MN-08

Former Bachmann Opponent Clark To Switch Districts, Challenge GOPer Cravaack

Eric Kleefeld | May 9, 2011, 10:42AM

Former state Sen. Tarryl Clark (D-MN) and U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN)

Former Minnesota state Sen. Tarryl Clark (D), who ran unsuccessfully against Republican star Congresswoman Michele Bachmann in 2010, is now setting her sights on Congress again -- in the neighboring district of freshman GOPer Chip Cravaack.

Cravaack won a major upset victory in the historically Democratic 8th District against a longtime Dem incumbent, Rep. Jim Oberstar, winning by a 48%-47% margin. In the more Republican 6th District, Bachmann defeated Clark by 53%-40%. In that race, Clark raised $4.6 million for her effort to unseat a GOP lightning rod.

As the Duluth News Tribune reports, Clark is buying a home in the 8th District, though in fact her current hometown is near the border and could potentially end up being drawn in there after redistricting is done. But she is taking no chances on that score:

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2010 elections

Michele Bachmann Hauls In $5.4 Million In Third Quarter Alone

Ryan J. Reilly | October 13, 2010, 9:32AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Polarization pays. Tea Party-backed Minnesota GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann raised $5.4 in the third quarter, ABC News reports. That number comes on the heels of fellow Tea Partier and Nevada GOP Senate candidate Sharron Angle's announcement she brought in $14 million in that quarter.

The new money would push Bachmann's fundraising haul for the 2010 election cycle to almost $10 million, said ABC. That's more than double the $3.5 million she raised in all of the 2008 campaign altogether. It is especially large for a candidate for the House of Representatives, and reflects her status in the Tea Party movement.

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MN-06

Bachmann Opponent's Web Video: She Doesn't Do '@#%!' For The District (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | October 5, 2010, 12:55PM

Web video from Democratic nominee for Congress Tarryl Clark (D-MN), "More Than Her Share"

Check out this highly unusual Web-only video from Minnesota state Sen. Tarryl Clark, the Democratic challenger against the Republican Tea Party star Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. The video declares that Bachmann does a lot for special interests -- and doesn't do "@#%!" for her constituents.

"No one does more for special interests in Washington than Congresswoman Michele Bachmann," the announcer says. "She stood up for BP when no one else would. She has a 100% record when it comes to supporting Wall Street. She even stood with the big insurance companies and voted against reform.

"Michele Bachmann: not doing @#%! [bleeping] for the people of the Sixth District, but doing more than her share for the special interests in Washington."

A recent SurveyUSA poll gave Bachmann a nine-point lead over Clark.

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MN-06

SurveyUSA Poll: Bachmann Leads Clark By 9 Points

Eric Kleefeld | September 17, 2010, 10:39AM

Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) and MN-06 House candidate Tarryl Clark (D)

The new SurveyUSA poll of the MN-06 House district shows Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, a reigning star of the Tea Party right in Congress, continuing to lead her Democratic opponent Tarryl Clark by nine points.

The numbers: Bachmann 49%, Clark 40%, plus 6% for Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson and independent Aubrey Immelman at 1%. The survey of likely voters has a ±4.1% margin of error. In the previous SurveyUSA poll from two months ago, Bachmann led Clark, Anderson and Immelman by 48%-39%-6%-1%.

As we've previously noted, Bachmann has attracted nationwide financial support due to her high profile. Indeed, she's even leveraged her stardom to start her own leadership PAC. And at the rate things are going, she appears to be on track to re-election in this Republican year.

MN-06

Report: Bachmann's 'Jim The Election Guy' Is Actually Named Beau

Eric Kleefeld | September 9, 2010, 10:32AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) "Meet Taxin' Tarryl" ad

It appears that the star of Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) ads, the character known as "Jim the Election Guy" who tells viewers that her Democratic opponent Tarryl Clark loves taxes, has now been identified. And the recent accusation in a Clark ad is correct: He doesn't live in the district -- and his name isn't Jim.

MinnPost reports that "Jim" is in fact a commercial actor named Beau Peregino, who originally hails from Maryland and now lives in California. Peregino did not return their requests for comment, but a former theater professor of his confirmed his identity from the ads, and his publicity photo matches the appearance of "Jim the Election Guy."

Clark responded to the ads with her own new spot, featuring Bachmann constituents who introduce themselves as actually being named Jim. "Not a fake Jim like this guy," says one of the actual Jims, followed by another: "His name's not even Jim!"

