Minnesota Candidate Ends Campaign After Tweet About ISIS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Democratic candidate for the Minnesota House has ended his campaign hours after he sent out a Tweet that said the Islamic State group "isn't necessarily evil."

Sixty-three-year-old Dan Kimmel announced his withdrawal from the race Sunday on his campaign website and Twitter account. He says the tweet wasn't in response to recent violence in Paris. He added: "The tweet was stupid. I'm sorry."

Kimmel, of Burnsville, sent a Tweet Saturday evening that said: "ISIS isn't necessarily evil. It is made up of people doing what they think is best for their community. Violence is not the answer, though." He was criticized on social media, and later said he doesn't defend the group's acts.

The Tweet led House Minority Leader Paul Thissen to call for Kimmel to end his campaign.