MN-06: Bachmann Steps In It

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann has always been something of a lightning rod back home, but she may have just invited a thunderstorm overhead. House Editor David Wasserman explains why the race in the suburban Twin Cities-based 6th CD of Minnesota just got a whole lot more interesting.

Ratings Change

MN-06 Michele Bachmann Likely Republican to Tossup

Up until this point, the considerable Republican lean of Minnesota’s suburban-exurban 6th CD looked like it would be enough to shield freshman Rep. Michele Bachmann from Democratic former Blaine Mayor Elwyn Tinklenberg’s underfunded challenge. The district’s Cook Political Report PVI score of R+5 makes it the most GOP-favorable district in the Twin Cities metro area.

But in seven minutes on Friday’s edition of MSNBC’s Hardball, Bachmann did herself more harm than she ever could have done Sen. John McCain good in all her many appearances as his campaign surrogate.

While discussing Sen. Barack Obama’s relationship with Bill Ayers and Jeremiah Wright with host Chris Matthews, Bachmann stated she is “very concerned” that Obama “may have anti-American views.” When later

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