Last week the Minnesota DFL proposed a redistricting map that would pit Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann against Minnesota's current 4th Congressional Representative, and intellectual lightweight Betty McCollum. The map would create a new 6th district by combining all of Washington and Ramsey counties. Rep. McCollum's response to this news is vintage Betty, through her spokesman Bill Harper, she called the DFL map "hyper partisan" and "bizzare". I guess Betty is so used to criticizing the Tea Party with such adjectives, it's become reflexive even if it's directed at her own party.
There is still a lot of chips that would need to fall in place before this "dream matchup" could actually occur. First, Rep. Bachmann is running for President and while her numbers have been falling as the race has developed, she still hasn't dropped out, and probably won't until after the Iowa Caucus -- where she has focussed most of her campaign resources. If she does drop out, she'll have to decide if she wants to run for Congress again. She hasn't announced her intentions, but she'll have a sizeable war chest if she does. Rep. Bachmann is very popular among the Tea Party and has track record of being an extremely strong national fundraiser. Her Presidential campaign has only boosted her fundraising network. Her last congressional election in 2010 was one of the most expensive in the country, and a 2012 matchup with McCollum would be even more so.
Secondly, the final decision on the new congressional boundaries will be decided by a court panel since the Republican legistature and Gov. Dayton failed to come to an agreement during the last legislative session. That decision is expected to be made shortly after the new year.
The DFL is banking on the fact that 62% of voters in this new district voted for President Obama in 2008 as evidence that this new district would be a safe one for the DFL and Rep. McCollum. St. Paul taxpayers welcome the matchup. President Obama has lost the swing voters in the middle, and the suburbs of Washington and Ramsey counties are ripe with disaffected voters who fear the country is off course and needs a major course correction.
The biggest challenge in defeating Rep. McCollum over the last few election cycles has been the fact that her challengers haven't had the necessary funds to run an effective campaign and get the message out about Rep. McCollum's far left, Pelosi-Reid-Obama voting record. A potential matchup with Rep. Bachmann removes McCollum's fundraising advantage and all but guarantees that voters will learn what those of us who pay attention have always known -- Rep. McCollum is an ultra far left liberal lapdog for the extreme progressive wing of the Obama - Reid - Pelosi machine.
A Bachmann vs. McCollum matchup would ensure that voters in St. Paul, Ramsey and Washington counties will find out how out of touch Rep. McCollum really is from the mainstream. Her past statments, that have become viral sensations on the Internet will surely get more media attention in the next election cycle. Rep. McCollum's record is a "target rich enviroment" for a well funded candidate. Her statements have been documented at this site for years:
Rep. McCollum doesn't think we have a voter fraud problem in this country.
Rep. McCollum doesn't think Al Qaeda poses a threat to the United States.
Rep. McCollum thinks the federal budget is "just a piece of paper..totally nonbinding."
Rep. McCollum thinks former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is a consensus builder.
And the Granddaddy of Them All, Rep. McCollum left the words "Under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance when leading Congress.
Between these statements, her constant blaming the Tea Party for our nation's financial woes, rather than the profligate spending in Washington, her unflinching support for President Obama's failed economic policies, and the fact that the only acceptable cuts in the federal budget that she could find were NASCAR sponsorships and military bands make her a weak candidate to represent Minnesota.
And can you imagine the debate? Betty McCollum won't be able to hide from that one.
