Emo Senator: throngs of 10-20 people crowds cheer Mike Brodkorb's rural regency

Fans of Emo Senator, Southern Minnesota's best loved online melodrama, will not be let down by today's episode, as Mike Parry writes a check with his mouth no ass could ever cover.

As readers tuned in Thursday, the tweets flew in to Mike Brodkorb's adoring Twin Cities media, noting the huge crowds gathering to greet titular congressional candidate Mike Parry. Doubtless the distant press and flacks will confirm whatever the Regent tells them to say.

Local newspapers that had reporters on the ground must be mistaken in their stories. The Winona Daily News reports in Parry kicks off race for Congress in Winona:

Mike Parry sat at the head of a Hy-Vee dining-room table Thursday morning, his hand curved around a cup of steaming coffee.

With him were about 10 people, a few nibbling eggs and toast while others asked the Republican state senator from Waseca questions about his decision to challenge U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., for the state's 1st District congressional seat. About 30 others in the dining room listened at times, or just enjoyed breakfast.

The paper notes that Parry wouldn't have voted to raise the debt ceiling, thereby demonstrating his willingness to default on the national debt in order to score postmoronic political points. No wonder Doug Grow loves this guy.

In the Albert Lea Tribune, no crowd counts are given in Parry stumps in Albert Lea, but it's another restaurant stop, the photo op equivalent of stuffing the ballot box.

The Post Bulletin's Heather Carlson, who never met a Republican talking point she could unpack, does her usual crack job in Parry talks jobs on his first campaign swing in U.S. House race.

More of the same at the OPP's Sen. Mike Parry kicks off Congressional campaign.In this report, The Belle of Waseca County promises he'll keep up with his state senate duties, and only bother voters late at night:

Sitting across the table from Sen. Parry at the Owatonna restaurant, one local resident asked how the senator will balance his current duties with the rigors of the campaign.

“That’s the one thing before I made the decision to run for Congress I spoke with our majority leader (Sen. Amy) Koch, and I told her of my desire to run for Congress and I made a promise to her I wouldn’t let my chairmanship duties down,” Parry said, who is chairman of the State Government Innovations and Veterans Committee. “I’m honored to be there, honored to have a chairmanship and I told them that would not fail, as I’m still a state senator.”

Though the dual responsibilities could create a lot of late nights, Parry promised he wouldn’t miss a vote in the Senate while continuing to campaign at the same time.

Bluestem will keep an eye out to see what else he misses--and whether he takes per diem payments for those days. Fans of the Emo Senator may remember that Parry had a difficult time attending to his duties as a Waseca City Council member. Bluestem is chacking on how he's done with his senatorial duties (given the whining about needing a pay raise, perhaps he's shown up).

The Austin paper has yet to report.

The DFL made a dramatic entrance in this epsiode, sending out a press release branding Parry as a Tea Party politician. Long time fans of Emo Senator instantly recognized this as a case of mistaken identity. Mike Parry isn't a teabagger. He's a made ALEC man all the way, a reliable tool who can be depended upon to slap his jackets on model bills from the corporate bill factory.

In addition to his sound bite on the debt ceiling, the Emo Senator is carrying on about The Importance of Education. Fans of this online telenovela can look forward to high drama on this one, since Allen Quist (seriously considering jumping into the race) has in the past had the decency to call for the elimination of the federal Department of Education, while Parry is simply calling for freezing the debt ceiling and slashing spending.

Doubtless we'll hear Emo totally agree with Congressman Klein's plans to cut federal aid for higher education, which is of course the best way to make sure our youth are educated.

One added note. Josh Moniz at the New Ulm Journal provided a preview of today's episode in Parry kicks off Congressional campaign for 1st District, including excellent coverage of the potential Quist bid. One passage in the article does need clarification, however:

He has gained a reputation for being a deeply conservative and a loudly outspoken politician. During this year's state government shutdown, Parry was one of the most active commentators, repeatedly calling for the resignation for Gov. Mark Dayton. He also strongly supported his decision to take pay during the shutdown.

By "his," Moniz is referencing Parry's own salary. Dayton himself didn't draw a salary during the shutdown. Moreover, Walz has returned all congressional pay increases to the US Treasury since being sworn in in 2007. in contrast Parry has whined about his senate salary, at one point claiming it was his only source of income, although he runs a Godfather's Pizza franchise in Waseca, and took his legislative salary while the state government was shut down, and still found time to bitch about the gardener at the governor's mansion (the gardener was laid off at the time).

Photo: The Emo Senator, now flouncing across Southern Minnesota, with a "great crowd" of less than 20. Picture tweeted with "great crowd" description by one of his campaign staff.

Earlier episodes below the fold.

Emo Senator: Will Quist's holy rolling upstage Brodkorb's progress across Southern MN?

Emo Senator: Brodkorb campaign sends out a press release on Draz settling for state house

The Emo Senator: Upstaged by Twin Cities volunteer, Mike Parry grows suddenly silent

Failed burrito baron's financial genius makes headlines again; Strib glosses over details

Tim Walz, congressional pay, and the Heinrich maneuver

Waseca confidential part 1: Mike Parry's deleted emails as metaphor

Waseca confidential, part 2: Mike Parry's role on the path to paying a city employee "$51,000 to leave quietly"

From Waseca's back pages: Mike Parry and Maplewood Park

Update on Maplewood Park story: more Mike Parry backtracking

Emo Senator: Southern Minnesota's beloved telenovela diva sets sights for national stage

The Emo Senator: Mike Parry stands against daycare providers' right to vote in union drive