A look at the DFL Precinct caucuses

Here's what it looked like last night at the DFL precinct caucuses in District 64B on Tuesday night. 

Candidate Greta Bergstrom waited for caucus business to officially begin

Gloria Zaiger talked to caucus goers about her DFL party work

Beth Fraser talked about her record as deputy Secretary of State

Assistant County Attorney Dave Pinto spoke to would-be delegates

Matt Freeman said he wanted to listen to voters

Melanie McMahon talked about her work as a legislative staffer

No clear DFL winner from caucus night, delegates later this week, 46 days to the convention

Nobody won. Get ready for a six week campaign.

That's the takeaway from tonight's 64B DFL precinct caucuses. Here's DFL Senate District Chair Elizabeth Wefel to explain it to the uninitiated:

Head for your precinct caucuses in 64B

Republicans and DFLers will hold their precinct caucuses, starting at 7 p.m. tonight:

The GOP will be at Expo Elementary, at 540 Warwick St. Paul.

Here's the map:

 


The DFLers will formally kick off their 6-way race for the endorsement at Highland Park Junior High. Here's that map:

Beth Fraser's caucus day appeal

Here's the email Beth Fraser is putting out this morning to get people to the caucuses:

Fraser Caucus Email

A Precinct Caucus Letter from Greta Bergstrom

Greta Bergstrom had a piece of lit in this weekend's mail. It includes a letter making her pitch for the DFL endorsement, and a copy of a Highland Villager letter from former City Council member, one-time mayoral contender and one-time judicial contender Jay Benanav (who won't actually be caucusing for Greta because he doesn't live in the district, by the way.) It also has a handy-dandy Highland Junior High map for caucus goers:

Bergstrom Letter by theracefor64b

Beth Fraser's big pre-caucus post card

The direct mail barrage is starting in earnest in 64B. Here's a postcard from Beth Fraser that came in the mail this weekend, ahead of tomorrow's precinct caucuses.

Fraser Card by theracefor64b

By the numbers: Here's a look at the DFL delegate count

Since 64B has gone to the DFL for decades, it's probably a worthwhile effort to look at the party mechanism that's likely to pick the next representative for the area. 

Here's what the Senate District emailed out to candidates late last month for a head count:

Precinct	Delegates
ST. PAUL W-2 P-06	11
ST. PAUL W-3 P-01	36
ST. PAUL W-3 P-02	43
ST. PAUL W-3 P-03	47
ST. PAUL W-3 P-04	25
ST. PAUL W-3 P-05	27
ST. PAUL W-3 P-06	36
ST. PAUL W-3 P-08	29
ST. PAUL W-3 P-09	44
ST. PAUL W-3 P-10	29
ST. PAUL W-3 P-11	29
ST. PAUL W-3 P-13	34
ST. PAUL W-3 P-14	62
ST. PAUL W-4 P-07	31
Total	483

The DFL has a standard 60 percent endorsement requirement; that would mean a candidate will have to get 299 delegates to win the endorsement -- if everybody shows up.

"I think we'll come close to filling everything," says Elizabeth Wefel, a Senate District 64 chair.

The precinct caucuses are 55 days away.

Dave Pinto makes his case to delegates

Here's the letter Dave Pinto is mailing out to DFL delegates for his 64B bid, formally announced last night.

Pinto Letter 2013 by Tim Nelson