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Tinklenberg Drops out of Minn 6 Race

Tinklenberg.JPGIt’s now official. El Tinklenberg is dropping out of the race to remove Michele Bachmann (R-Mars) from her seat for Minnesota’s sixth Congressional District. Apparently, there were enough Democrats interested in sending Michele a one way ticket back to Crazytown that Tinklenberg didn’t want to be involved in the internecine bloodbath. This may be a result of too many Democrats sensing that Bachmann is going to be particularly vulnerable, or just the usual jousting for a shot at moving up in the pecking order. He explains at length on his website today.

I am announcing that as of today I am terminating my campaign for Congress. This is obviously not an easy decision for me, but I have come to the conclusion that it’s the right one. While the image of the next campaign against Michele Bachmann is certainly energizing, the path to that campaign is becoming increasingly improbable. I’m proud of our last campaign. We did better than anyone outside the campaign expected…

Now, however, we are faced with the prospect of the next thirteen months being a battle among Democrats. In a difficult district during tough financial times we will be spending large amounts of time and money trying to defeat each other rather than defeating Michele Bachmann. This is not the kind of campaign I want to wage nor is it a campaign that strengthens our chances of electing a Democrat next fall.

TarrylClark.jpgThis should open up the runway a bit for Assistant State Senate Majority Leader Tarryl Clark, who I let you know about before. Given the current trajectory of this Congress, particularly in matters of minding the public purse, I’m leaning heavily toward getting as many Republicans elected next year as possible. I will, however, make an exception in the case of Minnesota 6 and send a donation to whoever winds up running against Bachmann. That’s a special kind of crazy that we don’t need in the United States Congress, no matter which way she votes on any given bill.

Good luck, Ms. Clark. Let us know where to send our dimes and nickels.

Update: More at Memeorandum is popping up on this story.

  • tidbits
    Jazz - be faithful to your profession. Bachman sells copy. Who else will you be able to identify as
    (R-Mars)...and shouldn't it be (R-Venus)? Men are from Mars, or is there something you know that you're not telling us?
  • mnblue
    Maureen Reed has a good chance at the endorsement from the DFL, also.
    My read on the situation is that it’s a dead heat between Clark and Reed. It’s a long way off from the endorsement and Reed is working doubly hard at getting it, while bringing in great in-state fund raising numbers.

    In my opinion, Reed is the best candidate. She’s not tied to an extremely partisan voting record, she’s an expert in health care and education and she’s able to speak plainly and clearly on many topics. I really do hope she gets the nomination in the end.

    And you can help her to that end by donating at her website:
    http://maureenreedforcongress.com/

    Find out more about her background at:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_Reed
  • kritt11
    This is going to sound partisan and petty, and I really DO wish that more Republicans would run as moderates so that I would be able to consider voting for them- BUT-

    For me as a Democrat, Bachmann is the gift that keeps on giving-- the wing nut who scares indies and moderate Republican voters over to our party. That is what 8 years of Bush-Cheney did to my psyche :-).

    BTW- Tinklenberg DID contact me recently for more money. I don't live in his district or even his state, but was incensed enough to donate to his ill-fated 2008 campaign after watching Ms. Bachmann do her thing on Hardball. (Remember how she questioned the patriotism of members of Congress and wanted investigations launched????)
  • Leonidas
    Michele Bachmann kinda counters out Shiela Jackson Lee but I wouldn't mind seeing both of them gone. Its a hard pill to swallow given that we need more people in who can't be threatened by Nancy Pelosi arm tisting and Tarryl Clark would potentially be very suceptible to such; but we don't need Bahmann's in Congress even at that price.

    But at least we might be getting a new GOPer in Florida 24, if Lou holtz (yes that Lou Holtz) decides to run.

    http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALe...
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