What if the "left" candidate were Wellstone instead of Kucinich?

[Armstead]

I realize this is extremely hypothetical, since Wellstone is not here to run.

But suppose he were alive, and had decided to run as a candidate of the progressive/liberal/left in the Democratic primaries?

Would he have fared better than Kucinich in terms of being taken seriously? Although not Mr. Macho, he was more straightforward and not quite as, er, odd as DK. His rhetoric was somewhat more mainstream populist. He was widely liked and admired, even by his political opponents. He was a nice guy, but he had brass balls when necessary....

I'm asking because IMO Kucinich represents everything the Democrats should be, but he is not taken seriously because of his appearance and personal eccentricities.

Would the progressive/liberal/left have been able to make more of an impact in this election, if it were represented by someone whose persona was considered more viable?

Just askin.