Joyce Finney: "She represents the district I live in, but she sure doesn’t represent my feelings about things."

Stillwater's Joyce Finney: "She represents the district I live in, but she sure doesn’t represent my feelings about things."

Rep. Michele Bachmann’s recent Hardball blowup has undoubtedly endangered her re-election prospects. The freshman legislator’s assertion that there should be an investigation into whether Barack Obama and other members of Congress hold “anti-American” views has become one of the top political stories in the country. Her opponent, Elwyn Tinklenberg, has raised $1.3 million in less than a week and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has committed to a seven-figure ad buy in the district. The most recent blow: the National Republican Congressional Committee decided to pull its TV spots from the 6th District.

But what do constituents in the 6th Congressional District think of Bachmann’s latest episode of foot-in-mouth disease? On Tuesday afternoon Chris Steller and I ventured into the northern suburbs to speak with voters about the controversy and their feelings regarding Bachmann.

We traveled first to Stillwater, on the eastern edge of the district, where Bachmann first rose to political prominence by winning a state House race in 2000. The anti-Bachmann chorus was unanimous. “Nutcase,” said Scott Zahren, owner of the Alesci Furniture Gallery. “I’m serious. It almost makes you embarrassed to be an American.”

Joyce Finney was slightly less caustic in her take. “I don’t feel like she represents me,” Finney said. “She represents the district I live in, but she sure doesn’t represent my feelings about things.”

We then traveled across the 6th Congressional District to Anoka. The view on Bachmann and her recent outburst was much more sanguine among the folks we encountered there. “I think she’s a little outspoken, but I think she’s got good values,” said Monica Schnack, who teaches at the Elim Christian Learning Center in Anoka. “I think she’s for the people. I think she’s trying to help.”

Paula Dwyer, whose vehicle sported a McCain-Palin bumper sticker, endorsed Bachmann’s views about the Democratic presidential contender. “As far as what she said about Obama being anti-American, I think you have to wonder, too,” she said. “He just hasn’t been out there in front of America for very long at all.”

Others simply expressed disgust at all politicians. “I won’t even vote any more,” said Eric Krueger. “I don’t even trust out government. I think they’re all crooks.”