Senate race: The mainstream Democrat departs

Pioneer Press Editorial

Pioneer Press

Before most of us had tuned in, Mike Ciresi has left the race for the U.S. Senate. Ciresi is a Democrat and successful trial lawyer who hoped to get his party's endorsement to challenge Sen. Norm Coleman, the Republican incumbent, on Nov. 4. Ciresi was apparently not garnering the support he needed among party activists.

Now the state Democratic-Farmer-Labor convention in June will probably be choosing between Al Franken, well-known comic, satirist and radio host, and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, a professor and activist.

It's unfortunate that someone with Ciresi's abilities left the race so early. It is a function of the role of the partisan endorsement process, in which political activists — those good and dedicated people who attend caucuses and conventions throughout the spring — have a great role in choosing the candidates we will see on the ballot.