U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan on Saturday announced he would vote for Bernie Sanders at the Democratic National Convention this summer.
Nolan is a "superdelegate," or delegate to the national convention who is not bound by party rules to vote for whichever candidate won the state's presidential preference poll.
In a press release, Nolan said both Sanders and Hillary Clinton were suitable candidates for president.
"The Democratic Party is fortunate to have two qualified presidential candidates, both of whom offer substantive solutions to the problems facing Americans," Nolan said. "I've considered a number of factors in making this decision, including the will of Minnesota caucus attendees, specifically those in the 8th Congressional District. Bernie's message and his authenticity appeals to voters here, and it appeals to me. I'll be proud to cast my vote for him in Philadelphia this summer."
The campaign of Stewart Mills III, Nolan's Republican opponent, derided Nolan's approach to the Democratic primary as cynical.
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"Professional politician Rick Nolan managed to find three sides of a one-sided question," Mills campaign manager Charlie Szold said in a release. "First he was for Clinton, then he probably wasn't even attending the convention, and now he's enthusiastically supporting socialist Bernie Sanders. Rick Nolan's masterclass in cynicism is a good reminder that 40 years as a professional politician is probably too long and that voters can only trust him as far as his next political calculation."
When Mills was asked in February who he supported in the Republican primary, he said he did not have a pick.
