By Mike Kaszuba
A confident Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, who is leading in balloting for governor Friday at the state Republican convention, said his candidacy was gaining strength because "the people out in the street are tired of government not responding to them."
Emmer spoke to reporters as party officials slightly adjusted the results of Friday's first ballot. The new results: Emmer 1,062 votes, or 52.6 percent, and Rep. Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, 859 votes, or 42.5 percent.
Emmer said he was spending his time before the second ballot reassuring delegates, whom he said were being fed negative information by Seifert's supporters. "Instead of telling people who they are", said Emmer, some of Seifert's supporters were trash-talking Emmer and his campaign.
But Emmer said he was pleased with the first-ballot results, which he said were better than expected. "I had one guy just tell me, 'You're more approachable,' " said Emmer.
