As will often be the case in the early weeks of the campaign, today was a day for dealing with the nuts and bolts of setting up a campaign office and building a campaign organization.

I shopped around for some essential office equipment, did a radio interview, and talked to supporters about opportunities for getting out and introducing myself to constituents — perhaps walking a couple of parades in the district in addition to other initiatives already in the pipeline.

One of the first hurdles to overcome in a primary challenge is simply getting the word out that the party-endorsed candidate has, in fact, a primary challenger. For those who missed the original announcement on the Fourth of July, here’s a concise report from CBS affiliate KEYC 12 in Mankato:

Republican to Challenge Bachmann in 6th District

KEYC 12 TV
Mankato, Minn.
July 4, 2008

Sixth district congresswoman Michelle Bachmann will face a challenge from a fellow Republican. Fifty-two-year-old Aubrey Immelman is an associate professor at St. John’s University. He says he’s running to restore conservative values, including fiscal responsibility and strong national security. Immelman opposes the Iraq war, saying it has further destabilized the Middle East, strengthened Iran, and hurt the United States. …