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MN-06

Dem Tarryl Clark Ad: 'Real Jims' Support Her, Not Bachmann (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | September 8, 2010, 11:46AM

Campaign ad by MN-06 House candidate Tarryl Clark (D)

It has come to this. Minnesota state Sen. Tarryl Clark, the Democratic nominee against right-wing star Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, has now responded to Bachmann's "Jim the Election Guy" attack ads -- which feature an actor calling himself Jim, telling viewers how much Clark has voted to raise their taxes. And Clark's new ad features some actual Bachmann constituents, who boast that they are actually named "Jim."

"Hi, I'm an actual Jim," says one man, followed by other Jims: "So am I"; "Me, too."

"Not a fake Jim like this guy," the first Jim says, referring to Bachmann's ads, followed by the third Jim making a serious accusation: "His name's not even Jim!"

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MN-06

Bachmann Ad Hits Dem: 'There's A Tax For That' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | September 7, 2010, 4:29PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) ad: 'A Tax For That'

The new ad from Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) continues her strange "Jim the Election Guy" motif, but this time throws in a recognizable pop culture reference against her Democratic opponent, state Sen. Tarryl Clark: There's a tax for that.

The ad shows Jim telling parents who are taking their kids back to school that Clark has a tax for everything. "Want to buy some crayons? She's got a sales tax increase for that," says Jim. "Drive your kids to school? She's got a gas-tax hike for that. Buy a backpack? She's got a tax for that, too."

No wonder they have this Jim character in the ads. John Hodgman and Justin Long weren't available.

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MN-06

Bachmann Campaign To Remove State Fair Logo From Ad After Complaint

Eric Kleefeld | September 1, 2010, 2:56PM

Campaign ad for Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) campaign is responding to a complaint from the Minnesota State Fair, Politico reports, and will remove the fair's logo from their ad after they used it without permission to attack Bachmann's Democratic opponent.

Bachmann's new ad features a man telling viewers who are going to the State Fair that Dem candidate Tarryl Clark, a state Senator, voted to raise taxes on their favorite products at the fair, such as corn dogs, deep-fried bacon -- and worst of all, beer. (In fact, the votes referred to were an increase in the alcohol tax, plus a referendum in the Twin Cities to raise the local sales tax in order to fund transportation infrastructure. The latter was not specifically targeted at the fair's sort of products, though it would include them.)

The State Fair quickly objected to Bachmann's ad and its use of their logo, on the grounds that the fair does not endorse any party or candidate.

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MN-06

Bachmann Ad: My Dem Opponent Voted To Tax Your Beer And Deep-Fried Bacon (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 31, 2010, 3:42PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has a new ad out, making use of the seasonal State Fair's imagery (without permission) to attack her Dem opponent, state Sen. Tarryl Clark, on some very important issues: Deep-fried foods -- and beer!

The ad continues the theme of having the friendly "Jim the Election Guy" tell voters about issues. (I don't get it, and neither does anyone else in this office. If you understand the reference, please tell us.) "I know, I know, it's State Fair time and you don't want to hear about politics," says Jim. "But while you're at the fair, you should know Tarryl Clark here wanted to raise taxes on your corn dog. And your deep-fried bacon. And your beer."

"So if you see Tarryl Clark while you're at the fair, just ask her: What's up with voting to tax my beer?"

I still don't get this whole "Jim the Election Guy" stuff, but I can confirm the importance of beer as a political issue in the Upper Midwest. Furthermore, this election is over if Bachmann manages to pin down the cheese-curd vote.

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MN-06

New Bachmann Ad Stars...Jim The Election Guy? (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 25, 2010, 1:48PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) "Meet Taxin' Tarryl" ad

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), has a new TV ad going after her Democratic opponent, state Sen. Tarryl Clark, on taxes. Interestingly, this mega-star of the Tea Party right does not showcase any of her own exploits, and is not present in the ad at all beyond her mandatory statement that she approved this message.

Instead, the ad features a man introducing himself as "Jim the election guy," who will "be around to sort things out" in the campaign, and then tells the viewers about how Clark loves taxes, in the fashion of some kind of friendly tech-support representative.

Is this some pop culture reference that I'm just too out of touch to get? I've asked around the TPM office, and nobody else here understands it.

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MN-06

SurveyUSA Poll: Bachmann Leads Dem Opponent By 9 Points

Eric Kleefeld | July 13, 2010, 9:28AM

Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) and MN-06 House candidate Tarryl Clark (D)

The new SurveyUSA poll of the MN-06 district gives Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann, perhaps the single biggest star of the Tea Party movement in Congress today, the lead over her Democratic challenger, state Sen. Tarryl Clark.

