Parry attacks Quist in GOP 1st Congressional District infighting

State Sen. Mike Parry’s campaign is dredging up controversial statements made years ago by his opponent in the Republican primary for the 1st District Congressional race, Allen Quist.

The two face off in the Aug. 14 primary. The winner will take on incumbent DFL Congressman Tim Walz in the November election.

Quist, a state House member in the 1980s, made unsuccessful runs for governor in 1994 and 1998.

The Parry camp claims Quist is now denying some well-publicized statements that he’d made and were reported by the media over the years. They cited these examples:

• Quist said political authority in a marriage should be in the hands of the husband, 1994
• Quist said he conducted undercover research in an X-rated bookstore, 1993
• Quist compared a gay counseling center to a center for the KKK, 1993

Said Perry adviser Ben Golnik in a statement:

 “In recent weeks, Southern Minnesotans have witnessed a remarkable transformation from perennial candidate, Allen Quist.  First, Quist backed away from his vote to raise the gas tax.  Next, Quist denied he ever supported government-subsidized light rail. 

“Now Quist claims his controversial statements from the past are a ‘total invention,’ ‘total fabrication,’ and ‘total bull.’  Widely reported at the time, Quist’s controversial statements would be devastating in a general election campaign today.”

Julie Quist, who is Allen Quist’s wife and campaign manager, spoke out against the Parry campaign’s attacks, telling the Rochester Post-Bulletin:

“It would be really good for him to put something out that was a little positive about what he intends to do and what his issues are.”