McCain touches down for dollars in Minneapolis

John McCain will make his first visit to Minnesota since securing the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday. The Arizona senator will be holding a fundraiser at the Minneapolis Hilton and is also expected to host a town hall-style meeting, the details of which have yet to be announced.

The invite for the fundraiser promises a veritable who’s who of Republican bigwigs. Steering the welcome wagon is, of course, McCain campaign co-chair and veepstakes short-lister Tim Pawlenty. The event’s other "honorary chairs" are Sen. Norm Coleman and Reps. Michele Bachmann, John Kline and Jim Ramstad.

Meanwhile the gathering’s (non-honorary) chairs have contributed or raised at least $50,000 for the McCain campaign. Among this select group are Lifetime Fitness founder Bahram Akradi  ($60,000 in campaign contributions during the last three election cycles, almost exclusively to Republicans); car hawker Dennis Hecker ($85,000 since 2002, primarily to Republicans — although he did give the $2,300 maximum to both Barack Obama and Al Franken); local media moguls Stanley and Karen Hubbard (roughly $500,000 to predominantly Republican political campaigns over the last three election cycles from various family members) and businessman Wheelock Whitney (just over $50,000 provided exclusively to Republicans since 2002).

Also in this club are several former elected officials, including GOP operative Vin Weber (formerly co-chair of Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign), would-be senator Mark Kennedy (still applying balm to his ass on a daily basis, thanks to Amy Klobuchar) and Sen. Rudy Boschwitz.

Then there’s the slightly-less-celebrated "event host committee," who have contributed or raised at least $20,000 for McCain’s presidential run. This group includes Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek, public ballpark fleece-er Bruce Lambrecht and former (and future?) gubernatorial aspirant Brian Sullivan.

As for the less well-heeled and powerful, $1,000 will get you in the door and a plate of rubber chicken. For an additional $1,300 you can have your picture taken with McCain.

The visit comes as the latest SurveyUSA poll puts McCain in a virtual dead heat with Barack Obama in Minnesota. Previous polls had shown the Democrat with a double-digit lead.