8th District Race Heats Up With Stars, Strib Endorsement

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota's 8th Congressional District race is also shaping up to be one of the tightest contests on Election Day next week.

Incumbent Democrat Rep. Rick Nolan just got a major Hollywood celebrity endorsement.

Jon Hamm, best known for his Emmy-nominated performance as Don Draper on the show "Mad Men," appeared with Nolan and Sen. Franken at the University of Minnesota-Duluth on Monday, talking mostly about issues surrounding student loans and the minimum wage.

Meanwhile, Republican challenger Stewart Mills just landed the Star Tribune's endorsement.

The Star Tribune's editors say one charge leveled against Mills is that he is out of touch because he is rich from his family's Fleet Farm empire. The paper's editorial argued that's not a bad thing, and that Mills seems to be hardworking and pragmatic on several issues including health care reform.

The Star Tribune did say it disagrees with him on a number of issues including his stance against firearm regulation.

The 8th congressional district spans from the northern Twin Cities metro area to Northeastern Minnesota and the Iron Range.