Tag: MN-06

We have added the MN-06 Democratic nominee funds to the list of candidates we will be supporting in 2010. I chose this for several reasons and the most encouraging being the latest Michele Bachmann comments that we posted yesterday. Bachmann is perhaps the most divisive politician on the National scene.

Help us now as we do all we can to level the playing field for the eventual nominee who will run against her in 2010. A number of $5, $10 and $20 contributions to whoever she will face will provide an early assist to take her down.

As soon as we find out if there is a leading contender to take on Bachmann whether it be the 2008 nominee Tinklenberg or someone else we will gladly support them.

To paraphrase Mary McCarthy, every word Michele Bachmann utters is moronic, including “and” and “the.” Delightfully, Dump Bachmann caught her doing an interview on wingnut radio the other day, and Steve Benen has excerpted the best goodies:

• ACORN is “under federal indictment for voter fraud,” but the stimulus bill nevertheless gives ACORN “$5 billion.” (In reality, ACORN is not under federal indictment and isn’t mentioned in the stimulus bill at all.)

• Many members of Congress have “a real aversion to capitalism.”

• the stimulus bill includes a measure to create a “rationing board” for health care, and after the bill becomes law, “your doctor will no longer be able to make your healthcare decisions with you.”

• The recovery package is part of a Democratic conspiracy to “direct” funding away from Republican districts, so Democratic districts can “suck up” all federal funds. Bachmann doesn’t think this will work because, as she put it, “We’re running out of rich people in this country.”

• The “Community-Organizer-in-Chief” is also orchestrating a conspiracy involving the Census Bureau, which the president will use to redraw congressional lines to keep Democrats in power for up to “40 years.” When the host said he was confused, noting that congressional district lines are drawn at the state level, Bachmann said Obama’s non-existent plan is an “anti-constitutional move.”

God I love Michele Bachmann. The only thing that would have made this interview more perfect would have been some hot anti-light rail fulmination. But I’m sure she’ll get right on that next weekend.

Open topic: Why did Obama pick Ray LaHood for Secretary of Transportation?  Is there someone else better?  I immediately thought of El “champion of light rail” Tinklenberg, but is there anyone else people can think of?

SurveyUSA (10/30-11/1, likely voters, 10/16-18 in parens):

Al Franken (DFL): 39 (39)

Norm Coleman (R-inc): 44 (41)

Dean Barkley (I): 16 (18)

(MoE: ±3.9%)

SurveyUSA (10/29-30, likely voters, 10/26-27 in parens):

Ashwin Madia (D): 41 (44)

Erik Paulsen (R-inc): 46 (45)

David Dillon (IP): 10 (n/a)

(MoE: ±3.9%)

SurveyUSA (10/29-30, likely voters, 10/20-21 in parens):

Elwyn Tinklenberg (DFL): 45 (47)

Michele Bachmann (R-inc): 46 (44)

Bob Anderson (IP): 6 (6)

(MoE: ±4%)

SurveyUSA has had some of the kindest numbers for Republicans this cycle in Minnesota, and their latest statewide polling is no exception — Obama only leads McCain by 49-46 here. The Pollster.com composite has Obama leading McCain by 13 points. Either all the other pollsters are wildly wrong, or SUSA has some serious issues with their Minnesota methodology. I’m leaning towards the latter.

One thing in particular is worth noting: the kids just can’t enough of the GOP. Paulsen leads Madia by 46-37 among voters between the ages of 18 and 34, and Bachmann leads Tinklenberg by 49-39 in this age bracket. (In the statewide sample, they break by 56-40 for Obama and 44-37 for Franken.) We’ve seen this phenomenon fairly regularly in SUSA’s Minnesota polling.

Of all these numbers, the 6th CD top lines do seem the most believable — it’s perhaps not hard to imagine Bachmann’s Hardball backlash fading a bit in this R+5 district, but SUSA’s overall Republican bias in Minnesota leaves me skeptical of this entire package.

From the St. Cloud Times:

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann wrote a letter last year recommending a federal pardon for a major campaign contributor who was once convicted of felony money laundering, firearm and drug charges on the basis he had reformed.

