Peace and harmony in the 6th

Posted at 12:38 PM on April 21, 2006 by Bob Collins

The GOP held a news conference today in which 6th District candidates pledged to abide by the endorsement process, and avoid a nasty primary battle. Phil Krinkie wasn't there but he had a late night last night and an early one today with stadium hearings, since he chairs the House Taxes Committee. He told Tim Pugmire a couple of weeks ago that he also intends to honor the endorsement.

Here's the audio from the news conference.

Update 2:12 p.m. - OK, so the whole "cohesiveness" thing wasn't entirely without bumps. Turns out Krinkie is refusing to sign the pledge. Bill Walsh, of the Krinkie campaign, says the candidate's "word is good." He then took some shots at the other candidates who, he says, sign pledges and then don't live up to them.

Update 2:14 As I was typing that, this release came into the INBOX.

Rep. Phil Krinkie warned delegates and voters today to be wary of any new written pledges signed by his two major opponents for the 6th District Republican nomination because they have not kept their word in the past on similar written pledges. Sen. Michele Bachmann and Rep. Jim Knoblach both signed a written pledge not to raise taxes on the citizens of Minnesota on April 15, 2005 and then violated that written pledge just 89 days later by voting for a $400 million tax increase.

"Candidates should be judged by their actions, not their words," said Krinkie. "When I said I wasn't going to raise taxes, I kept my word. When I say I'm not going to run against the endorsed Republican candidate, I mean it."

Rep. Krinkie could not attend a pledge signing ceremony sponsored by the Republican Party of Minnesota today because he was busy chairing the House Tax Committee.

In other campaign developments, Sen. Bachmann distributed a campaign flyer on the issue of immigration using the now infamous defense that she voted against giving children of illegal immigrants in-state tuition before she voted for it.

"Once again, saying you are against something after you've voted for it does not work with the voters – just ask John Kerry," added Krinkie.

One big happy family.

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