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Capitol View®
Brett Neely

McFadden to skip GOP candidate event for fundraiser and football

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WASHINGTON - All of the Republicans who want to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Al Franken next year have been invited to a fundraiser this afternoon hosted by the Kanabec County Republicans in Mora, north of the Twin Cities. The one candidate who won't be there is businessman Mike McFadden, who's skipped similar events in the past few months.

In an interview on Wednesday afternoon, McFadden said he can't make the event because he has to coach his son's football team.

"Football is over mid-October, and that will free up my nightly schedule greatly. But I made a commitment to my son, my 10 year old son, that I would coach his team just like I did his four older brothers," McFadden said.

The Minnesota DFL Party, which has focused most of its Senate efforts on McFadden, issued a press release Thursday with an invitation attached for a fundraiser McFadden is hosting in St. Paul at the Town and Country Club at the same time as the Kanabec County GOP fundraiser.

“Mike McFadden's campaign is once again demonstrating his indifference for Minnesota voters,” DFL Chairman Ken Martin said. “At least [GOP candidates Julianne] Ortman, [Jim] Abeler and [Chris] Dahlberg have the guts to show their face in front of voters.”

McFadden's spokeman, Tom Erickson responded that McFadden is "working extremely hard every day" but "can't attend every event he'd like to."

Erickson added, "Clearly Al Franken and the DFL are worried that McFadden’s campaign is gaining momentum, otherwise they wouldn’t be making such an absurd statement.”