Chris Tiedeman, who grew up in Crookston and has been a leading Republican consultant in Minnesota, and his wife, Sara, are in the intensive care unit of Hennepin County Medical Center after a car accident Saturday in the Twin Cities, according to their site on Caringbridge.com.
A relative of Tiedeman confirmed news of the accident to the Herald tonight.
The Tiedemans live in Blaine, a northern Twin Cities suburb.
A 1998 graduate of St. Olaf college in Northfield, Minn., and the University of Minnesota law school,Tiedeman ran against longtime incumbent and state Democratic leader, Rep. Bernie Lieder, his Crookston neighbor in 2000, for the seat in District 2A. He was chairman of the state's College Republicans and since has been a party activist.
He ran Mitt Romney's Minnesota campaign in 2008 and has served as government affairs director for the Center for the American Experiment, a conservative think-tank in the Twin Cities. He works for Weber Johnson Public Affairs in St. Paul.
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According to Holly Schrupp Berg who is writing on the Caringbridge site (type in sarachristiedeman at www.caringbridge.com ), the couple is in the hospital's trauma/surgical intensive care unit.
"They are surrounded by family and loved ones and held up by the prayers of (literally) thousands tonight. In a true testament to Christ and Sara, over 4,000 people have visited this site today in support. Your sweet thoughts, prayers and offers of help are so appreciated by everyone."
She asked people wanting to help to consider donating blood to the Red Cross.
"It's a lifesaving gift, for Sara and Chris and many other families," Schrupp Berg wrote.
Pat Kessler, well-known reporter at WCCO TV in the Cities who has been covered state politics since 1984, was one of many who left messages on the CaringBridge site.
"I've had the honor of working with Chris often," Kessler wrote. "(H)e's one of the new, young breed of public affairs professionals who bring energy, good humor and serious knowledge to the state capitol- a place that needs all three of those qualities in abundance! Keep the faith, and stay strong - we're pulling for you."
