In his first rodeo, Nolan served in Congress from January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1981, in Minnesota's old, old Sixth Congressional district. In his second, he's served as congressman for Minnesota's 8th, from the northern exurbs to Duluth and the Range.
As Bluestem noted in a post this summer, Reader smells bias in Duluth "liberal paper that leans socialist" despite nods to Mills & Johnson, the Duluth News Tribune endorsed incumbent Republican Chip Cravaack in the 2012 contest with Nolan and challenger Stewart Mills III over Nolan in 2014.
The paper also endorsed Cravaack over veteran lawmaker Jim Oberstar in 2010.
Though part of the Forum Communications chain, which tends to endorse more Republicans than Democrats statewide, the congressional endorsements are made by the local editorial board.
That's why the newspaper's endorsement of Nolan today (posted late Saturday night online) is a big deal
The board writes in Our view / endorsement: Keep Nolan fighting for Duluth, Northland:
With each passing year, this becomes increasingly clear: U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, simply put, is good for Duluth, good for the Iron Range and good for Northeastern Minnesota.
On Nov. 8, voters here are going to be needed to propel Nolan to re-election victory, assuring the congressman stays on the job for them, the same congressman who got pavement-pounding semis off of Superior Street in our downtown, a feat long eluding local leaders; who has been consistent and unwavering in his support of mining, pipelines and protecting good-paying Northland jobs; who has made national headlines by fearlessly butting heads with politics-as-usual Washington; and who has been willing to contradict his party in favor of supporting his 8th Congressional District.
Rick Nolan has been accessible and responsive and has earned the support he’ll need to prevail and remain in office.
Little his challenger has done or said suggests he’d be as open or as willing to address our needs here in the north. Republican Stewart Mills’ base of support clearly is in the southern end of the district. He’s rarely seen in Duluth or on the Range. That’s in stark contrast to Nolan and, before him, Reps. Chip Cravaack and Jim Oberstar. Mills has no campaign office here, even though Duluth is the biggest city in the district.
And voters can be forgiven for being suspicious of Mills’ seeming unwillingness to answer questions publicly or to face scrutiny — or even inquiry — in front of constituents in the north or anywhere. Mills turned down numerous invitations this campaign season to debate his opponent or to appear with him on television, on radio or elsewhere. And the one time he did agree to share a stage with Nolan — at the Playhouse in Duluth on Sept. 19 at a candidate forum sponsored by the News Tribune and Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce — he arrived through a back door moments before the debate was to begin and then dashed away soon after it was over.
When the News Tribune editorial board requested a follow-up meeting, Mills said he’d only do so off the record. . . .
Read the rest at the News Tribune.
One example of Mills public shyness? On Thursday, Minnesota Public Radio host Tom Weber and Nolan chatted about Nolan's record, then Nolan took listeners' calls. Readers can listen to the audio online at Mills and Nolan battle it out over Minnesota's 8th District.
In the copy that follows the audio, the MPR staff did provide Mills some time with the website's readers:
Mills declined the invitation. . . .
Below are some key points taken from Nolan's conversation with host Tom Weber. Also below are answers Mills has given in other instances on similar topics.
Check out the answers at MPR.
Photo: Via MPR, Mills (left) and Nolan (right) in their only debate, back in September. Perhaps Mills fears the giant blancmange on stage between them will return and challenge him to a game of tennis. (Hat-tip Chris Steller for recognizing the object for what it is).
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Hoooleee buckets, Batman!
The DN-T is as Republican as it gets. Yet they backed Rick Nolan.
Stuart Mills III has got to be seething.
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Oct 09, 2016 at 12:24 PM