Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth will continue her campaign for governor in the Republican primary after voting issues at the Minnesota GOP convention raised questions about the party’s endorsement process.
Demuth had previously said she would abide by the Republican endorsement. However, after electronic voting problems delayed balloting in Duluth and drew public criticism from delegates, candidates, and Republican lawmakers, Demuth said she will take her campaign directly to voters.
“In light of the voting anomalies announced at the state convention this weekend, and the Republican Party of Minnesota’s unprecedented action of releasing candidates from their pledge to abide, I will continue my campaign so that every Minnesota Republican has a say in their nominee,” Demuth said in a statement.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Minnesota Republicans endorsed Kendall Qualls for governor Saturday night after a 10-ballot convention fight delayed by electronic voting problems and questions over the process.
The controversy began after vote totals reportedly shifted sharply between ballots. The process stalled during balloting as convention officials reviewed problems with the electronic voting system.
Demuth questioned the process from the convention floor before voting resumed.
“Election integrity matters,” Demuth said, according to Alpha News.
Qualls eventually reached the 60% threshold on the 10th ballot.
However, the endorsement has not ended the Republican race.
Minnesota GOP Chairman Alex Plechash said gubernatorial candidates who had pledged to abide by the endorsement should no longer be considered bound by that commitment.
“I believe it is appropriate to make clear that any gubernatorial candidate who agreed to abide by the endorsement should not be treated as bound by that pledge,” Plechash said in a statement. “Those candidates may make their own decision about whether to continue their campaign into the primary.”
Demuth cited Plechash’s statement as central to her decision to continue, saying it “felt like a full release that we could go forward,” according to Alpha News.
Her decision sets up an August Republican primary featuring Demuth, Qualls, and MyPillow founder Mike Lindell.
Qualls criticized Demuth’s decision to continue.
“As recently as this weekend, Lisa Demuth committed to abiding by the party endorsement and respecting the decision of thousands of Republican delegates,” Qualls said in a statement to Alpha News. “Now, she is putting vanity and political ambitions ahead of giving Republicans their best chance in decades to elect a conservative governor.”
The convention controversy also drew criticism from state Rep. Walter Hudson (R-Albertville), who called for Republicans to reject the weekend’s endorsements.
“I call for the universal rejection of this weekend’s endorsements,” Hudson wrote in an X post. “Every candidate who is willing and able should run to the primary.”
The endorsement gives Qualls official party support, but the August primary will determine the Republican nominee. Minnesota’s primary election is scheduled for August 11, and the general election will be held on November 3.
