Cravaack, Nolan Tangle On Jobs, World Trade Center

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack is rekindling an issue that followed Democratic challenger Rick Nolan during the primary as the candidates clash over jobs in a nationally watched northeastern Minnesota race.

Cravaack brought up the Minnesota World Trade Center project that Nolan spearheaded in the 1980s during a debate taped Friday for KSTP TV's "At Issue."

He called the project "a complete failure" and questioned Nolan's business experience, saying "he's had his challenges."

One of Nolan's Democratic primary rivals ran a TV ad accusing him of misusing public money while heading the World Trade Center.

Nolan is defending the project, saying it created hundreds of construction jobs and contributed to more than 300,000 jobs created during Democratic Gov. Rudy Perpich's tenure.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)