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In tack away from Trump, some see warning for Minnesota GOP
Some Greater Minnesota Republicans say the candidates’ move toward the center could depress turnout among Trump loyalists in a year without him on the ballot.
- In their 2026 campaigns, Minnesota GOP top-of-ticket candidates Michele Tafoya and Lisa Demuth are distancing themselves from President Donald Trump to attract suburban voters who are independent or pro-choice.
- Minnesota last elected a Republican statewide in 1994 when Gov. Arne Carlson won, leaving candidates targeting voters who agree 0% of the time with DFL candidates like Peggy Flanagan.
- Tafoya brands herself a "pro-choice Republican" with an "independent voice," while Demuth sidestepped endorsement from Trump-endorsed Mike Lindell. Steven Schier, political science professor emeritus at Carleton College, says candidates are being "pretty artful" in these techniques.
- Some GOP leaders in Greater Minnesota fear this centrist tack alienates faithful voters. Local activist Folie reports disenchanted members refusing signs, saying, "I had a guy that always put a sign up in his business, and he said he didn't want one this year."
- The GOP faces mounting pressure balancing base enthusiasm with centrist positioning. Leaders grapple with the question: "How do we ensure that the grassroots and the base are with us through the end?" as potential turnout issues loom.
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16 Articles
16 Articles
Duluth News Tribune+15 Reposted by 15 other sources
In tack away from Trump, some see warning for Minnesota GOP
While the party's top-of-the-ticket candidates see value in avoiding Donald Trump and embracing abortion rights, some in deep-red Greater Minnesota see election warning signs.
·Cherokee County, United States
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Total News Sources16
Leaning Left0Leaning Right6Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Center
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources are Center
57% Center
C 57%
R 43%
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