GOP endorses underdogs for governor, U.S. Senate

If you're the type of person who enjoys cheering for the underdog, you would've enjoyed this weekend's MNGOP Convention. You would've enjoyed the convention, held at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center, aka the DECC, because Adam Schwarze was considered the underdog vs. Michele Tafoya for the open U.S. Senate seat endorsement. You would've loved this weekend's MNGOP Convention because, according to the 'experts', Kendall Qualls trailed Lisa Demuth in the endorsement fight for governor and the right to challenge Sen. Klobuchar.

According to WCCO-TV's reporting, "Republican delegates endorsed Qualls at their state convention in Duluth. Qualls upset frontrunner Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth for the endorsement. The Minnesota Star Tribune said she pledged to drop out of the governor's race if she wasn't endorsed, but that it isn't clear if 'she will still abide by her pledge' or run in August's primary."

Schwarze promised to abide by the Convention's endorsement while Michele Tafoya pledged tp run in the primary. She's been consistent about that from the time she announced her candidacy.

Qualls celebration:

Kendall's summary is spot on:
The party made history: Qualls is the first black candidate to win a major party endorsement for governor in Minnesota. Just after 9 p.m., he surpassed the 60 percent threshold in a head-to-head showdown over lone remaining opponent, House Speaker Lisa Demuth.

Qualls shied from that achievement after he clinched the endorsement.

"If you look at this room, I think there's probably three black people, including me, maybe two," he said to reporters. "It doesn't matter about race. We don't care about race, social status. Do you love this country? Do you love this state? Can you help us be successful? That's what they care about."

In the other GOP upset this weekend, Adam Schwarze defeated Michele Tafoya:
"This endorsement belongs to thousands of Minnesotans in 87 counties who gave to this campaign, to the precinct captains who braved snow-covered streets to caucus in February, and to every grassroots conservative who refused to let Washington D.C. pick our candidate," Schwarze said in a written statement.

Michelle Tafoya, a former television sports reporter, came in second in voting at the convention. The Star Tribune said Tafoya has vowed to continue to the primary. Tafoya spent a decade as a sideline reporter for NBC Sports before ending her tenure in 2021.

Schwarze and Tafoya are running for the Senate seat vacated by Sen. Tina Smith, who is retiring. A Republican has not been elected to the U.S. Senate from Minnesota since Norm Coleman in 2002.

These things are encouraging signs for the MNGOP. Qualls, Demuth, Schwarze and Tafoya are significant talent upgrades for this fall's ticket. This will be the strongest group of statewide candidates for the GOP in a decade+.

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