This month, she withdrew that recommendation on behalf of Frank E. Vennes Jr., eight days after the FBI searched his Shorewood home and office and confiscated documents, money, art, coins and jewels that agents think may be related to a $3 billion investment fraud scheme in which Minnesota business mogul Tom Petters has been charged.

And please, don’t stop talking, Michele:

In the last week, Bachmann also has said numerous times that relationships and advisers of candidates for public office such as Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama are “fair game” for public scrutiny, as they may affect the candidates’ views and beliefs.

“The media needs to do their job in vetting,” she said following a St. Cloud Rotary Club luncheon last week. “Those associations are certainly fair game and something the media brings up.”

Is Elwyn Tinklenberg the luckiest Democratic candidate of the year?

(Hat-tip: His Joshness)

Minnesota Public Radio (10/21-23, likely voters):

Elwyn Tinklenberg (DFL): 45

Michele Bachmann (R-inc): 43

Bob Anderson (IP): 5

(MoE: ±4.7%)

Last night SurveyUSA showed Elwyn Tinklenberg zooming out of obscurity and past Michele Bachmann in the wake of her mac-carth-a moment on Hardball. Today gives us another poll (from Minnesota Public Radio) giving Tinklenberg a small edge.

This poll is also interesting because it delved into the specifics of whether or not Bachmann’s comments are driving voter decisions. Turns out, yes, they are:

Nearly four out of 10 voters in the 6th District said they were less likely to support the Congresswoman because of her comments compared to 8 percent who said they are now more supportive.

Bachmann is, in fact, suddenly less popular than even Norm Coleman, who posts a 14-point edge over Al Franken in this R+5 district.

UPDATE: According to Politico, Bachmann has now taped an apology ad that will air in the closing week of the campaign. Sounds good; just ask Tom Feeney how that worked out for him!

SurveyUSA (10/20-21, likely voters):

Elwyn Tinklenberg (DFL): 47

Michele Bachmann (R-inc): 44

Bob Anderson (IP): 6

(MoE: ±4%)

It seems that every cycle, one Republican hands Democrats a golden opportunity just by shooting their mouth off. In 2004, Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning turned what was supposed to be a blowout into a near-loss after a series of bizarre statements and erratic behavior. In 2006, it was macaca.  And this year, it appears to be Michele Bachmann’s Hardball meltdown.

With Democrat El Tinklenberg surging in both fundraising and now in polls, SSP is changing its rating of this race from Lean Republican to Tossup.

Thanks for delivering those self-inflicted wounds, Kissy Monster.

The SurveyUSA poll is now out, and it shows Elwyn Tinklenberg LEADING Michele Bachmann 47%-44% now.

Granted, that’s still a “statistical tie”, technically.  But still, it’s the first poll out there from anyone, even from internals or DCCC polls, that show Tinklenberg with any kind of lead.

And I love that SurveyUSA embedded the infamous Hardball interview in their polling crosstabs.  🙂

I guess Michelle Bachmann’s mouth was more destructive that I thought. The Huffington Posthttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/22/gop-pulling-its-ads-from_n_136941.html] is reporting that the NRCC is pulling its ads on her behalf.

Five days after Rep. Michele Bachmann went on a McCarthy-esque rant suggesting Barack Obama was unpatriotic and urging the major newspapers of the country to investigate anti-American sentiment in Congress, the national Republican political parties are running for cover.

Two sources aware of ad buys in Minnesota say that the National Republican Congressional Committee is pulling its media purchases from Bachmann’s race. If true, it is a remarkable fall for a congresswoman who, until recently, seemed relatively safe in her predominantly conservative district. The race had become closer in recent days — the NRCC had transferred funds from Rep. Erik Paulsen (MN-03) to Bachmann a little over a week ago.

Have a great early retirement, Michelle!

Michele Bachmann, August 6, 2008:

“This is their agenda,” Bachmann states bluntly. “I know it is hard to believe, it’s hard to fathom — but this is ‘mission accomplished’ for them,” she asserts. “They want Americans to take transit and move to the inner cities. They want Americans to move to the urban core, live in tenements, [and] take light rail to their government jobs. That’s their vision for America.”

El Tinklenberg campaign ad, October 21, 2008:

As Transportation Commissioner, El Tinklenberg… built our first light rail.

We’re coming for you, Michele. And we’re coming on light rail.