Reed won't abide by the DFL Endorsement

I hadn't really expected her to though...

MPR has the scoop.

Sixth District Congressional candidate Maureen Reed said she'll no longer pledge to abide by the DFL endorsement after being overlooked by labor unions.

Since entering the race, Maureen Reed has said she would seek the DFL endorsement to challenge incumbent Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. But Reed's pledge to abide is now wavering.

DFL state Sen. Tarry Clark of St. Cloud, who's also running in the 6th District, has been piling up endorsements from organized labor. Reed claims those groups never gave her a chance to be screened and she said that's making her reconsider the primary.

"If this isn't an open and a fair process here, maybe I should keep my options open," Reed said.

The Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council confirms Reed was not screened for its endorsement. But a Minnesota AFL-CIO spokeswoman said Reed was interviewed and didn't measure up to Clark.

Overlooked by labor unions...

I guess I look at it this way. Senator Tarryl Clark has paid her dues. She's worked countless DFL events across the 6th, she's been party building. She's helped numerous candidates across the district and provided some direction for many of us in Wright County (a mostly conservative area) and other areas.

Honestly, before her Political Muse broke the news on Reed's campaign announcement, I had never heard of her. While she appears to have some good credentials (health care background and U of M Board of Regents), I'm hearing from numerous groups that Reed is not impressive, sentiment obviously echoed by the AFL-CIO.

Rumors coming out of a recent SCC meeting indicated that Reed was very unimpressive. Other than her staff, I can honestly say I don't know anyone who is psyched about Maureen Reed for Congress.

I had also heard that Reed's focus was on fundraising and not delegate outreach. That strategy matches what was revealed today. Reed doesn't need to go after delegates, she'll need to raise a boatload of money to compete in a primary with a DFL endorsed and popular State Senator, Tarryl Clark.

But at least she's not going to run as an Independent...

Yet...