Maureen Hackett's Political Contribution Problem

Polinaut reported on Maureen Hackett officially entering the race to unseat Erik Paulson in the Third Congressional district.  She will be going up against PTA President/Optometric Association Executive Director Jim Meffert in the DFL primary, and possibly Terri Bonoff (who is still deciding). Tom Sheck asked Hackett about previous contributions she had made to Ralph Nader.  She responded that she likes to "reward good ideas".  With Nader receiving only 4% of the vote in the the Third District in 2000 . . .there might not be a lot of voters there who agree with her on that point.  With donations to Nader as late as September 2005, she will probably have some explaining to do to the delegates at the nominating convention

Harder to explain, though, will be her January 2004 donation of $1,250 to the National Republican Congressional Committee.  That's an increase $950 over her $300 donation in March 2003 to the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Now, granted, she has donated to lots of Democrats as well.  Nader is liked by some Democrats so, hard feelings aside from the Gore/Bush debacle, that one can likely be forgiven.  But giving money to the organization that is working to defeat the office for which you want to be nominated will likely be a deal breaker for many delegates.

I do have to say, though, that she has the coolest job title in politics.  I have no idea what a forensic psychiatrist does, but it definitely sounds like it would belong to the lead character in a very hip crime-drama show.

Anyway, contribution information can be found at Open Secrets.