GOP field for 2022 Minnesota governor’s race already taking shape

The last election is barely over, but Minnesota Republicans have already started to angle for the state’s next big political matchup.

Too soon? For a party desperate to regain statewide relevance, and hopeful that pandemic-driven decisions and last spring’s stretch of civil unrest left Democratic Gov. Tim Walz vulnerable, 2022 offers a chance for a major reset.

“It’s time we get our act together because we have a very beatable governor here who will have a lot of serious issues to account for,” said Annette Meeks, a longtime GOP insider and the party’s 2010 nominee for lieutenant governor. Continue reading.

Republican Lawmakers Admit to Playing Politics with a Pandemic

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA– Today, during Minnesota’s 4th special legislative session, GOP Assistant Minority Leader Jon Koznick appeared to send an email intended for his GOP colleagues to House DFLers by mistake. In his email, Koznick said, in part:

a friendly, reminder (as discussed in caucus) to stay on message IF you speak today-
COVID issues are not our winning message. PUBLIC SAFETY is our ticket to the majority, let’s win with that.

Not only did Republicans admit they have nothing to say on the most important public safety issue of our time, COVID-19, they also appear to be using government resources to campaign.

Continue reading “Republican Lawmakers Admit to Playing Politics with a Pandemic”

MN GOP Embarks on COVID Across Minnesota Bus Tour

Maskless, indoor campaign stops come despite rising COVID-19 levels in MN

St. Paul, MN – Today, the Minnesota Republican Party kicked off another bus tour featuring numerous maskless, indoor campaign stops. This tour comes despite the massive potential to spread COVID-19 at maskless, indoor events and despite the fact that Minnesota is seeing more new COVID-19 cases per day than at almost any other time during this pandemic.

The tour launched in Preston, Minnesota where attendees gathered indoors, in close proximity to one another, and without almost any masks:

Source: Twitter

Continue reading “MN GOP Embarks on COVID Across Minnesota Bus Tour”

Multiple Minnesota Republicans Compare Masks to Nazism

DFL Party Calls on MNGOP to Condemn and Stop Fueling Offensive Rhetoric  

SAINT PAUL, Minnesota – Over the weekend, a couple wore Nazi flag face masks at a Minnesota Walmart to protest the state’s new mask mandate. The couple was not alone in making that comparison, however. Today, the Minnesota DFL Party is condemning multiple offensive, inflammatory, and absurd comparisons drawn by several Minnesota Republicans between Minnesota’s mask mandate and Nazi persecution of Jewish people.

The Republican Party of Wabasha County posted the following image to their Facebook page yesterday, which draws parallels between COVID-19 masks and the yellow stars Jewish people were forced to wear by Nazis during the Holocaust:

Continue reading “Multiple Minnesota Republicans Compare Masks to Nazism”

DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin’s Statement on Inappropriate Invitation for MNGOP Fundraiser

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA Today, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement condemning the use of racially-charged imagery in an invitation to a campaign event for U.S. Senate Candidate Jason Lewis and Congressional Candidate Tyler Kistner (event invitation pictured below and attached):

“As Minnesota continues to grapple with the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and confront the system racism that plagues our society, many Minnesotans are taking extra caution to listen and learn – to come to grips with the longstanding legacies of inequality in this country. Unfortunately, not all members of our community appear to grasp the seriousness of this chapter in our state’s history.

“Earlier this week, in an invitation for an event referred to as ‘The Unlocked Dinner,’ the Minnesota Republican Party misappropriated racial imagery to equate their own experiences with the struggle of African Americans fighting for freedom, while making light of COVID-19 and public health restrictions designed to protect the health and wellbeing of Minnesotans. Continue reading “DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin’s Statement on Inappropriate Invitation for MNGOP Fundraiser”

ICYMI: MN GOP Recruits Conservatives to Run 3rd Party and Siphon DFL Votes

DFL Party Calls on MN GOP to Claim Candidates or Disavow Dirty Tricks

Yesterday, the Minnesota Reformer reported that Republicans have actively recruited far-right candidates to run as 3rd party, pro-marijuana legalization candidates in swing districts for Congress and the Minnesota legislature. In Minnesota, candidates do not need to collect nomination signatures or receive the approval of the Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party or Legal Marijuana Now Party in order to run under their banner.

Ken Martin, Chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, released the following statement:

“Instead of running on the strength of their values and ideas, Republicans have recruited third party candidates in order to deceive Minnesotans and steal votes. Senator Paul Gazelka, Representative Kurt Daudt, and the Republican Party must level with the people of Minnesota – did you or your allies recruit these candidates or do you disavow these dirty tricks? Continue reading “ICYMI: MN GOP Recruits Conservatives to Run 3rd Party and Siphon DFL Votes”

DFL Party Responds to Daudt’s Promise to Block Bonding Bill

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, Republican House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt declared his intention to block a bonding bill, leaving thousands of Minnesotans out of work, until the state of emergency ends in Minnesota.

Daudt’s declaration comes despite the fact that 76% of the American people support a continuation of the Stay at Home Orders that top medical experts say have saved countless lives nationwide. It also comes despite the fact that over one million Americans have contracted COVID-19 and almost 70,000 have lost their lives in the span of a few short months.

Ken Martin, Chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party released the following statement in response to Minority Leader Kurt Daudt’s promise to block a bonding bill: Continue reading “DFL Party Responds to Daudt’s Promise to Block Bonding Bill”

Despite 2012 failure, MN Republicans to try again for Voter ID

Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka announced the push Friday.

Under Minnesota law, you don’t need to bring your ID with you when you vote, but state senate Republicans are hoping to change that.

On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) released a video statement declaring that a Voter ID law would be a “high priority for Republicans in the Senate”:

Super-PAC That Received Illegal Foreign Contributions from Indicted Giuliani Associates Spent Almost $5 Million to Benefit Minnesota Republicans

GOP-aligned Super-PAC allegedly received over $300,000 in foreign money for the purpose of buying influence in U.S. – Ukraine relations

DFL Demands MN GOP Return Money from Indicted Giuliani-Linked Associate

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Yesterday, two associates of Rudy Giuliani were arrested and charged with allegedly conspiring to funnel foreign money to Republican politicians and candidates for the purpose of buying influence in U.S. – Ukraine relations.

The two men arrested, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, allegedly funneled $325,000 into the Trump-aligned America First Super-PAC through a shell corporation. Among the Republicans who benefited most from America First’s illegal campaign cash were Minnesota Republican Congressmen Jim Hagedorn and Pete Stauber. Continue reading “Super-PAC That Received Illegal Foreign Contributions from Indicted Giuliani Associates Spent Almost $5 Million to Benefit Minnesota Republicans”

Hundreds rally against gun violence; Gov. Tim Walz calls Minnesota Republicans ‘island of resistance’ in debate

The crowd in St. Paul cheered calls to action by the governor as well as U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, others.

Gov. Tim Walz branded Minnesota Republicans on Wednesday as an “island of resistance” to increased gun safety in the state.

Speaking to reporters at the State Capitol, Walz said that GOP leaders in Florida, Ohio and other states have supported versions of expanded background checks and “red flag” laws. But there have been few cracks in the GOP’s longstanding opposition to new gun restrictions in Minnesota.

“There has been one island of resistance, and that is the Minnesota Republican Senate, on having a conversation,” Walz said.

View the complete August 8 article by Liz Sawyer and Jessie Van Berkel on The Star Tribune website here.