Romney rallies GOP faithful for Emmer

In a Monday appearance that raised money and rallied the faithful, Mitt Romney joined the long line of national politicians lending their weight to the Minnesota governor's race.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and 2008 presidential candidate, told a Bloomington rally that it was important to elect Republican Tom Emmer.

Democrats, Romney said, are "changing the very character and the nature of America" by smothering the country with taxes and red tape.

"We are a nation of pioneers and champions," Romney said.

Taking the stage about 20 minutes late, Romney quickly won cheers.

"This feels different than it did two years ago," said Romney, who shook hands and posed for snapshots after the rally. "Look who's got the energy. Look who's got the passion."

Emmer urged the crowd of several hundred to make sure the Republicans win on Nov. 2.

"It means everybody has to grab hold of the rope and start pulling with everything they've got. We need you out on the ground pounding signs, pounding on doors, making those phone calls stuffing those envelopes," Emmer said.

Romney's visit follows similar stops in Minnesota by Republicans Newt Gingrich and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal for Emmer and Democrats Bill Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden for DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton. President Obama will headline a Saturday rally.

Hype, hope and cash

For the candidates, the visitors mean extra cash to spend and the creation of extra hype among the faithful.

"It's all hands on deck," said Minnesota Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton. "I will take the help and support of anybody who will help get Tom Emmer elected governor of this state."

Romney held a $500-a-person fundraiser for Emmer also in Bloomington, which reportedly attracted close to 200 people, before headlining a rally for the Republican candidate and the party at a nearby hotel.

"It shows, yet again, our campaign is about pulling people from all different parts of the Republican Party together," Emmer told reporters.

Previous Minnesota governors' elections haven't attracted the same level of attention from national leaders. That's in part because all elections have been nationalized more than they used to be and in part because travel is now simply expected from folks with household names.

"The phenomenon of national political leaders traveling around to campaign for other candidates has really exploded in the last couple of election cycles," said Brian McClung, a former Gov. Tim Pawlenty staffer now running pro-Emmer business group, MN Forward.

They come bearing gifts

Each time a national figure visits, he or she brings along some gifts. For Romney, that included some treasure that wasn't shared with all.

In advance of his stop in the Gopher state, Romney, who spent Wednesday afternoon raising money for the Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate, announced he had endorsed six of the eight Minnesota Republicans running for Congress.

Incumbent U.S. Reps. Michele Bachmann, John Kline and Erik Paulsen all got a nod and $2,500 from Romney's Free and Strong America PAC as did Republican challengers Lee Byberg, Chip Cravaack and Randy Demmer. Not on the list: Republican challengers Joel Demos and Teresa Collett, who are running against U.S. Reps. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum, respectively.

Jack Tomczak, campaign manager for Demos, said the campaign was "disappointed." Todd Henderson, of the Collett campaign, said "We would more than welcome that endorsement, but we did not actively seek it out."

Romney's visit, his second to Minnesota this year, also raised eyebrows because he is seen as a potential Pawlenty rival in the 2012 presidential race. But Pawlenty said that hasn't caused any issues with Romney.

"Mitt and I are friends. I like him," Pawlenty said last week. "There's no tension or problem with me and Mitt."

Although Pawlenty said he would attend the Romney events if he could, he in fact did not show up to either the fundraiser or the rally.

Staff Writer Mike Kaszuba contributed to this report. Rachel E. Stassen-Berger 651-292-0164