One year ago today, I launched my campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District.

On the first day of the campaign I issued my position statement on illegal immigration, one of the three core issues in my congressional campaign. My other key issues were law enforcement and national security (with a focus on my opposition to the Iraq war, which I believe weakened U.S. national security and which Rep. Bachmann enthusiastically supported).

Following is my blog post for the first day of the campaign. Over the next few months, I will regularly post “One Year Ago Today” excerpts from my 2008 campaign blog entries.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago Today — July 15, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day One

Today, the first day of the campaign, I roll out my policy statement on immigration and am available to respond to constituent and media queries regarding my position.

Next week, I will address vital U.S. national security issues.

The following week, I will comment on pressing issues of law enforcement and public safety.

After that, I will physically hit the campaign trail, traveling the district to meet with and listen to the concerns of constituents.

Please join me on this journey to restore the common-sense voice of reason of ordinary Minnesotans in our nation’s capital.

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RELATED MEDIA REPORTS

KEYC TV 12, Mankato (July 4, 2008) — Sixth District congresswoman Michele 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. …

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SJU Professor Challenges Bachmann for Republican Nomination

By David Unze
St. Cloud Times
July 4, 2008

A St. John’s University associate professor of psychology plans to seek the Republican nomination for the 6th District congressional seat occupied by Michele Bachmann.

Aubrey Immelman, 52, announced his candidacy Thursday. He said he will run on a platform of restoring conservative values, which includes fiscal responsibility and national security.

Although he’s opposed to the war in Iraq — saying it has hurt the United States, further destabilized the Middle East and empowered Iran — he’s not an anti-war candidate, he said.

Immelman, who first came to the U.S. in 1968, was an infantry paratrooper in the South African military.

One of the courses he teaches is on profiling, and he has gained a national reputation for his personality profiles of U.S. presidential candidates, world leaders and terrorist leaders.

Immelman worked as a U.S. military consultant on nuclear counter-proliferation and reducing the weapons of mass destruction threat against the United States, he said.

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Bachmann Faces Primary Fight from Little Known Candidate

By Tim Budig
ECM Capitol reporter
July 7, 2008

Sixth District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann will be facing a primary election challenger.

Aubrey Immelman, of Sartell, has filed with the Secretary of State’s Office as a Republican and has a website proclaiming his candidacy for Congress.

A July 2 entry states that the candidate is currently in Europe to conduct military training and attend meetings.

It states Immelman’s campaign for the 6th District will begin on July 15.

Bachmann, whose heard that Immelman is an educator, indicated she welcomed the contest.

“Im excited about that challenge,” said Bachmann of the primary tussle, speaking at Inver Grove Heights City Hall this morning (July 7).

“I look forward to the challenge. I believe its great. Welcome him,” she said.

“I haven’t met him. He’ll have to introduce himself to the public and let people know where he stands,” she said.

There has been indications that a candidate forum bringing Bachmann and her Democratic challenger Elwyn Tinklenberg to Monticello in late September has been in the offing.

But Bachmann Monday morning said she didn’t know anything about it.

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Bachmann Challenger: Sleeping in Paris

By Paul Demko
The Minnesota Independent
July 8, 2008

The St. Cloud Times reported last week that Rep. Michele Bachmann now has a challenger in the Republican primary. St. John’s University psychology professor Aubrey Immelman has filed to run against the freshman legislator.

Immelman’s area of expertise is analyzing the personalities of politicians and criminals — two professions that conveniently overlap on occasion. He told the Associated Press that he’s opposed to the Iraq War and that he wants to restore conservative values and fiscal responsibility to Congress.

But little more is known about Immelman’s views on issues or how vigorous a campaign he intends to run. So I called him up to ask a few questions. Unfortunately, the professor is in Paris[*] all week. According to Immelman’s Web site, he’s there “to conduct military training and attend meetings.” The campaign will officially launch on July 15.

* Note: The military training was conducted in Brussels, following which I attended the annual scientific meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology in Paris.

Dr. David G. Winter of the University of Michigan delivers his keynote address, “Taming Power: Should We? Can We? How?” at the 2008 annual meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology in Paris, July 12, 2008. (Photo: Aubrey Immelman)

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SIDEBAR

Twister Sisters Video of Tornado-Warned Storm

St. Cloud, Minn.
July 14, 2009