(CNN) - Among Republican senators, an invitation to the party's convention next month in Minneapolis might just be the easiest ticket to score in town.
Amid news several Senate Republicans have already backed out of attending the quadannual event, Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman made clear Monday he wouldn't attend either - if the convention was anywhere else but his backyard.
Watch: Convention conundrum
"The colleagues who don't come are staying at home only because they have tough races," the embattled senator told Minnesota Public Radio. "If the convention wasn't in St. Paul, I wouldn't be at the convention,"
Coleman, like many of his colleagues who have opted not to make the trip to Minnesota, faces a tough re-election battle this fall and may be wary of tying himself to the unpopular GOP brand.
Coleman's rivals are slamming the comments.
"Senator Coleman must think Minnesotans haven't noticed that he has made his political career off the Republican label and willingly hitched his star to George W. Bush," Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Chair Brian Melendez said in a statement.
Coleman's comments come only days after Pat Roberts, the two-term senator from Kansas and former Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, announced he's skipping the convention to instead focus on his tougher-than-expected reelection bid.
Earlier: Another Republican senator skipping convention
A handful of of other vulnerable Senate Republicans have flatly said they will not attend, including Susan Collins of Maine, Gordon Smith of Oregon, Ted Stevens of Alaska, and Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina.
Two other vulnerable Republicans — New Hampshire Sen. John Sununu and Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker — have yet to announce their convention plans.
From CNN Politics
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OK, so who WILL be at the Republican convention? I think we're up to 10 Republican senators who won't be there. Talk about a party disrupted! Maybe they should wear masks to hide their identities while they're there, or maybe do a secret mail-in convention instead.
Bad year for the Republican party!
IT DOSEN'T MATTER. THEY STILL WEAR THE BUSH REPUBLICAN BRAND.
You can run Norm, but you cannot hide.
"'The colleagues who don't come are staying at home only because they have tough races,' the embattled senator told Minnesota Public Radio."
do you guys just refuse to read or are you not able to?
I'm shocked!!!!
Does anyone think it strange that the GOP candidates facing tough elections would shun the convention when it is THE political event? This is the place to be seen and heard by the most beople. Is running away really the best way for them to show their strength and leadership?
The politicians skipping the Repulican convention are only looking out for their hides. The National Republican Party told all of the people facing re-election to disavow the party if it would get them re-elected and they are. Simple as that.
Republican Congresspersons running for cover.
If they had done their jobs in the 1st place, this wouldn't be happening.
2008 – The Year We Oust All incumbents We Can!
I thought the Republicans were energized on sturday for their staged debate of non debatable issues. And there are still people who are staying away from their party's party. What happened to joining on the hip of the commander in chief of catastrophy? The man who answers questins before they are asked which the bible says is folly. Proverbs 18:13 says he who answers before listening-that is folly and shame.
All the lying and cheating of the Bush administration has caught up with them.
Dems '08
run,rabbits run.
maybe they should just book an outhouse instead............would be fitting, in more ways than one.
CNN stopping the bogs so it looks as if no one is interested in Republicans. Is there no end to your tyrrany?
Tickets...Tickets
I can get you front row seats at the GOP funeral.
RUN COLEMAN RUN,
RUN FOR YOUR POLITICAL LIFE.
GOP IS DEAD FOREVER,
FEEBLE MINDED PEOPLE FOR McCAIN.
quadrennial
I wonder why so many republicans won't attend the convention????
GOPers are all for "everyone on his/her own."
i don't know why they need a party, in the first place.
Now that's no way to spread excitement. Well, McCain will just have to surge on with out them. Poor fellow.
they not only be skipping convention, but should withdraw their names from re-election, ...if they are not proud of what their party have done to americans for the last eight years, they should resign and stop trying to continue to impose their failed policies on all of us....just like mcshame is doing! – starting another war with Russia!
If it's okay for USA to attack Iraq, why would Putin/Russia feel any different to attack Georgia for it's OIL!!!!!
Another Reptilican defector! This party is going to be a smelly, steaming pile of elephant entrails....
I wouldn't want to attend a RNC convention that will go down in history as one of the nations most negative convention represented by the most divisive bigoted party ever. A platform bases on 'Be afraid of The Exotic Guy'. Sick and sickening.
Do not think the TV will be covering much of the GOP convention this time around! Especially since GWB and DC are speaking on Labor Day.
I've got a 200 square foot storage shed they can use. That should be big enough.
Although some Republican senators won't be in attendance, we Minnesotans certainly hope members of CNN's news team will be here to learn geography first hand. Tthe convention is being held in Minnesota's capital city, St. Paul, and NOT in Minneapolis.