GOP and DFL Anti-Gays in Greater Minnesota

The amendment to end domestic partnerships, and ban civil unions and same-sex marriage may have died this year, but that hasn't stopped anti-gays from coming out of the woodwork. WCCO has a bit on a DFL candidate and a GOP candidate who have entered two Minnesota Senate races determined to oust the incumbant in the primary for lack of support for the amendment.

Openly gay Republican State Senator Paul Koering is being challenged by realtor Kevin Goedker in MN District 12 (Fort Ripley). Goedker has the support of rabid anti-gay congressional candidate Michele Bachmann. She wrote a letter with some backhanded comments directed at Koering and Goedker spread it around the district like gossip. Here's a chunk of the letter:

"[A]ll of my Republican colleagues stood firmly in support of my attempts to bring this legislation up for debate. Your State Senator, Paul Koering, deserves praise for his vote knowing that his statements in previous press accounts do not support passage of the current language of the MN marriage amendment which defines marriage and its legal equivalents as between one man and one woman. … Again, I would like to personally thank Senator Koering for his backing of the procedural move to bring the amendment to the floor knowing full well that he does not support passage of the underlying bill."

Bachmann's a real piece of work, ain't she.

In District 13 (Willmar), DFL Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson is facing a primary challenge from retired state trooper Michael Cruze. Not much is known about Cruze except he's running for the DFL and he's running because he wants to prevent same-sex couples from gaining any protections.

If anyone does know anything about Cruze, it would be greatly appreciated.