Eighth Dist. House race: Nolan duel with GOP ‘young gun’ heats up early

[a kennedy]

When U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan ended decades of private life to return to Congress in 2012, Republican operatives dug up images of the Minnesota Democrat’s 1970s appearance on “The Merv Griffin Show” with a popular guru from India.

Now Democrats have returned the favor with Facebook photos of Republican newcomer Stewart Mills III drinking from a “beer bong” and playfully licking a woman’s lips.

There may be no better opening for Minnesota’s hottest U.S. House race in 2014, a simmering clash that will test the state’s only congressional freshman in an unpredictable district during a potentially low-turnout, off-year election.

The fallout from the early contretemps in Mills’ bid to unseat Nolan also highlights an unconventional streak coursing through the candidates in a vast North Woods district encompassing Duluth and the Iron Range.

Nolan, 70, a Vietnam War-era peace activist and congressman, presents the image of an older, wiser businessman returned to impress the values of his rural Minnesota roots on a dysfunctional modern Congress.

Mills, a 41-year-old gun rights enthusiast, is the libertarian-turned-Republican scion of the Mills Fleet Farm family. He displays his down-home values in shoulder-length hair and deer camp garb. Although both candidates hunt, Mills, a vice president in the family retail chain, is more apt to be seen in fringe suede leather than a business suit.

This is going to be a race to watch closely.....

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/239525251.html?page=1&c=y

[geardaddy]

1. Mills is priveleged frat boy.

He'll do nothing for the 8th.

[Jenoch]

2. I have always thought Nolan was a great

U.S. Rep. He was my representative when I was a kid in SW Minnesota in the 70s.

My family went to D.C. in 1977 and got a personal capitol tour from Representative Nolan, including lunch in the senate dining room. We ran into a large entourage on the capitol steps and Rep. Nolan introduced us to Senator Kennedy from Massachussets. (I did mot realize how big of a deal that was until I was an adult.)

I wish I could vote for him now.

Does anyone here know how he ended up representing SW Minnesota back in the 1970s?

Mr. Nolan was the commencement speaker for my college graduation. It was really cool when he asked me if I was my father's son when I went through the line to get my diploma. (We have a unque last name.)