Tinklenberg pulls out of 3-way race against Bachmann

DFLer Elwyn Tinklenberg abruptly withdraws from 6th District congressional race so party can focus on beating Rep. Michele Bachmann
Tinklenberg pulls out of 3-way race against Bachmann
By Bill Salisbury
bsalisbury@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 08/04/2009 11:59:01 PM CDT

Just eight days after announcing he would make a second run for the 6th District congressional seat, Democrat El Tinklenberg on Tuesday abruptly pulled the plug on his campaign, saying a prolonged fight for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor nomination would make it difficult to defeat Republican U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in 2010.

Tinklenberg, a former Blaine mayor and state transportation commissioner, last year narrowly lost to Bachmann, 46 percent to 43 percent.

But he would have faced two strong contenders for the DFL nomination next year, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Tarryl Clark, of St. Cloud, and Dr. Maureen Reed, of Stillwater.

Tinklenberg said in a statement that he didn't want to devote the next 13 months to spending time and money "trying to defeat each other, rather than defeating Michele Bachmann. That is not a campaign I want to wage, nor is it the kind of campaign that strengthens our chance of electing a Democrat next fall," he said.

Clark declared her candidacy last Wednesday, while Reed, the Independence Party candidate for lieutenant governor in 2006, jumped into the race in May.

"This has never been about me," Tinklenberg said. "It's about restoring responsible, productive representation to the 6th District. It is my hope that by removing myself from the race, I am advancing our chances of achieving that goal."

His campaign manager, Dana Houle, said a DFL intraparty battle for the nomination appeared inevitable, and it would have
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drained the resources needed to win in November 2010.

"To beat Michele Bachmann is going to take a lot of money, time and focus," he said.

Tinklenberg didn't see the situation changing in the next three to six months, "so it was better to do it now," Houle said.

Tinklenberg had raised $55,000 this year for what is likely to be a multimillion-dollar race. Reed, by contrast, had raised $232,000 by the end of June.

"Maureen Reed has done well, and I suspect that Tarryl will be able to easily raise money," said Bill McCarthy, president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation and a DFL activist from Blaine. "So El was in a difficult spot."

Moreover, McCarthy, who backed Tinklenberg in 2008, said he had told the candidate that unlike last year, he would not get early labor support this time. He said most unions wouldn't endorse a candidate before the DFL convention next spring.

But Monday night, just hours before Tinklenberg's announcement, a large and politically active union, AFSCME Council 5, endorsed Clark. The union represents 43,000 public and nonprofit workers, including 5,000 members in the 6th District.

Other 2008 Tinklenberg supporters said he made the right decision.

"Tinklenberg had a great opportunity in 2008, and it didn't work out," said veteran DFL strategist Todd Rapp, of Woodbury. "A lot of DFL delegates and primary voters will be looking for a different, fresher candidate this time. The cards were stacked against him."

Clark concurred with Tinklenberg that a divisive DFL primary in September would make it difficult to wage a strong challenge to Bachmann in November.

"I agree with him that it's time to get unified and start making sure we are accomplishing the task in front of us," she said, noting that she has agreed to abide by the endorsement of the DFL convention next spring.

Reed has not agreed to abide by the endorsement. She issued a statement praising Tinklenberg but could not be reached for further comment.