Dandekar Gets Odd Quasi-endorsement

Swati Dandekar just picked up what looks a lot like a legislative endorsement from the northern tier of the 1st CD, from State Rep. Josh Byrnes of Osage.

Just to clarify: Byrnes is a Republican. Dandekar, at least according to the Federal Elections Commission report, is a Democrat.

Via Facebook, Byrnes:

So I have been watching the race for the 1st Congressional District unfold and I just wanted to share some insight to my Democratic friends. Of the Democratic candidates who have announced, Swati is the best choice. When I was a freshman legislator, one of Senator Dandekar's bills was sent over to House and assigned to me. She treated me with respect and was nothing but great to work with. I have nothing but utmost respect for Senator Dandekar. I have been told she has a tough road ahead of her in the primary because Democrats see her as being too moderate and not liberal enough. Swati is pro-business and pro-economic growth. We need to send more moderates to Washington D.C. as its the only way we can begin to fix the disaster we call the federal government.

Byrnes is correct in that Dandekar "has a tough road ahead of her in the primary." Perhaps he thinks this helps. Perhaps, no probably, Dandekar thinks it helps, because her whole pitch is that she's an "electable" moderate (in a district with a good on-paper Democratic lean).

But you have to get a nomination first, and Byrnes is also correct that "Democrats see her as being too moderate and not liberal enough." And he left out the I ♥ Nukes part and the Voting Against Marriage Equality part and the Risked Senate Control By Resigning And Taking A Six Figure Job From Terry Branstad part.

Republicans have a field of past losers in this race, and their preferred candidate, Speaker Kraig Paulsen, opted out. (Not that you would know from watching KWWL and KCRG yesterday; they still had Paulsen as "considering" the race even though he announced otherwise a couple weeks ago.) So maybe this is the Republican strategy in the 1st CD: nominate the most conservative Democrat? Sounds like a supervisor primary in Johnson County.

Or maybe, as even objective journalist James Lynch said, Dandekar's best option is to cross over?

w/ Paulsen out, Iowa GOP hoping to recruit @SDandekar4Iowa to run against @MonicaVernon? ;-) #iapolitics #ia01
— James Lynch (@smg_lynch) August 7, 2013

And you thought he was joking. As for me, Swati remains my sixth choice out of five, just below Sharp Sticks In Eyes.