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MN Senator Won't Meet With Opponent's Backers

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- A state senator from Hutchinson is refusing to meet with representatives from groups that supported his opponent in the last election.

Last week, Republican Sen. Scott Newman turned down a request from the Minnesota Nurses Association to meet with nurses from his district. His legislative assistant, Kim Kelley, wrote in an e-mail to the group that Newman "will not see any organizations" that donated to or supported his Democratic opponent.

The e-mail was first published in Bluestem Prairie, a Democratic-leaning news blog about greater Minnesota.

The Minnesota Nurses Association endorsed Newman's opponent but did not donate money to him. Government affairs aide Eileen Gavin says she's set up hundreds of meetings between nurses and their lawmakers and never had a request refused.

Kelley says Tuesday she can't comment on her e-mail and says Newman won't be interviewed about it.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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