Political Conversation At Bar Results In Alleged Assault Of Minnesota House Candidate

ST. GEORGE TOWNSHIP, Minn. (WCCO) -- A man running for the Minnesota House of Representatives said he was assaulted by another man in a bar during a conversation about politics.

The Benton County Sheriff said Shane Mekeland, Republican candidate for Minnesota's House District 15B, reported his Friday night assault to police Saturday.

Mekeland said he was at a restaurant around 9 p.m. when he engaged in conversation with another man at the establishment. Mekeland told police the conversation was civil to begin with, but ended abruptly when the man took offense to a point Mekeland made about the "middle class."

The man allegedly punched Mekeland in the face, resulting in alleged personal injury to Mekeland.

The Benton County Sheriff's Office has identified and interviewed the accused, but he has not been arrested or charged with a crime.

The investigation into the incident in ongoing.