Maureen Reed for Congress

In a district that is historically a difficult area for Democrats, and in what looks to be a trying political environment, people have asked our campaign how we expect to win against Bachmann.

It is an important question. We can have the best plans for fixing health care, getting our economy back on track, and educating our children; but they will not go into effect unless we can defeat Michele Bachmann.

The tough make-up of the district is most clear when looking at a map of the election results from the 2008 Senate race:

The darker the red, the more the Republican won by, and the darker the blue, the better the Democrat did. In the race illustrated above, the Republican received 48.7%, the Democrat 32.9%, and the Independent 17.6%.

Looking at the Democratic performance, Democrats have been able to win votes in the St Cloud area (in Senate District 15), with St Cloud State University reliably going blue. We've also been able to make progress in Washington County. Beyond those two areas, however, Democrats have failed to gain the support necessary to win this district with no democrat winning a majority of the vote in 2008.

Looking beyond the Senate race shown above, and considering the 2008 race against Michele Bachmann, the same trends seem to apply. El Tinklenberg won St Cloud by over 13% against Bachmann. He also was able to win in the Afton/Woodbury area by over 7%. He lost the race overall, however, by not winning enough votes in Wright, Sherburne, and Anoka Counties.

In this district, only 43% of the voters are Democrats. We can win every single Democratic vote and still lose. However, 54% of voters voted against Michele Bachmann. The trick is to consolidate the independent and fiscal conservative voters to form a winning coalition.

Maureen is the only candidate in the race who can do this.

Her background as a political outsider, with decades of real-world experience in medicine, business, education and environmental work, puts Maureen in excellent position to win independent voters who are taken aback with the partisan politics of today.

When Michele Bachmann attacks Maureen as just another "Nancy Pelosi, tax-and-spend liberal," as she undoubtedly will do, we will respond strongly that, no, Maureen is the one who has created jobs, the one who has balanced budgets, and the one who has met payroll for decades. In fact, Bachmann was the one in Washington helping to create the fiscal mess that we're in today.

You can hear Maureen in her own words here.

The fact that Michele Bachmann only received 46% of the vote in 2008, down from just over 50% in 2006, shows that she has been unable to solidify her base, making her vulnerable this cycle as people across the district, state, and country see their incumbents as not getting the job done.

It will not be easy, but with your help, 2010 will be the year we defeat Michele Bachmann, and Maureen is the only candidate who can do it.

Jason Isaacson
Campaign Manager