The numbers: Bachmann 48%, Clark 39%, Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson 6%, and independent Aubrey Immelman 2%. The survey of likely voters has a ±4.2% margin of error. There is no prior SurveyUSA poll for direct comparison.

The district is very friendly to Republicans, having voted for John McCain by 53%-45% in 2008 and George W. Bush by 57%-42% in 2004. However, Bachmann nearly lost re-election in the Democratic year of 2008, after her infamous Hardball interview in which she called for a media exposé of Barack Obama and other Democrats for possible anti-American beliefs -- citing as evidence Obama's association with such nefarious figures as his wife, Michelle Obama. Since then, she's only gotten more vociferous, ranging from calls for "orderly revolution" to decrying America's new status as a "nation of slaves." And it's all paid off handsomely -- with Bachmann massively out-raising Clark's seemingly impressive haul.

MN-06

Bachmann Raises $1.7 Million In Second Quarter, Far Outpaces Dem Opponent

Eric Kleefeld | July 7, 2010, 4:25PM

Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) and MN-06 House candidate Tarryl Clark (D)

The last three months were a busy fundraising quarter in MN-06, the GOP-leaning district that is home to none other than the infamous Rep. Michele Bachmann. A whole lot of money went towards the effort to defeat her -- and a whole lot more money went to re-elect her, too.

State Sen. Tarryl Clark, Bachmann's Democratic opponent, raised $910,000 for the quarter, with a total of $2.1 million raised for the race so far. On the other hand, Bachmann raised $1.7 million for the quarter, with a total haul of $4.1 million for the cycle. Cash on hand figures were not immediately available.

Bachmann held a high-profile rally and fundraiser back in April, starring none other than Sarah Palin. The district voted 53%-45% for John McCain in 2008, but Bachmann won by only 46%-43% due to her habit of making controversial remarks. Since then, she's emerged as one of the biggest political stars of the Tea Party Movement -- and it's certainly not hurting her cash flow.

MN-06

Bachmann Opponent's New Ad Blasts Her For 'Standing Up For BP' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | June 18, 2010, 2:07PM

Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) and MN-06 House candidate Tarryl Clark (D)

Minnesota state Sen. Tarryl Clark, the Democratic candidate to go up against Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann, is looking to get an ad on the air going after Bachmann for having bashed the the BP escrow fund as "extortion" by the Obama administration.

The ad is not yet up on TV, but the Clark campaign is conducting a fundraising drive among supporters to get it on the air.

"It's BP's fault. And they should pay. But Michelle Bachmann calls making BP pay for the clean up 'extortion,'" the announcer says. "And said 'If I was the head of BP, I would let the signal get out there - 'We're not going to be chumps.'"

"If Bachmann lets BP off the hook, guess who's paying? Us," the announcer says. "Michele Bachmann: standing up for BP. Not us."

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MN-06

Money Pours Into Bachmann's District From Across The Country

Eric Kleefeld | April 19, 2010, 10:12AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) national profile, with her heated rhetoric against President Obama and the Democrats for what she has called their Marxism and tyranny, has attracted a lot of attention in her suburban Minnesota district -- with the race becoming nationalized politically, and money coming in from all around.

The Star Tribune reports that 63% of Bachmann's donations in the first quarter of 2010 came from outside the state. On the Democratic side, the party's endorsed candidate state Sen. Tarryl Clark has seen 30% of her major donations come from outside Minnesota, and former state university regent Maureen Reed has seen 10% of her donations major donations come from out of state.

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MN-06

Bachmann Raises Over $810K In First Quarter 2010

Eric Kleefeld | April 16, 2010, 1:22PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) had a very strong fundraising quarter, taking in over $810,000 for the first three months of 2010, and $1.5 million cash on hand.

Overall, Bachmann has raised a total of $2.4 million so far during campaign cycle. For the two Democrats competing to run against her, state Sen. Tarryl Clark has raised $1.1 million since entering the race last summer, and former state university regent Maureen Reed has raised $1 million, including $250,000 of her own money.

Professor Larry Jacobs at the University of Minnesota told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the massive amounts of money both for and against Bachmann can be explained as thus: "I think it's one word: passion."

2010 elections

First Quarter Fundraising Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | April 6, 2010, 6:38PM

MN-06 Democratic candidates Tarryl Clark and Maureen Reed

Here are some key fundraising numbers from today:

• State Sen. Tarryl Clark (D-MN), who is seeking the Democratic nomination to run against the vocally right-wing Rep. Michele Bachmann (R), raised over $505,000 in the first quarter. Clark, the officially endorsed candidate of the state Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, must still face a Dem primary against former state university regent Maureen Reed, who was also the 2006 Independence Party nominee for lieutenant governor. Reed has not yet released her fundraising numbers.

