Just Checking: Ciresi is Still Abiding

At earlier stages of his U.S. Senate candidacy, Mike Ciresi had indicated that his pledge to abide by the endorsement process was conditional.

He told me back then that while he planned to abide, and had a strategy to get the endorsement, if the calendar changed and he didn’t have time to execute his strategy, he would revisit the question of mounting a primary challenge.

So this week, when the DFL finalized the plan to move the precinct caucuses up to Feb. 5, I wondered whether Ciresi might be thinking about invoking the escape clause from his pledge (especially given the conventional wisdom that Al Franken is ahead in intraparty circles).

But no.

At my request, Ciresi’s helpful deputy spokester Mary Bradley checked with the candidate out at the Great Minnesota Get-Together (that’s the State Fair for you newcomers), and he reaffirmed his now abiding pledge to abide.