With the race for control of the U.S. Senate hanging in the balance, the Democratic Party has been scrambling to choose a replacement for the late Senator Paul Wellstone in Minnesota’s upcoming elections. Democratic leaders have indicated former vice president and experienced politician Walter Mondale as a favorite for the new Democratic candidate.

Currently the Democrats hold a majority in the Senate by only one seat, so the implications of this choice may have lasting effects in government. The Senate race includes several competitive races; the loss of Wellstone, who held a six-point lead in the polls before his death, constitutes reason for concern among Democrats.

“If they lost this seat, it means an even higher chance of Republican control of the Senate,” said David Canon, a University of Wisconsin political science professor.

Canon expressed approval of the Democratic Party’s choice of Mondale as the new competition for Republican candidate Norm Coleman.

“He would clearly be the best choice,” Canon said. “He’s a good main-line Democrat.”

UW political science professor Charles Jones expressed his belief that Mondale could prove an even stronger candidate than Wellstone was. He said Mondale stands an even better chance of securing the seat for the Democrats.

“Coleman is suddenly at a tremendous disadvantage,” Jones said. “Although he was close with Wellstone, I believe Mondale would be an instant favorite because of the respect he’s gained in the state.”

Canon agreed Mondale would be the likely winner in an election against Coleman.

“I think Mondale would win — he’s one of the best-known politicians in the state,” Canon said.

Mondale’s viewpoints on policies would likely coincide with those of the unabashedly liberal Wellstone with a few exceptions, Canon added.

“Mondale would in general be pretty consistent with Wellstone, but a little more to the center on many issues,” he said.

Canon identified Mondale’s experience, name recognition and a “sympathy vote” from the circumstances of Wellstone’s death as factors that would help his campaign.

In fact, campaigning may be an unnecessary step, suggested Jones.

“Mondale doesn’t need to campaign, because everyone knows him,” Jones said.

Jones expressed confidence that Mondale planned to accept the nomination.

“The reading I’m getting is that he’s willing to do it, which would work out well for the Democrats,” Jones said.

Jones also claimed it would be advantageous to Mondale’s pursuit of the position if Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura appointed Mondale interim senator as soon as he was elected.

“There’s no guarantee that Ventura would do that — he’s acted unpredictably in the past,” Jones said.

According to Canon, adding Mondale to the ballot should be a relatively easy process; he said all the Democratic Party must do is choose its new candidate and add him or her to the ballot anytime up to five days before the election.

According to Jones, the act of adding Mondale to the ballot may be the only easy part of the current race.

“Minnesota politics is nothing if not confusing,” Jones stated.