The unbearable lightness of being Mike Parry; or, the MNGOP's incredible shrinking local news

UPDATE TO MINNPOST READERS

An earlier note here is now gone. Bluestem Prairie is pleased with and accepts MinnPost's correction and apology about this post.

Update 1/21: Sure enough, the MNGOP saturation retweet squad is pimping the coverage of last night's "roundtable." And from the looks of the photo tweeted by the state party's deputy director, the "great crowd" numbered around the same as Jason Engbrecht's solo meet & greet at The Kitchen in Owatonna several Saturday's ago. The press and entourage members added a few extra souls to the Pawlenty event. [ end update]

It's no wonder the Republican Party of Minnesota has had to pull Tim Pawlenty off the presidential campaign trail and divert him to the wind-swept prairies of Steele County for a "small business roundtable" with SD26 Mike Parry.

Parry is easily eclipsed by Jason Engbrecht and Roy Srp in local coverage of the candidate forums and local events. But you won't read that on the MNGOP's Facebook fan page section about the special election or on Parry's web site media page.

Nor will you read any saturation retweets about the local media coverage from the Republican operatives who relentlessly RT the MNGOP message.

Here's a collection of recent stories from the newspaper chain that owns the press in Faribault, Owatonna and Waseca:

Senate hopefuls field questions from Waseca students

Forum brings candidates out to speak on the issues

From gun laws to gay marriage: Candidates debate tough issues

Senate hopefuls field Hwy. 14 questions

Senate candidates face off in Owatonna

Former Waseca councilors reflect on candidates

Faribault board members speak out on Engbrecht

Vying for District 26

Instead of news articles like these, visitors to GOP Facebook page only see letters from supporters, endorsements and ads. The Parry media page  link to Rotary and to two stories from last year about Parry's endorsement--and nothing more.

It's not like the district newspapers are the "so-called liberal media"--indeed, the papers are fairly conservative.

There will be coverage of the governor's campaign stop, because Pawlenty is governor. Links to these stories will no doubt show up on the Republican sites.

But it's unlikely the MNGOP and Parry will want to share any forum where the public can read about how Parry fares on a level playing field where all candidates are invited, rather than a showcase campaign event like a Pawlenty Potemkin Village "roundtable."

Images: Screenshots of Parry's media page and the MNGOP Facebook fan page section on the special election. Thanks to DJ Danielson for capturing the images at Bluestem's request.