Bachmann the maverick: Runs away from Bush, would ‘give Obama a kiss’ instead

As candidates for the 6th Congressional District squared off in St. Cloud on Thursday, Rep. Michele Bachmann tried the John McCain defense — trying to position herself as a maverick who’s bucked the Bush administration. She charged Democratic challenger El Tinklenberg “is more in line with President Bush’s policies than I am,” adding that if Barack Obama is elected president, she’d welcome him to the district. But, look out, Barack: “As a matter of fact, I would put my hand on his shoulder and give him a kiss if he wanted to.”

Strategic shift for GOP? NRCC pulls TV ads for Paulsen, buys time for Bachmann

The National Republican Congressional Committee has scaled back its TV ad buys in the Twin Cities metro for Republican Erik Paulsen, who is running in a tight race with DFLer Ashwin Madia, MPR’s Polinaut reports. At the same time, the NRCC is buying ads for Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann who faces a challenge from Elwyn Tinklenberg.

‘Drain America First’: CD6 candidates spar over energy, economy and war

Republican incumbent Rep. Michele Bachmann and two challengers who hope to unseat her to represent Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District in Washington met in Stillwater Wednesday evening for the first candidates’ forum. In front of a standing-room-only crowd, Bachmann, DFL-endorsed El Tinklenberg and Bob Anderson, the unendorsed Independence Party candidate, sparred mainly over the economy, although energy, the war in Iraq and the Stillwater lift bridge each garnered some attention.

The best line of the night came when Tinklenberg criticized Bachmann on her offshore and ANWR drilling proposals: “The strategy that she has proposed of ‘Drain America First’ is a bad strategy.”

Campaign Notebook: Busy Quarter So Far

El Tinklenberg is in for the 6th Congressional District.  Melissa Hortman is out in the 3rd District.  Terri Bonoff may or may not already have raised a considerable amount of money in that race, and Republican Mayor Jim Hovland will…

Tinklenberg Will Join Race Against Bachmann

The rumor first reported on Dump Bachmann has been partially confirmed by the Associated Press:  former Blaine Mayor and Transportation Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg is strongly considering an entry into the race for the DFL…