The Rochester Tea Party Patriots hosted the first candidate debate for Minnesota First Congressional candidates Thursday, the Rochester Post Bulletin reports First District GOP candidates face off at tea party forum.
The Faribault County Republicans will host a candidate forum on Saturday, January 11, 10:00 a.m. in the Atrium of the Ag Center, 415 S Grove St., Blue Earth.
How'd that forum go in Rochester last night? Heather Carlson reports:
About 100 people showed up at the Rochester Eagles Club for the chance to hear from all three Republicans seeking to take on four-term DFL Congressman Tim Walz in November 2014. . . .
Toward the end of the forum, the candidates had a chance to ask each other questions. Miller went after Benson for sponsoring a bill in the Minnesota House that would raise taxes on cigarettes.
"I think that is a liberal, big government solution to a problem. We don't need that in Washington," Miller told Benson.
In response, the Rochester lawmaker said he lost his first wife to cancer 25 years ago and he has been a strong supporter of efforts to reduce cancer. He said that he supported the cigarette tax increase but only if the money raised was used to decrease other taxes.
"I have taken more votes against raising taxes on people than any of the two folks that are sitting behind me," he said.
Benson questioned Hagedorn about how he can say he is running a strong, aggressive campaign when his first campaign finance report showed he had not raised any money. . . .
To see Hagedorn getting aggressive, check out Ryan Gustafson's report at KEYC-TV, Challenger Demands Walz Explain ACA Vote:
Holding a media event at Walz's Mankato office with a couple who will see their insurance costs go up, Jim Hagedorn demanded that Walz address those hurt by the passage of the health reform law. . . .
Kruse ran as a Republican for the state Legislature in 2010, and that's how Walz's Congressional Office chose to respond to Hagedorn's statement today, saying:
"Today, a former GOP candidate and activist visited our office to explain the challenges he has encountered with MNsure. As we would with any constituent, our office took down his comments to pass them along to Representative Walz and offered to provide our help in cutting through the red tape. He declined our assistance, but we remain available to help him and his family if he changes his mind."
Okay then.
Photo: The Republican clown car in MNCD1.
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