Paulsen stays silent while Republicans, including former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, withdraw their support of Trump
As was reported this morning in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota’s 3rd District Congressman Erik Paulsen is refusing to say whether he will be voting for Trump in November. This is despite other Republicans, including former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, calling for Trump to step aside.
In this highly-educated, suburban district where Clinton is leading by double digits, Erik Paulsen still refuses to put country over party, and is dodging questions and declining interviews. His last on-camera interview was nearly two months ago.
Paulsen’s challenger, Terri Bonoff, has made it clear that while they differ on temperament, Paulsen and Trump share the same positions on choice, marriage quality, and gun violence prevention. And as she puts it: “Voters should dismiss any politician who didn’t have the guts to stand up to Donald Trump when he could have been stopped long ago. And statements of opposition to him now are, frankly, pathetic.”
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GOP incumbent Rep. Erik Paulsen called Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s remarks about women offensive this weekend on social media, but stopped short of saying whether he was going to support the nominee.
“I’m not calling on Erik Paulsen to disavow Donald Trump because it’s too late for that,” Bonoff said Saturday. “I’m calling on voters to disavow any politician who has not been willing to denounce Donald Trump over the past year despite the wealth of evidence that he is sexist, racist, homophobic, and poses a threat to our national security.”
National Democrats point out Paulsen hasn’t given a televised interview in 52 days. He has also not granted interviews to the Star Tribune.
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Star Tribune: Rep. Erik Paulsen: Trump’s remarks ‘disgusting and offensive’
WASHINGTON — GOP incumbent Rep. Erik Paulsen called Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s remarks about women offensive this weekend on social media, but stopped short of saying whether he was going to support the nominee.
Paulsen, who represents Minnesota’s Third Congressional District in the Twin Cities’ eastern suburbs, has skirted questions about Trump and has declined to say whether he will vote for him.
Paulsen is locked in one of the tightest races nationally against Democratic state Sen. Terri Bonoff. She has attempted to tie Paulsen’s politics to Trump and has said she is running because she is sick of Paulsen staying silent about Trump.
Both Democratic and Republican internal polls show Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton beating Donald Trump in Paulsen’s district by double digits, though voters there are reliable ticket-splitters. While electing and re-electing Paulsen, who is a conservative Republican, they also have voted in Democratic Sens. Al Franken, Amy Klobuchar and President Obama, all of whom won in Paulsen’s district.
“I’m not calling on Erik Paulsen to disavow Donald Trump because it’s too late for that,” Bonoff said Saturday. “I’m calling on voters to disavow any politician who has not been willing to denounce Donald Trump over the past year despite the wealth of evidence that he is sexist, racist, homophobic, and poses a threat to our national security.”
National Democrats point out Paulsen hasn’t given a televised interview in 52 days. He has also not granted interviews to the Star Tribune.
Read the rest of the piece here.