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Published: Monday, April 23, 2001


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Benanav leads in race for DFL mayoral nod

Long takes 2nd at St. Paul conventions


VIRGINIA RYBIN and MURALI BALAJI STAFF WRITERS
St. Paul City Council Member Jay Benanav took the lead Sunday in the contest for the Democratic endorsement for mayor, but the outcome of the race remains very much in doubt.

Benanav had 134 committed delegates after the last two of seven St. Paul Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party ward conventions concluded Sunday. But that is only 40 percent of the number needed for endorsement at the June 2 city convention.

Former City Council Member Bob Long did well, as expected, in the 3rd Ward, most of which is in the Highland Park neighborhood. He represented that ward on the council. Long picked up 48 delegates for a total of 95, the second-highest among the six candidates.

``Jay and I are in a dead heat,'' Long said. ``I'm the comeback kid. They (his opponents) thought they had me knocked out.''

Long said he has more of the automatic delegates (about 55 elected officials and party officers) than any other candidate. They will vote June 2 along with 500 delegates selected at the ward meetings.

Long also claims significant support among those who are officially uncommitted, as do all the other contenders.

Benanav views himself as a clear front-runner over Long. ``I'm the only candidate with strong citywide appeal,'' he said. Benanav won the most delegates in the 1st, 2nd and 4th Wards and was close to Kelly's total in the 7th, which is in Kelly's Senate district. Benanav represents the 4th Ward, in northwestern St. Paul, on the City Council.

Perhaps the biggest surprise emerging from the conventions, held Tuesday and this weekend, is the delegate total of state Sen. Randy Kelly, a conservative DFLer who doesn't expect to be endorsed. While it still would be a miracle if he got the party's nod, he has 90 delegates, only five fewer than Long.

``We have nearly 20 percent,'' Kelly said. ``We didn't invest a lot of time in it.''

Kelly, who says the DFL endorsement process is controlled by people with views too liberal for most voters, plans to run against the endorsee. Only Benanav and Long have pledged not to do so.

The other three candidates -- City Council Member Jerry Blakey, former Council Member Bobbi Megard and Ramsey County Commissioner Janice Rettman -- said they will try to win the support of some of the 120 uncommitted delegates.

Also on Sunday, Benanav criticized Kelly for not committing to support Democratic U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone in next year's Senate race. Kelly would not say whom he will support during a Saturday forum at the 1st Ward convention. St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, who is backing Kelly for mayor, is a likely Republican candidate against Wellstone.

``I will support Paul Wellstone for the Senate,'' Benanav said. ``The control of the Senate is at stake.''

``I will match my DFL credentials with anyone I'm running against,'' Kelly said, adding that he has always run with party endorsement and supported DFL candidates. ``But I want this to be a referendum on the future of the city of St. Paul. I do not want this to be a sideshow of the 2002 senatorial election.''

The fact that no candidate has a huge proportion of delegates raises the possibility of blocking an endorsement. If the five candidates other than Benanav held their 246 delegates on subsequent ballots, this would be more than enough to prevent an endorsement.

St. Paul DFL Chairman C. Scott Cooper said that's very unlikely. He predicted that delegates will switch to other candidates to get an endorsement.

``These people have given up a lot of time,'' Cooper said. ``They don't want to leave without a result.''


Virginia Rybin can be reached at vrybin@pioneerpress.com or (651) 292-1159.




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