This morning, Quist for Congress campaign manager Julie Quist tweeted a blurry photo of her husband Allen Quist, MNCD1 Republican congressional candidate, hobnobbing with Florida's junior U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.
Quist went to the Republican National Convention in Tampa to "make helpful contacts;" Congressman Walz visited the Minnesota State Fair today and will head to Albert Lea tomorrow with district ag sector leaders to speak up for passage of the new farm bill.
The Republican opted to skip the CD1 day at the Republican Party of Minnesota State Fair booth Sunday to travel to Tampa, visiting the Fair a short time after attending the big ticket West Metro fundraiser for Mitt Romney. Since Romney was late to that date, Quist seems to have devoted his time in Roseville on the Late Debate. Bluestem looked at part of that interview in Quist misleads about new Farm Bill on Late Debate; calls legislation "Food Stamps and Gold Bullion Bill".
Bluestem couldn't find any tweets about Quist at the State Fair, though he was certainly there for the radio interview.
Walz's visit today is better documented. WCCO caught up with him in this television interview, touting Spam curds and Austin, sharing the thoughts of voters he'd talked to, and promising to return before son Gus starts kindergarten next week:
While Walz demurs about campaigning, he's making the rounds. Minnesota Farmers Union legislative director and generally good guy Thom Petersen tweeted about Walz's visit to the MFU booth and coffee center:
Nice to see @tim_walzat the MN Farmers Union booth at the State Fair...he will hold Farm Bill Now press conference in Albert Lea thursday
— Thom Petersen (@ThommyPetersen) August 29, 2012
The MFU has endorsed Walz. Representatives of Farmers Union will be at tomorrow's press conference in Albert Lea, along with Minnesota Farm Bureau president, Blue Earth County grain farmer Kevin Paap and other district leaders.
Later, Minnesotans United for All Families, the coalition that's asking Minnesotans to "Vote No!" on the marriage freedom restricting amendment, tweeted
Thanks to Congressman @tim_walz for stopping by our #VoteNo booth at the @minnstatefair! twitter.com/MN4allfamilies…
— Minnesotans United (@MN4allfamilies) August 29, 2012
MUAF is headed by Richard Carlbom, Walz's former campaign manager. Walz has been a public supporter of the freedom to marry since first running for Congress The GOP likes to say this pro-liberty stand puts Walz out of touch with his district as we noted in Short memory: Washington Republicans forget that Walz favored choice, all families in 2006.
Whatever Beltway consultants say, Southern Minnesota citizens keep sending Walz to Congress--after first giving him a resounding round of applause for his position on same sex marriage during a debate with Gil Gutknecht at Bethany Lutheran College. Quist is a retired Bethany professor.
Next, the Minnesota DFL Party tweeted:
Great to have @tim_walz @ellisoncampaign and @ricknolan2012 visit the DFL Pavilion today at the #mnstatefair!
— Minnesota DFL Party (@MinnesotaDFL) August 29, 2012
The contrast between the two men's days may well demonstrate why the congressional race in Southern Minnesota isn't considered competitive by anyone putting together ratings, as we noted in Mr. Quist goes to Tampa: a look at congressional race ratings for Minnesota's First District.
Tomorrow: Standing with ag in Albert Lea
Albert Lea Tribune staff writer Sarah Stultz reports in Walz coming to speak on farm bill:
First District Congressman Tim Walz is slated to come to Albert Lea Thursday to speak out in favor of a five-year farm bill.
Set up as a news conference with local farmers and agricultural leaders, the event is scheduled to begin at 11:45 a.m. at the Albert Lea Seed House.
Walz spokesman Tony Ufkin said farmers and other people in southern Minnesota have growing uncertainty about whether a farm bill will be approved before the current one expires at the end of September.
Ufkin said there are only eight scheduled days remaining for Congress to approve a new bill, noting that the bill passed out of the House Agriculture Committee with a bipartisan vote of 35-11, but it has not been allowed to be voted on by the full House of Representatives. . . .
. . .Also slated to be in attendance is Minnesota Farm Bureau President Kevin Paap, Albert Lea Seed House co-owner Mac Ehrhardt, Albert-Lea Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce Director Randy Kehr and representatives from the Minnesota Farmers Union.
Quist opposes passage of the Farm Bill, calling the calls legislation the "Food Stamps and Gold Bullion Bill".
Lovely. At least he's stopped talking about food stamp recipients driving Rolls Royces. Perhaps meeting Mitt Romney cured him of that.
Photo: Still of Congressman Walz being interviewed by WCCO 4's Mike Binkley at the Minnesota State Fair.
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