The Minnesota Independence Party is perhaps second only to the Vermont Progressive Party in terms of state/regional-party success. Last election cycle, Independent Tammy Lee ran an aggressive campaign for Congress, raising $228,000 and scoring 21% of the vote in an overwhelmingly Democratic district. In fact, she fell just 0.33 percentage points shy of second place.
This year, David Dillon seems to be the Independence candidate must likely to succeed. He’s running in the 3rd district where, in 2006, the Republican scored 65% of the vote. Dillon has already raised over $30,000 as of March 31, and he has a very attractive Web site.
On May 31, more than 250 supporters came to David Dillon’s Campaign Kick-Off party at the Metropolitan Ballroom. There was rock music, featuring David Dillon himself on drums. Next on Dillon’s campaign schedule is this weekend’s Hennepin County Fair at Lions Park in Corcoran, Minn. It opens at 4:00 p.m., local time, on Thursday and runs each day through Sunday until 5:00 p.m.
The Independence Party 3rd District will have an exhibitor’s booth at the fair, which will feature a life-size cut out of David Dillon, party information, and Dillon for Congress campaign materials. David Dillon will be there each day, and you Minnesotans are invited to stop by and visit with him.
Dillon may also benefit that his district is probably going to be the only congressional seat that the CP has a candidate running. Harley Swarm is running for the CP. This could hit the Republicans from both sides.