Jul 9, 2008 6:53 pm US/Central
Coy Or Calculating: Ventura Running For Senate?
Mr. Body Goes To Washington?
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura is causing a stir again, about a possible run for the U.S. Senate.
A poll released just last month showed that adding Ventura into the mix against incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman, and Democratic candidate Al Franken, would make for a very close race, with Ventura running a strong third.
On Wednesday, Ventura was featured on National Public Radio, and his interview sparked a whirlwind of speculation that he's a candidate. But Ventura quickly squashed the rumors ... sort of.
"They have no idea," he said in a telephone interview to the Associated Press. "I said the decision will be made next Tuesday (the filing deadline). And I'm no further than that."
He told the AP he had been speaking hypothetically.
"I have not said I'm running, nobody knows. My wife doesn't even know," Ventura said with a laugh. "They're totally jumping the gun trying to get stories."
Ventura began threatening a possible run for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat during a media tour promoting his latest book in May.
"What I may do in your senate race this year? I may go down and file," he said at the time.
The former governor's been sending mixed signals about the campaign since then, and even on Wednesday denying a National Public Radio report that quotes him as all but running.
"And all you Minnesotans take a good hard look at all three of us. And you decide if you were in a dark alley, which one of the three of us would you want with you?" he said during the NPR interview.
Ventura said he lives part of the year in a suburban Twin Cities home that he owns, and spends winters in a second home in Mexico.
However, he's still got high enough name recognition that political analysts say he could influence -- or even win -- the U.S. Senate race.
"Jesse Ventura has stirred up a storm of national interest in whether he's going to jump in the race. Fantastic business showmanship on Ventura's part, without spending a penny," said Larry Jacobs of the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.
Ventura is as unpredictable and irascible as ever. He's still refusing to talk to Minnesota media because of negative stories of parties in the governor's mansion six years ago.
"I think that's self explanatory to the sucking Minnesota media," he said during a book launch at the Mall of America.
If Ventura decides not to run, he stressed, don't expect a news conference to announce it.
"I'm just not filing," he said. "If you see that I don't file, that means I'm moving on with my life and I'm not running. It will be quietly, and if I run it will be quiet."
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
