Top legislators undecided in presidential race
Thousands of Minnesotans are ready to declare their support for a favorite presidential candidate at precinct caucuses Tuesday, but the state’s top two legislative leaders are still sitting on the sidelines.
Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, and Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, are not currently backing any of the presidential hopefuls in their respective parties.
Daudt had previously backed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who dropped out last year.
“I’m not supporting anybody right now," Daudt said. “It’s been very interesting to watch. I’ve stopped making any sort of predictions on what I think is going to happen.”
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Nearly every prominent elected Democrat in Minnesota has lined up for Hillary Clinton. Bakk is not on that list, and he’s not on Bernie Sanders’ list either. Bakk isn’t ready to take sides, but he think he knows how the contest will shake out here.
“I just don’t see any reason why anybody would care who I support in it,” Bakk said. I think Hillary Clinton, assuming she’s going to be the nominee, by all appearances to me, is going to win Minnesota, regardless of whether I said something today of I wait until after the convention.”
Bakk said his decision can wait, because he’ll be out of the country Tuesday and miss the caucus.
Despite their current public indifference, both leaders will have a lot of interest in the eventual nominees and their impact on voter turnout in November. All 201 legislative seats are on the ballot this year.