Larry Schumacher -- for whom I'm told birthday wishes are in order -- tells us an interesting fact:

A majority of voters in Benton and Stearns counties picked Republican John McCain for president Tuesday and a plurality voted to re-elect U.S. Sen. Norm
Coleman.

But a plurality of voters in the two counties also supported Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg for Congress.

...Tinklenberg won almost 48 percent of the vote in Stearns County and nearly 46 percent of the vote in Benton County, compared with Bachmann, who won 43 percent of both counties� voters.

[McCain] won 52 percent of the vote in Stearns County and 53 percent in Benton County, compared with Obama, who received 45 percent of the vote in Stearns and 44 percent in Benton.

Coleman won 46 percent of the vote in Stearns County and 44 percent in Benton County. Democratic challenger Al Franken received 34 percent of the vote in both Stearns and Benton.

Now I'm sure that people will want to ascribe Tinklenberg's strength in central Minnesota to Bachmann's Hardball comment, but I don't see it that way. Tinklenberg had several friends among GOPers here from his days as transportation commissioner, with strong support for Northstar light rail to St. Cloud. I had noted a few yards with both McCain and Tinklenberg signs. (Folks will remember that former Rep. Jim Knoblach was head of the House Capital Investment committee during that time.)

Larry also notes that Sherburne County, the most Republican of the three up here, had 87% turnout. That high turnout might have saved Bachmann, probably more than the Bob Anderson theory.

Labels: elections, St. Cloud