Minn. state senator facing GOP primary challenge confirms dinner with gay adult film star

Minn. state senator dined with gay adult film star

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A two-term state senator facing a Republican primary challenger in his socially conservative Minnesota district said Thursday that he went on a date with an adult film star.

Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, who revealed to his constituents in 2005 that he is gay, confirmed a report in the Brainerd Dispatch that he dined with Brandon Wilde at a Brainerd restaurant on Sunday. Several websites reported on the date.

Wilde is described as a gay porn star in his Twitter profile and posted messages about the dinner on Twitter.

“What I find amazing is we’ve got 60,000 barrels of oil leaking in the Gulf and people are worried about me, who I go to dinner with,” Koering said. “I think it’s just ridiculous.”

Koering is seeking re-election in the same district that sent him back to the Minnesota Senate in 2006. Koering battled for the Republican endorsement before defeating primary and general election opponents.

This year, Republicans in his district endorsed former state Rep. Paul Gazelka. GOP primary voters will make their choice on Aug. 10.

Wilde did not respond immediately to questions sent through his Facebook account, which says he is from Minneapolis and lives in West Hollywood, Calif.

On Sunday, Wilde posted on Twitter: “lol so funny !! in 45 min’s im going 2 dinner with the senator :).”

Later, he wrote: “Dinner with (Mn) senator was AmAzing he is a great guy :).”

Koering, 45, said he met Wilde at a diversity picnic in his district. He said Wilde’s mother is a constituent.

“I guess I just don’t feel the need to continue talking about it because there’s no story,” Koering said.

GOP Chairman Tony Sutton said Koering showed “incredibly poor judgment” by spending time with Wilde.

Gazelka said he was surprised by the news about Koering, while Democratic candidate Taylor Stevenson said he wouldn’t comment on other candidates’ personal lives.