Minnesota's pandemic fraud scandal could become double-edged issue as Minnesota's convention season begins
Minnesota's election season officially kicks off this week as both major parties hold conventions to endorse candidates for governor and U.S. Senate, with competitive battles on the Republican side and clearer paths for Democrats.
The DFL is convening in Rochester while Republicans gather in Duluth, with the August primary just two months away and the general election in November.
In the governor's race, Sen. Amy Klobuchar enters the DFL convention as the overwhelming favorite with no significant opposition. She has $1.3 million in cash on hand and a 20-year track record of winning statewide races by double digits.
Democratic analyst Abou Amara said her dominance has kept challengers out of the race.
"She is in great shape, and it's not an accident that no one is running against her because she's shown herself to be the most strong politician in modern recent history of Minnesota," Amara said.
The Republican gubernatorial field is more contested. The leading contenders for the GOP endorsement are Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell and businessman Kendall Qualls.
Republican analyst Amy Frederiksen said Demuth has been gaining momentum heading into the convention.
"She's shown up at the table, she's been pragmatic when she needs to, she gets a deal done, but she's held really strongly to not increasing taxes and other things that I think benefit her," Frederiksen said.
On the U.S. Senate side, DFL delegates are expected to endorse Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan after Rep. Angie Craig dropped out of the endorsement contest. Craig said she will take her campaign directly to the Aug. 11 primary instead.
Frederiksen said some Republicans believe Flanagan, a progressive, could be more vulnerable in a general election, pointing to fraud that occurred during the Walz administration. Amara, however, said Democrats could tie Demuth to that same fraud, given that it happened while she was serving as House Speaker.
The Republican Senate race is a three-way contest among Adam Schwarze, Michele Tafoya and Royce White. Party insiders give Schwarze the edge for the endorsement, but Tafoya is expected to continue to the primary regardless of the outcome.
Frederiksen said Tafoya's broadcasting career could be an asset in a primary race, though her appeal to convention delegates remains an open question.
"Michele Tafoya is nationally known, broadcasting on TV for decades — she is a well-known commodity," Frederiksen said. "Does that translate into the delegates?"
