Sources: Sen. Amy Klobuchar threatened to leave DFL convention during challenge from left

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/sources-sen-amy-klobuchar-threatened-to-leave-dfl-convention-during-challenge-from-left/

While backstage at the Democratic-Farmer-Labor convention Friday night, Sen. Amy Klobuchar loudly declared her frustration and said she was going to abandon the convention after delegates nominated a 26-year-old progressive activist as an alternative to Klobuchar for Minnesota governor, according to two people who overheard the senator’s remarks.

The two DFL activists were granted anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly about what they witnessed backstage and fear reprisals from the Klobuchar camp.

Klobuchar would go on to overwhelmingly win the party endorsement on the first ballot with 68%.

But that came after something of a scare, when DFL activists nominated Kobey Layne, a former Minnesota legislative assistant who said that Klobuchar’s candidacy was “the coronation of yet another corporate Democrat.”

Klobuchar expressed outrage to her staff and said that she was going to forgo the convention rather than go through additional speeches and a Q&A, according to the sources, who could clearly hear what she was saying while backstage.

(snip)

ince there were two candidates for the DFL endorsement for governor, Klobuchar and Layne had to give 15-minute pitches to delegates and field some questions. Klobuchar was chosen to speak first, but she didn’t immediately appear on stage, causing an awkward pause in the convention proceedings.

After a few minutes, Klobuchar emerged. During her 15-minute pitch, she had tears in her eyes as she described how she intends to create a state government that solves problems. Klobuchar was at times visibly shaking, and her voice wavered.

Klobuchar’s campaign for governor declined to comment about the overheard outburst. A spokesperson noted that Klobuchar didn’t leave the convention.