A third party candidate who was recruited online by a mysterious group to run as a spoiler in the Second Congressional District is dropping out of the race.
Thomas Bowman said Thursday he was convinced that a group called the Patriots Run Project is aligned with Democrats and tricked him into running to hurt GOP candidate Joe Teirab. Bowman suspended his campaign and endorsed Teirab, a former assistant federal prosecutor challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig.
Bowman lives outside the district in Brooklyn Center and said he was approached on Facebook by the Patriots Run group because of his political views, including his support for former President Donald Trump. The organization provided Bowman with nearly $20,000 worth of in-kind donations by collecting the 1,000 signatures he needed to be on the ballot.
“I feel like I have been used pretty badly by these people,” Bowman said Thursday. He said he was convinced Democrats were behind the effort to get him to run.
“Maybe Angie [Craig] didn’t know about these people, but she should call them out for what they are doing,” Bowman said. “The truth matters.”
Craig’s campaign denies having any knowledge or connection to the Patriots Run Project.
“Our campaign had no involvement with Mr. Bowman’s effort to get on the ballot,” Katie Kelsh, campaign spokeswoman, said Thursday.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee previously said it knew nothing about the group.