Lobbyists think Margaret Anderson-Kelliher is a badass

​The recent announcement of Margaret Anderson-Kelliher jumping into the gubernatorial race should have other DFLers soiling their pants. The woman is a badass, legit and hard working, smart and battle tested. At least that's what the lobbyists think of her. Last January, we had members of the lobby go off-the-record and give honest assessments of the Twin Cities delegation. The Speaker of the House was the only person with almost too much praise. They loved, respected, and felt like she was only reason the politics in Minnesota ran for the last 8 years.

Rep. Margaret Anderson Kelliher (DFL)
District 60A--Minneapolis

OVERALL 8.5
BRAINS 8.3
WORK ETHIC 8.7
EFFECTIVENESS 8.5

No legislator received higher praise than the speaker of the House. Comments about her read like they were written for a book jacket:

"Our next governor? A grownup in a building filled with children."

"The savvy diplomat who brings together diverse voices while fighting for the most underrepresented in our communities. It is not easy to keep together a caucus, and she has done it with grace and style."

"A leader for our times! Very smart; eager to learn; listens extremely well; seeks common-sense solutions that work for all Minnesotans; tough, but in a kind of compassionate way; very flexible; and highly respected. One of the very best."

It was a struggle to find any negative opinions of her. We only found two: one lobbyist said they miss former speaker Dee Long; another felt that her talents needed to produce action earlier in the session. But that was it.

The budget is her baby this session, and if Kelliher-Anderson powers through a tax increase for the wealthy, her praise could turn into hero worship among progressive insiders.

"She is a powerhouse."

The only other to receive such high plaudits? Rep. Paul Thissen.

This DFL nomination is gonna get fierce. Fast.