Demmer advances to take on Walz

State Rep. Randy Demmer was endorsed by the First Congressional District GOP on Saturday, defeating Allen Quist after eight ballots. Demmer will now take on two-term DFL Rep. Tim Walz who has a huge cash advantage over Demmer and won reelection with 63 percent of the vote in 2008. Still, national Republicans are targeting the seat as the most likely pickup opportunity in Minnesota.

Walz had $596,000 to spend by the end of March, while Demmer only had $19,000, with $135,150 worth of loans remaining from his run for the GOP endorsement in 2008.

Republican activist Vin Weber told Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza, “Democrats had been counting on the Republicans nominating Allen Quist. Now they know they’ll have a fight on their hands.”

And the Minnesota DFL has already started the fight with this statement, issued immediately following the endorsement:

“Randy Demmer is about as inconsistent and hypocritical as they come. As a state legislator, Mr. Demmer regularly pandered to the far right instead of working for the needs of his constituents. Now he is trying to paint himself as a mainstream candidate. As a legislator, Mr. Demmer vehemently opposed creating jobs in the bonding bill, citing concerns over fiscal responsibility — but as a taxpayer, Demmer had no problem taking millions of dollars in business and farm subsidies. And while opposing what he calls ‘government handouts,’ Randy Demmer took legislative per-diems when he was out of the state attending a partisan event.

The Minnesota GOP mentioned Demmer just twice in their statement on the endorsement, opting to attack Walz, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Obama:

“Randy Demmer is the right choice to take on a Pelosi rubber stamp like Tim Walz. Randy understands that tax relief and sensible, limited government are the best ways to spur private sector job growth. Walz likes to talk about being an ‘independent leader,’ but he has voted nearly 97 percent of the time with Pelosi. Walz has repeatedly turned his back on Southern Minnesota on critical issues by voting for the government takeover of health care, taxpayer funding of abortion, the failed Obama ‘stimulus,’ and the job-killing cap and trade bill. After four years of out of touch liberalism from Walz, it’s time Southern Minnesota again had a leader who listened to them.”

Walz’s campaign also released a statement touting the incumbent Democrat’s accomplishments:

“After six months of negative campaigning, we are very interested in finally hearing State Rep. Demmer’s ideas to solve the immense challenges we face. We are going to continue running our campaign on Tim’s record of effective service for southern Minnesota. Tim has delivered for our businesses on main street while holding Wall Street accountable, delivered for our veterans by working to ensure they receive the benefits they have earned, delivered for middle class families with the largest tax cut in history and delivered for students by making sure college is more affordable. Folks in southern Minnesota know Tim works for them.”