Immelman, a professor of political psychology at the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University and 6th Congressional District Republican candidate, recently completed a walk across the wide district.
by T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol reporter
Whatever his future political achievement, Aubrey Immelman has achieved a physical one.
Immelman, a professor of political psychology at the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University and 6th Congressional District Republican candidate, recently completed a walk across the wide district.
Actually staged in two parts, Immelman, who hopes to replace Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater, estimates that all told he logged about 150 miles slogging down roadways in the 6th.
"You don't see that many people on the highway, said Immelman, who reports that his thighs have been toughened by the exercise.
"One of the points (of the walk) was to say that I crisscrossed the district, that I walked the length of it from Freeport in the North to Stillwater in the South, he said.
Aubrey Immelman had a goal of walking around the Sixth District in his quest to be the next Sixth District congressional member. He achieved that goal.
"I crossed from Foley to Paynesville in the West I had my feet firmly on the ground, firmly in touch with the district and not jetting off to Alaska and Louisiana Gulf Coast and so on, said Immelman, referring to Bachmann's recent congressional energy tours across the United States.
Showing off commitment
"The purpose of that was to show my commitment that I have my feet on the ground, so to speak, he said.
Immelman indicated that as an attention-grabber, the walk was a modest success.
"It's obviously discouraging when you get to the end of the walk in Stillwater and there's no one there to meet you, said Immelman.
"It made me realize what an advantage Patty Wetterling had with her name recognition, he said.
"I can't imagine Patty Wetterling walking a hundred miles and there's no one to meet her there at the end, he said.
The non-reception in Stillwater was made sharper by the fact that Immelman, who was setting a good pace, arrived in the city before his awaiting family was expecting him.
"When I arrived in Stillwater, I got there a little sooner than my family thought, because I was walking fast, and they were in a restaurant across from the waterfront, he said.
"There was no one to greet me no press, no family, no nothing, he said. "You're walking along thinking, Is this really worth it?' No one is reporting on it, said Immelman. "No one even knows, he said.
Immelman said he intends to shift his campaigning to more heavily populated areas of the district Anoka, Blaine, Woodbury.
Plans debate challenge
Additionally, he plans to challenge Bachmann, via the Internet, to a debate on foreign policy on which he believes the congresswoman is weak.
Although 6th Congressional District Democratic challenger Elwyn Tinklenberg has spoken of a debate with Bachmann in September in Monticello, the Bachmann campaign last week failed to confirm that the congresswoman intended to participate.
Immelman has not personally met with Bachmann, who recently has been appearing on Larry King and network news, in two years.
"This year I saw her in a parade she was sitting on a bale of hay, he said. "So you couldn't shake her hand or anything couldn't talk to her, said Immelman.
Bachmann has a record of social conservatism, opined Immelman, and he doesn't expect the social conservatives to embrace him.
"And so I need to look for fiscally conservative and moderate voters to be disaffected with the more extreme elements of Congresswoman Bachmann's policies, he said.
Plans to be at convention
Immelman indicated he would spending time in the Twin Cities during next week's Republican National Convention.
Asked if his walk across the district worthwhile, Immelman gave a qualified Yes.'
"It was worthwhile in the sense that I set a goal for myself, said Immelman.
"It was my first campaign promise and really my only one, and I kept that promise, he said.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
