Michele Bachmann opponent Jim Graves interviewed in City Pages

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) is a lightning rod. Democrats hate her. Moderate Republicans cringe when she embarrasses herself and our state. Teabaggers love her.

Campaigning against her is like resisting a black hole. Or a train wreck. You can't not donate to her opponent. You can't not look.

2010 was quintessential. Bachmann did her thing. Her opponent, Tarryl Clark, nearly sucked all of the fundraising oxygen out of Minnesota. Yet, Clark lost badly.

With redistricting, Bachmann is in an even safer district. Which makes me worry how much more money will we waste?

Thankfully, her 2012 opponent, Jim Graves, will self-finance. Correction: Graves will not self-finance. City Pages interviewed Graves.

During an interview with City Pages, Graves -- a wildly successful businessman who created the AmericInn motel chain before founding his luxury-focused Graves Hospitality company -- suggested he probably wouldn't have launched a political career if his native 6th Congressional District were represented by somebody other than Bachmann.

But convinced that folks in his hometown of St. Cloud and throughout central Minnesota deserve better, Graves has hit the campaign trail full-speed. He took some time to chat with us about why he thinks he'll defeat the resilient Bachmann in November, what lessons he's learned as a businessman and how they apply to politics, and his legislative priorities, among other topics.

(City Pages)

So head on over and learn more about the valiant and self-funded Jim Graves.