Horner: "Don't vote your fears."

Before a full day of campaign stops Saturday, Independence Party candidate Tom Horner joined a group of about 50 supporters at the Bloomington home of David and Mary Clarke for a breakfast fundraiser.

October 30, 2010 at 10:03PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Before a full day of campaign stops Saturday, Independence Party candidate Tom Horner joined a group of about 50 supporters at the Bloomington home of David and Mary Clarke for a breakfast fundraiser.

Horner, who has lagged in the polls, addressed what might be a key obstacle for his campaign on Election Day – the so-called "wasted vote" (though he refrained from referring to it as such).

He said their campaign has heard reports that Democrats and Republicans are calling undecided voters, warning them that a vote for Horner actually translates into a vote for Dayton or Emmer.

"We need to vote for candidates," Horner said as classical music played over nearby speakers. "We've got to stop voting against people, voting for the lesser of two evils. This ought to be a positive vote about Minnesota's future."

He said polls show many voters are still undecided. "I think those are people who are saying we really want to vote for Tom Horner, we just need that final push. And that's what the next 72 hours are going to give them."

Horner added that he is particularly hoping to target wavering Mark Dayton supporters, who he said appear to be more worried about Tom Emmer being elected than they are excited about Dayton.

"Vote your hopes. Don't vote your fears."

Horner also touted his many newspaper endorsements, which he called "virtually unprecedented in Minnesota politics."

Campaign spokesman Matt Lewis said their fundraising this weekend will primarily help pay for online advertisements, which has been a major focus of Horner's marketing strategy.

The voting strategy dilemma resonates with supporters like Marilee Rose, who plans to vote for Horner but doesn't want Emmer to win. She said she has some "fear that if you vote for Horner you're going to pull away from Dayton, because he would be my second choice."

Next stop? The Minnesota rally to Restore Sanity at the State Capitol.

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