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MN-06

Minnesota Dems Endorse Candidate Against Bachmann, But Primary Still Awaits

Eric Kleefeld | March 29, 2010, 1:23PM

MN-06 Democratic candidates Tarryl Clark and Maureen Reed

Minnesota Democrats have officially endorsed a candidate to run against Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), the darling of the Tea Party right. But the process isn't over, and there will still be a primary in August.

The district-level convention of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party endorsed state Sen. Tarryl Clark, who has long been supported by other Democratic elected officials and key unions. The other candidate is Maureen Reed, former state University regent and 2006 Independence Party nominee for lieutenant governor -- and she will still be contesting the nomination in the primary.

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Michele Bachmann

Poll: Bachmann Popular In Her District -- Her Constituents Don't Think She's An Extremist!

Eric Kleefeld | December 22, 2009, 12:23PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

A new survey by Public Policy Polling (D) finds that Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) high profile as a conservative firebrand doesn't seem to be hurting her back home -- in fact, a majority of her constituents approve of her job performance, and they don't think she's an extremist.

Bachmann's approval rating is 53%, with 41% disapproval. She leads both of her Democratic opponents by substantial margins, ahead of state Sen. Tarryl Clark by 55%-37%, and leading former University of Minnesota regent Maureen Reed by 53%-37%. The pollster notes that the challengers have low name recognition, but the points stands that a well-known incumbent is over the 50-percent mark.

Respondents were also asked: "Do you consider Michele Bachmann's political views to be extremist?" Here the answer is 37% yes, 54% no. This might seem a bit odd; you'd think that usually people would consider it extreme to repeatedly call for revolution, express concerns about census data being used to create internment camps, and warn against "government re-education camps."

Bachmann's district is always tough ground for Democrats. George W. Bush carried it by double-digit margins twice, and John McCain held on to it by 53%-45%. President Obama's approval rating is only 39% in this district, with 55% disapproval. Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar is at 45%-43%, and Democratic Sen. Al Franken is at 37%-53%. If the horse-race numbers hold up in 2010, then it would be the first time that Bachmann herself would get over 51% support at the polls.

"Michele Bachmann's constituents don't seem to mind her penchant for controversial comments," said PPP president Dean Debnam, in the polling memo. "Given how poorly national Democrats rate in the district they probably agree with a lot of them."

Michele Bachmann

Franken Raising Money For Bachmann Opponent Clark

Eric Kleefeld | November 18, 2009, 2:42PM

Senator Al Franken (D-MN), Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), one of the most prominent liberals in his state, is now raising money for state Sen. Tarryl Clark, the leading Democratic candidate to challenge one of Minnesota's most prominent conservatives, Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann.

Interestingly, Franken shies away from directly attacking Bachmann in a new fundraising letter, but instead praises Clark's record in public service. The closest he gets to a direct attack on Bachmann is this:

P.S. The eyes of the nation - and Michele Bachmann's right-wing allies - will be on this race. You can make sure Tarryl gets off to a strong start by joining Franni and me in supporting her today.

Franken's wife Franni has already been involved in fundraising for Clark's campaign. Clark has an opponent for the nomination, Maureen Reed, a former state university regent and the 2006 Independence Party nominee for Lt. Governor.

MN-06

Two Dems Report Strong Fundraising Against Bachmann

Eric Kleefeld | October 12, 2009, 4:53PM

MN-06 Democratic candidates Tarryl Clark and Maureen Reed

Both Democrats seeking the nomination to run against Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) have reported strong fundraising totals -- though they'll first have to spend it in competition for the Dem nod.

State Sen. Tarryl Clark has raised $308,015, her campaign announced, after having just gotten into the race with nine weeks left in the third quarter. She has just under $270,000 cash on hand. Clark has quickly emerged as the Democratic establishment's candidate, with the support of the state AFL-CIO, SEIU, AFSCME, and various elected officials and other organizations.

Maureen Reed, a former state university regent and the 2006 Independence Party nominee for Lt. Governor, raised over $130,000 in the third quarter, and has over $300,000 cash on hand. "Maureen now sits with over $300,000 cash on hand, all of which was raised without relying on endorsements from prominent individuals or special interests," campaign manager Jason Isaacson said in a press release. "This outpouring of support shows that our message of creating jobs, fixing healthcare, and reducing the national debt is resonating with people."