Obama to Rally DFL Votes with MN Visit?

MINNEAPOLIS - The New York times reporting that President Barack Obama is planning a trip to Minnesota to campaign for DFL candidates. No dates have been announced, but the visit could come some time in the next six weeks.

With sagging poll numbers, some feel the president does not have the same pull has he once had to help Democrats in tough elections. Still the DFL is welcoming the President with open arms --and so are the republicans and independence parties.

There is no question the president can draw a crowd. His last visit to the Twin Cities to pitch health care reform a year ago packed the Target Center. A lot has changed in this tough political year. Some democrats nationwide are even shying away from appearing with the president.

DFL spokesperson Donald McFarland says he can't speak for all DFL candidates, but as a party he sees an Obama visit as very positive. ’The notion of the President of the United States coming to minnesota to campaign for democrats is good news to me,’ McFarland said.

Minnesota DFL Gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton's campaign says they are happy the Commander in Chief could potentially spend time playing the role of Campaigner in Chief. The DFL is looking forward to taking advantage of the President's ability to draw big crowds.

The independence party also sees an Obama’s visit as a benefit to get their middle of the road message heard.

The Deputy Chair of Minnesota’s Republican Party Michael Brodkorb sounded almost as excited as the DFL at a potential Presidential visit. They would try and use the event to tie Dayton to Obama's policies -- despite the President's power to energize his party.

The DFL has been trying to put this Presidential visit together for a while, negotiating with the White House. The big question now is, will it actually happen? The DFL hasn't heard any official confirmation on the visit just yet from the White House.