MPR features the 1st District race; debate in Winona fizzles
Minnesota Public Radio features the 1st Congressional District race today. What appeared to be another sure election for six-term Republican Gil Gutknecht has turned out to be a real fight.
The Winona Daily News reports that only 15 people showed up for a scheduled "closed" debate between Gutknecht and his challenger, Tim Walz, a Mankato high school teacher and 24-year National Guard veteran. The article notes that a nearly equal number of Walz supporters "gathered prior to the debate along Highway 14 near the Saint Mary’s campus entrance, protesting the fact that it wasn’t open to the public."
The debate was to be one of eight scheduled by the two candidates, two of which were to be closed. Walz has favored more debates, all open.
(NOTE: In 2004, I was Gutknecht's opponent in the race for Congress. He agreed to only one debate in that campaign, which was closed to the public and broadcast only three times at non-peak hours on two TV stations.)
One of the key indicators that shows how seriously Gutknecht is finally taking the Walz challenge is his — and the national GOP's — reliance upon vicious attack ads using mailers, radio and TV. The Gutknecht-GOP barrage against Walz has dealt primarily with the issues of immigration and taxes.
(More later on how one Rochester TV station is handling the onslaught of negative political advertising.)
The Winona Daily News reports that only 15 people showed up for a scheduled "closed" debate between Gutknecht and his challenger, Tim Walz, a Mankato high school teacher and 24-year National Guard veteran. The article notes that a nearly equal number of Walz supporters "gathered prior to the debate along Highway 14 near the Saint Mary’s campus entrance, protesting the fact that it wasn’t open to the public."
The debate was to be one of eight scheduled by the two candidates, two of which were to be closed. Walz has favored more debates, all open.
(NOTE: In 2004, I was Gutknecht's opponent in the race for Congress. He agreed to only one debate in that campaign, which was closed to the public and broadcast only three times at non-peak hours on two TV stations.)
One of the key indicators that shows how seriously Gutknecht is finally taking the Walz challenge is his — and the national GOP's — reliance upon vicious attack ads using mailers, radio and TV. The Gutknecht-GOP barrage against Walz has dealt primarily with the issues of immigration and taxes.
(More later on how one Rochester TV station is handling the onslaught of negative political advertising.)
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