Tinklenberg drops Bachmann challenge
Elwyn Tinklenberg says he won't run again against 6th District Republican Michele Bachmann. Here's the statement his campaign just released:
I am announcing that as of today I am terminating my campaign for Congress. This is obviously not an easy decision for me, but I have come to the conclusion that its the right one. While the image of the next campaign against Michele Bachmann is certainly energizing, the path to that campaign is becoming increasingly improbable. I'm proud of our last campaign. We did better than almost anyone outside the campaign expected. We built a national support base and proved that a strong Democrat with enough time and resources could win in the Sixth District.
Now, however, we are faced with the prospect of the next thirteen months being a battle among Democrats. In a difficult district during tough financial times we will be spending large amounts of 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 chances of electing a Democrat next fall.
This has never been about me, it's about restoring responsible productive representation to the Sixth District. It is my hope that by removing myself from the race, I am advancing our chances of achieving that goal.
I want to thank all of those people who have supported me and encouraged me over the last several years in the campaigns in the Sixth District. It has been an honor and a privilege working with you. Rest assured, I have no intention of terminating my public involvement. There is much to do in the district and in the state, and I look forward to finding new opportunities to help where I can.
His spokesman, Dana Houle, says that Tinklenberg isn't throwing his support behind any other candidates. Yet. "He may or may not endorse someone else...and someone else may get in the race now that he's leaving. It's not something he's going to do today."
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