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Bill Maher's 'Flip A District' Targets Rep. John Kline

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Bill Maher, host of the HBO series "Real Time with Bill Maher," announced that Rep. John Kline (R-MN) of Minnesota's 2nd congressional district is who he plans to target for his "Flip a District" campaign.

Maher, a political comedian who has long engaged in controversial topics dating back to his days as the host of Comedy Central's "Politically Incorrect," signed off his Friday night show with his promise to do all he could to ensure Kline's defeat in the midterm elections.

"We did not pick the biggest clown, because the real problem in Washington isn't the funniest fools, it's people like our winner tonight -- the living embodiment of legislation for hire, the Men's Warehouse of empty suits," Maher said.

The "Flip a District" campaign started with an original "Tweet 16," which were then whittled down to a final four that also included Reps. Blake Farenthold (R-Tex.), Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) and Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.).

"I know what you're thinking: 'I've never heard of John Kline. He sounds like he might be Jewish.' He's not. Now that might be something interesting about him," Maher joked during his show, which was presented live in Washington, D.C. "I once said that when sheep can't sleep, they count Mitt Romneys. Well, when Mitt Romney can't sleep, he counts John Klines."

Kline is currently facing the Democratic candidate he defeated in 2012, former Minnesota Rep. Mike Obermueller.

Maher called Kline "one of those silent threats," and that he "doesn't say kooky things, he just votes like the people who do."

Maher also highlighted the issue he said drove the most tweeted votes Kline's way: student debt. Maher said Kline, as the chair of the house education committee, "has done more to keep twentysomethings in their parents' basements than anyone else alive."

Kline's campaign reportedly responded to Maher's campaign, according to Mediaite, saying: "Minnesotans are tired of sleazy and slimy politics, but DFL candidate Mike Obermueller certainly isn't. Maher saluted 9/11 terrorists and called our troops 'cowardly,' he repeatedly has degraded Christians and calls them 'schizophrenic,' and he repugnantly compared special-needs children to 'dogs,' yet Mike Obermueller promotes this behavior essentially naming Maher as his campaign manager."

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