Austin Daily Herald slams Parry, tells readers to "Choose leadership" in CDMN1 primary

Yet another Southern Minnesota daily newspaper has weighed in on Mike Parry's claims that Governor Mark Dayton popped pills at a meeting.

The Austin Daily Herald joins the New Ulm Journal and Winona Daily News in condemning Parry's remark. The ADH's editorial, Choose leadership, suggests that voters take it to the polls on Tuesday:

. . .it was disturbing that one of the men who hopes to represent us in Congress has already shown signs that attacking political opponents might outweigh any work on issues.

1st District Republican Mike Parry, who is seeking primary election support to oppose Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) in the November general election, is getting well deserved heat for a speech this week in which he described Gov. Mark Dayton as a pill-popper. Such attacks, while perhaps amusing to Dayton’s political opponents, do absolutely nothing to educate voters about Parry’s views on the issues. Indeed, the only conclusion voters can draw is that Parry would rather launch divisive attacks than talk about the issues, behavior that will certainly not dig Washington out of its entrenched party vs. party stance. Indeed, every such attack just deepens the divide.

The editors urge voters "will ask themselves whether personal and partisan attacks lend themselves to good leadership."

Meanwhile, the Star Tribune editorial notes in Candidate's attack on governor was irresponsible:

There were a number of reasons why the Star Tribune Editorial Board declined to endorse Republican Mike Parry in the First District congressional primary. Parry provided further justification Monday with this reckless attack on Gov. Mark Dayton: "When you sit across from him and you watch him pop 15 to 16 pills when you're having a meeting, it's scary."

What's really frightening is that Parry is even in position to seek a congressional endorsement. Before he was elected to the state Senate, he was notable solely because of ill-advised comments and tweets, including comparing Democrats to pedophiles and calling President Obama a "Power Hungry Arrogant Black Man."

Down in the Fairmont Sentinel, letter to the editor writer Neil Breitbarth, a well-known Republican Party activist, cites the Strib's endorsement in his letter, Quist is right choice:

. . . Don't just take my word on this. Even the Minneapolis Star Tribune has given its endorsement to Allen Quist. Here is what the Star Tribune says is the main reason for choosing Quist:?"The St. Peter farmer and recently retired government professor from Bethany Lutheran College demonstrates deeper knowledge of the issues that confront Congress and more ability to debate them with Walz this fall.". . .

There's concern in Worthington that the primary will be marked by low turnout. In Be sure to cast vote in primary, they observe:

When Republican U.S. House candidate Allen Quist visited Worthington last week, there was most likely one main goal in mind — build support for the Aug. 14 primary.

Quist, who is facing Minnesota State Rep. Mike Parry in the primary (the winner will face Tim Walz in November), appeared to have appeal to the folks attending his town hall-style meeting at Worthington High School, but considering only 15 people showed up, the event probably will have a negligible effect on next week’s results.

Regardless of one’s perception of Quist — or any particular candidate from any party, for that matter — it’s always a little disappointing to us when public forums such as the one last week draw little interest. . . .

The Owatonna People's Press covers another Quist event in Quist presses on national debt at Owatonna town hall. Go read about it there.

Photo: Mike Parry at Farmfest. Photo by Eric Adams for Bluestem Prairie.

Related posts: New Ulm Journal editors to MNCD1 candidate Mike Parry: "Stick to rational statements"

Winona Daily News editors to Parry: "Return to issues or return to cooking pizzas in Waseca"

Emo Senator: Top Republican leaders doubt Mike Parry's pill-popping gubernatorial memories

Farmfest video: MNCD1 candidate Mike Parry & Gov. Mark Dayton respond to "pills" claim fire

"Pill-popping" statement hypocrisy flushes Mike Parry from Farmfest

Mike Parry video: "When you sit across from him and you watch [Dayton] pop 15 to 16 pills while you're having a meeting, it's scary"

Comments

[Phoenix Woman]

Wow. I'd forgotten about some of those atrocities until you reminded me of them just now.

I can't believe that the Minnetonka Money Men running the Republican Party of Minnesota thought they could just take out Quist -- who whatever you think of him is a seasoned campaigner and knows the district like the back of his hand -- with someone as temperamentally unsuited for the job as Mike Parry. I could find German Shepherds (like this one: http://m.startribune.com/lifestyle/?id=165167626&c=y ) who would do a better job against Quist in the primary.