Emmer, GOP hold rallies as Obama stumps for Dayton

Tom Emmer
Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer takes the stage with his wife Jacqueline (center) and son Billy at a GOP rally in Woodbury, Minn., on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010.
MPR Photo/Tom Emmer

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tom Emmer says President Obama's decision to campaign for Democrat Mark Dayton Saturday means nothing to Emmer's campaign.

Emmer is holding several political rallies in the Twin Cities suburbs Saturday. At an event in Woodbury, Emmer told roughly 100 people that he's the only candidate who will work to limit the size of government.

After the event, Emmer said Dayton will continue President Obama's agenda on the state level.

"It's about bigger government and higher taxes or it's about smaller more efficient government and trying to make Minnesota and the United States more business friendly to start growing jobs again," Emmer said.

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Regarding President Obama's visit, Emmer said he's coming in to support the candidate in Minnesota who would follow his policies in Minnesota; to grow government and raise taxes.

Emmer was joined at the rally by several GOP candidates including Rep. Michele Bachmann, who is defending her U.S. House seat against Democratic opponent Tarryl Clark and Indepedence Party candidate Bob Anderson.

Bachmann said Emmer is the best candidate to keep taxes low and limit the size of government. The Republican Party and the Emmer campaign has been working hard to show Republican voters that Dayton and the Independence Party's Tom Horner are similar on many issues.

Bachmann told supporters that Dayton and Horner both want to raise taxes while Emmer has promised not to.

"You've got Mark Dayton Sr. and you've got Mark Dayton Jr. on one side of the election ticket with Mark Dayton and Tom Horner," Bachmann said. "Because Tom Horner equals Mark Dayton; versus a completely different way of looking at government with a Tom Emmer."

Emmer is also scheduled to hold another political rally on Sunday in St. Louis Park. Emmer, Dayton and the Independence Party's Tom Horner will participate in a live, televised debate on Sunday night.