Dayton Stock Plumets

This is certainly a surprise, but probably the right move for Dayton.  Still, I don't know that any Democrat likely to run is in a great position.  Interestingly, Mike Ciresi, a wealthy lawyer who made millions by figuring out that he could rape tobacco companies and no one would care, just yesterday had stated that he'd run for sure if Dayton bowed out.  Did he know something?  Maybe.  Bill Luther, former Congressman from the old 6th district is also a good bet to run.  The fact that Bill Luther has "former" in front of his name and was defeated for re-election when switched to the 2nd District after the 2000 redistricting doesn't help (this is unlike the John Thune situation where Thune beat Daschle while being a former congressman.  Thune had never lost for re-election and it was widely understood that Thune lost the 2002 Senate contest against Tim Johnson under bizarre circumstances).  Certainly there is no Democrat in the position that Mark Kennedy and Gil Gutknecht are in.  Gutknecht has a decent amount of cash on hand while Kennedy already represents most of the all important Twin Cities suburbs.  Rod Grams is a disaster and we can only hope that he stays home.  One hopes that the Republicans can coalesce around a candidate early while the Democrats go through a bruising primary.  This is a job for Elizabeth Dole.  Can she find one candidate to support and convince others to stay out?