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May 27th, 2010


Please sign the nominating petition to help me gain ballot access as an independent candidate to challenge Rep. Michele Bachmann in the 2010 general election

Click here

Dear Minnesota 6th Congressional District constituent:

I’m currently collecting signatures on a nominating petition to gain ballot access as an independent candidate to challenge Rep. Michele Bachmann in the November 2010 general election.

As someone whose professional specialty is the psychology of politics, I have spent a significant proportion of my time and resources the past four years trying to devise a strategy to defeat Bachmann in her safe Republican district.

In 2008, I made the determination that the most viable strategy to defeat Bachmann was to challenge her as a Republican in Minnesota’s open primary with the expectation of a strong Democratic cross-over vote.

Consequently, I pilot-tested that strategy by putting myself on the ballot against Bachmann in the Republican primary.

TheUptake_Avidor.jpg Immelman vs. Bachmann picture by Rifleman-Al
Image: Ken Avidor — Dump Bachmann / TheUptake

The pilot project yielded mixed results. First, I confirmed my hypothesis that Bachmann had only plurality, but not majority, support in her district; out of 40,563 votes cast, Bachmann received 47.2% of the vote, with 19,127 votes for and 21,436 against. Second, I established that it’s extremely difficult to induce Democrats to vote in a Republican primary — even for the opportunity to vote against Bachmann.

Specifically, Democratic candidate Elwyn Tinklenberg received 17,474 votes which, if added to my 3,134 votes, yields a combined total of 20,608 non-Bachmann votes to 19,127 for Bachmann. In short, if all 17,474 votes cast for the unopposed Tinklenberg had been cast in the Republican column against Bachmann, Bachmann would have lost the Republican primary by 1,481 votes and Tinklenberg likely would have gone on to win the general election against me (instead of losing to Bachmann).

More: After the Election: Day 1

This election cycle, running against Bachmann in the Republican primary is not a viable strategy to defeat her. The reason for that is the contested 6th District primary fight between Democrats Tarryl Clark and Maureen Reed and the statewide gubernatorial DFL primary, with several well-funded candidates challenging the DFL-endorsed candidate. In short, the contested DFL primaries are certain to prevent a significant Democratic cross-over vote in the Republican column against Bachmann.

Hence, I have decided that getting my name on the general election ballot as an independent and mounting a relentless campaign against Bachmann affords the best opportunity to beat her.

In my judgment, the 6th Congressional District unfortunately is no longer competitive, unless the national political climate changes dramatically in the next few months. For example, the only publicly available poll shows Bachmann comfortably leading Democratic contenders Maureen Reed (53-37%) and Tarryl Clark (55-37%) by double digits.

More: MN-06 Poll: Bachmann Approval 53%

Moreover, Washington D.C. political handicapper CQ Politics, in its latest district-by-district congressional race rating revisions for the 2010 midterm election, has reclassified Minnesota’s 6th District from “Leans Republican” to “Likely Republican,” which reflect the growing likelihood that Bachmann will be reelected to a third term in Congress.

More: CQ Rates Bachmann’s Seat Safe

So, by entering the race as an independent, I hope to help level the playing field and make the race more competitive. When I ran against Bachmann in the 2008 Republican primary, I took 14% of the vote. If I can maintain or improve on that performance in the 2010 general election, the race will be wide open.

Right now I am canvassing mainly the St. Cloud metro area for signatures to get on the ballot; however, I’m trying to get the word out to voters across Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District that they can help by accessing the nominating petition online at http://www.immelman.us/news/immelman-nominating-petition/.

Participants will need to print, sign, and mail the downloadable PDF document to the address provided at the link.

The petition form has space for 10 signatures, so signatories have the option of collecting additional signatures from friends, family, and co-workers before mailing it in.

For a signature to be valid, the signatory must be resident in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District (Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, Wright, Anoka, or Washington county) and be a U.S. citizen who will be 18 years of age or older on Election Day, Nov. 2, 2010. (It’s not a requirement to be a registered voter.)

Please spread the word to friends by word of mouth or using the power of the Internet and social networking.

Petitions must be mailed to me by tomorrow Friday, May 28, 2010 for me to receive it in time for the June 1 filing deadline the day after Memorial Day.

Sincerely,

Aubrey Immelman

Please Sign the Nominating Petition

Click on image for downloadable, printable petition to help nominate Aubrey Immelman as an independent candidate for the office of U.S. Representative in Minnesotas 6th Congressional District.
Click on the image above for a downloadable (PDF) printable petition to help nominate Aubrey Immelman to run as an independent candidate against Rep. Michele Bachmann for the office of U.S. Representative in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District.

——

FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — May 27, 2009


Section 60, Arlington National Cemetery, where many of the service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried, Monday, May 25, 2009, Memorial Day, Arlington, Va. (Photo credit: Jacquelyn Martin / AP)

Iraq: 6 Years On, 10 More Years

One year ago today, I reported that Army chief of staff Gen. George Casey said the Pentagon was prepared to leave fighting forces in Iraq for as long as a decade despite an agreement between the United States and Iraq that would bring all American troops home by 2012.





2 Responses to “Nominating Petition Appeal”
  1. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Michele Bachmann Up-Close Says:

    […] Nominating Petition Appeal (May 27, 2010) […]

  2. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Iraq-Afghanistan Casualties Says:

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