Minnesota Independent

3rd CD: Debate tonight, new party ads, and a gender gap on parade

By Chris Steller | 10.22.08 | 11:23 am

While the country turned its fickle eyes to Minnesota’s suddenly compelling 6th Congressional District contest, the race for the state’s 3rd District didn’t stop being hot. Over the last two days, both major parties’ congressional committees unveiled new TV ads. Big male guns vouched for the Republican candidate, state Rep. Erik Paulsen, and big female guns tried to widen a gender gap for DFLer Ashwin Madia — while heaping derision on another female office-holder, state Rep. Michele Bachmann. All this and more, with video and details about tonight’s candidate debate in Edina, after the jump.

Republican congressional ad buys continue crumbling

By Chris Steller | 10.10.08 | 6:03 pm

The National Republican Congressional Committee has continued to cut back on its planned TV advertising buys in Minnesota, with a second week of ads canceled in the 3rd Congressional District and a week called off for the first time

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

By Andy Birkey | 10.07.08 | 3:50 pm

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.