Emmer, Horner push for votes and rally supporters

GOP candidate for governor Tom Emmer brought his gospel of smaller government to Woodbury on Saturday, and a room packed with believers gave him a rousing reception. "Go get 'em, Tom," yelled one man as Emmer, clad in work boots and a brown jacket, urged the crowd to join get-out-the-vote efforts for the Nov. 2 election. "This is not the time, the last 10 days, to sit back on our heels," Emmer told the 150 people. "It's time to give everything you've got." It was one of several Keep the Change rallies, a twist on President Obama's call for change, that Emmer held in four metro cities as a counterpoint to the president's rally with DFL candidate for governor Mark Dayton in Minneapolis. "They have led us to the brink of financial extinction," Emmer said. He told the crowd that the election represents a stark choice between large or smaller government, taxes or job growth. "We have to tell everyone we know, vote Republican and you are voting for jobs in the state," Emmer said. He sharply criticized Dayton, describing him as someone who has lived off family wealth but not created any of his own by running a business. "He doesn't have the right life experience that we need right now for this job," Emmer said, and the crowd erupted in applause. Michael Toman of St. Paul, a business consultant, liked what he heard. "Government does not do job creation, business people do," said Toman, who wore a button that read, "Less Taxes, More Jobs, You Betcha!" Afterward, in talking with reporters, Emmer said the Obama appearance for Dayton demonstrates "he's coming in supporting a candidate who frankly would follow his policies." Earlier Saturday outside TCF Bank Stadium, Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner joined tailgaters before the Gophers contest with Penn State, answering questions from passersby. Terri Buehler of Eden Prairie was curious about Horner's stance on health care, and asked, "Where do you stand with Obama stuff?" "Some of it's good, some of it's not so good," replied Horner, whose campaign has promoted the message that he's the middle road between Dayton and Emmer. "I'm very intrigued by him," she later said of Horner. Dallas Bohnsack, a University of Minnesota regent, stopped by to say hello. "I'm worried about the university and I know you'd take good care of us," he told Horner. When not greeting people, Horner took time to reflect on the big money flowing from the Republican and Democratic governors associations to buy ads for Emmer and Dayton, dwarfing funding for the Independence Party candidate. "I think there is going to be a backlash," Horner said, predicting a wave of attack ads in the final days of the race. "What national campaigns do well is throwing grenades." Horner said he planned to run $250,000 worth of ads between now and Election Day. "Every new dollar that comes in goes right out the door for advertising," he said. He remarked on winning numerous newspaper endorsements but still badly trailing Dayton and Emmer in the polls. "I went into it with my eyes wide open," Horner said, noting that Independence Party candidates typically have a tough time against the more established parties.