lives there - it is a indeed a wonderful state and I LOVE making fun of their accents

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

8. But would have kicked his ass if he had run?

I mean, after all, Jesse has some talent in such affairs.

[rpannier]

3. I'm glad he's not running

The only way I would support him running is if it could be proven that he was the only person who could keep Coleman from being re-elected.

[Muttocracy]

7. yeah, if Franken imploded somehow I'd rather see Ventura than Coleman

Ventura did beat Coleman for governor (not sure if he took more Humphrey or Coleman votes though - I think it was more new voters), and if Wellstone hadn't been killed, perhaps Coleman would have faded away.

[harmonicon]

16. I would like for him to run just for people to feel that they have more choices

I don't really agree with a lot of what I've heard Ventura say, but on some things I do. Still, that doesn't really matter - enough people in that state felt enough about the man to elect him governor, and if they wanted to make him a senator, so be it. I wouldn't want to have someone not run for political office because they were afraid of being elbowed out by the two big parties, even if one of those parties is the one I tend to agree with.

[Muttocracy]

17. I have mixed feelings about Ventura - lived in MN when he was elected

As a newbie there, my impression was the two parties were in gridlock in the legislature. Norm Coleman (party switching mayor) and Skip Humphrey (dynasty anyone) were not great choices. I think Ventura pulled in a bunch of people who otherwise wouldn't have voted. During the period of him as governor when I was there, he did break through some gridlock, was pro-public transportation, on the other hand was rotten to state employees' union.

I remember a pre-election poll, maybe back during the primaries, in one of the two big papers with a bunch of questions. One was simply the cost of a gallon of milk. Ventura nailed that one, and some of the others had no clue (wish I had a copy of that article). I bet that made an impression on some people.

Also, for all the talk of him being a pro wrestler, he was the mayor of one of the largest cities in Minnesota first.

He's always an interesting character - very fond of himself and attention, but not your typical politician for sure.

[harmonicon]

18. yeah - I can't imagine voting for him...

... but I appreciate that he has thoughts, ideas, plans, etc. that he wants to contribute to the public discourse. There are even some Republicans that I can say the same for, but their numbers are incredibly small as a percentage of the party. I really don't like having a two party government, simply because I don't think it's really representative of the will of the people, especially in such a large country. Of course I'd like to have people agree with me, but I wouldn't want them to vote for the candidate that I like simply because there is only one other choice that they have more disagreements with.

[Alexander]

4. Phew. Now we can kick Coleman's sleazy ass to the curb.

[Muttocracy]

5. hmmm, I was guessing he was going to go for it. nt

[Purveyor]

9. Good. The only 'scant chance' that Franken has to taken that seat. eom

[nam78_two]

12. Phew.nt

[Schema Thing]

14. He would have been much better than Coleman

I hope Franken can pull this one out.

[EbenezerMcIntosh]

15. Yes he would be much better than Coleman.

The party loyalists are crazy against Ventura, with no consideration of the divergent issues. However, Franken has a great platform. I have a hunch that is why Jesse declined.

P.S. I have been a registered Democrat for 37 years.

[MNBrewer]

19. Ventura had some good points

Such as not kowtowing to the Religious. He refused to make official declarations of Days of Prayer and the like on the grounds of separation of church and state.

ON the other hand, he was a thin-skinned jackass.

There has been one person to toss her hat into the ring against Franken, just in the last week or so. I don't remember who she is though.

[EbenezerMcIntosh]

22. Could it be the church lady?

[kickysnana]

23. Former Judge Miles Lord's daughter. n/t

[Bluzmann57]

20. Yawn.

Huh? Did Ventura say something about not running for Senate? Oh. Think I'll go back to sleep. Please don't wake me with "news" like that again.

[Virginia Dare]

21. I heard him on teevee the other day..

looked like he had just rolled out of bed, talking about how Americans aren't ready for a "real" revolution yet, so he's not going to grace us with his brilliance at this point in time. Sorry, the the guy is a great big fat phony. ALL MOUTH.