Gutknecht makes final swing through 1st District
by Leigh Pomeroy
About 40 supporters of Rep. Gil Gutknecht showed up in downtown Mankato around noon on Sunday to see the congressman on his three-day, last minute tour through the 1st Congressional District. Though the turnout was thin, the passion was strong. One couple expressed deep concern about a potential Democratic victory, which they feel would undermine the traditional religious values they support. "The 2nd Amendment," the man said, "was supposed to protect churches from the government, not the other way around."
Retired Lt. Col. Joe Repya, who reenlisted in the Army at age 58 to serve in Iraq, introduced the congressman. Referring to Sen. John Kerry's infamous blown joke about President Bush, he said that in contrast Gutknecht shows true leadership. "Western civilization is at stake," he continued. "We don't want to turn over the government to a bunch of cut and run Democrats" who want to negotiate with terrorists. It's not like "sitting around a campfire singing Kumbaya," he said.
Gutknecht also criticized Kerry's comment, though he allowed that it was probably a "Freudian slip." He accused Democrats of mounting a stealth campaign against him, citing a recent mailer critical of Republicans that appears as if it comes from the Family Council but is probably from, he said, "gay groups... but they don't identify themselves." In the end, "truth will prevail," he said, and Minnesotans will ultimately choose "between Midwest values and San Francisco values."
In talking to reporters afterwards he acknowledged that the campaign had become far too negative. "It's not the campaign I wanted to run," he said. "Starting October 1st, they came out and hit me with a lead pipe. That's when the campaign changed dramatically."
"Yeah, they started it," said a woman who was standing nearby.
"Back when I was in the state legislature," Gutknecht continued, "mentioning an opponent by name in an ad was simply not done. Now it seems like every ad begins with the name of your opponent."
After about a half an hour Mr. Gutknecht was off to his next stop in St. Peter. On Monday he will be touring the eastern part of the district. Meanwhile, Tim Pawlenty and Mark Kennedy will make an appearance in Mankato Monday afternoon at 4:00.
(Hat tip to Bluestem Prairie. The tour schedule is here.)
About 40 supporters of Rep. Gil Gutknecht showed up in downtown Mankato around noon on Sunday to see the congressman on his three-day, last minute tour through the 1st Congressional District. Though the turnout was thin, the passion was strong. One couple expressed deep concern about a potential Democratic victory, which they feel would undermine the traditional religious values they support. "The 2nd Amendment," the man said, "was supposed to protect churches from the government, not the other way around."
Retired Lt. Col. Joe Repya, who reenlisted in the Army at age 58 to serve in Iraq, introduced the congressman. Referring to Sen. John Kerry's infamous blown joke about President Bush, he said that in contrast Gutknecht shows true leadership. "Western civilization is at stake," he continued. "We don't want to turn over the government to a bunch of cut and run Democrats" who want to negotiate with terrorists. It's not like "sitting around a campfire singing Kumbaya," he said.
Gutknecht also criticized Kerry's comment, though he allowed that it was probably a "Freudian slip." He accused Democrats of mounting a stealth campaign against him, citing a recent mailer critical of Republicans that appears as if it comes from the Family Council but is probably from, he said, "gay groups... but they don't identify themselves." In the end, "truth will prevail," he said, and Minnesotans will ultimately choose "between Midwest values and San Francisco values."
In talking to reporters afterwards he acknowledged that the campaign had become far too negative. "It's not the campaign I wanted to run," he said. "Starting October 1st, they came out and hit me with a lead pipe. That's when the campaign changed dramatically."
"Yeah, they started it," said a woman who was standing nearby.
"Back when I was in the state legislature," Gutknecht continued, "mentioning an opponent by name in an ad was simply not done. Now it seems like every ad begins with the name of your opponent."
After about a half an hour Mr. Gutknecht was off to his next stop in St. Peter. On Monday he will be touring the eastern part of the district. Meanwhile, Tim Pawlenty and Mark Kennedy will make an appearance in Mankato Monday afternoon at 4:00.
(Hat tip to Bluestem Prairie. The tour schedule is here.)
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