RNC, DNC chairpersons in Minnesota to kick-off governor campaign rallies

Although Minnesota doesn’t have a U.S. Senate race on the ballot this year, the state is clearly still attracting the attention of national political leaders. It’s likely because of a high-profile governor’s race and a nationally-watched attorney general’s race. That could explain why both Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison and Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel were in Minnesota on Friday, four days before Election Day.

“The entire country is looking at what happens right here in Minnesota,” Harrison told a crowd of DFL supporters helping candidates kick off a bus tour at the Minnesota State Capitol. “We need you. We need you folks. We need you to turn out like you have never turned out before.”

The rally featured all of Minnesota’s DFL statewide office incumbents, Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Secretary of State Steve Simon and State Auditor Julie Blaha.

“We’re close to putting the hay in the barn and getting this thing done,” Walz said in front of a bus emblazoned with his picture. “You know what needs to be done now. You know that these days matter.”

Just 90 minutes later inside the State Capitol, Republicans held their own rally featuring gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen and his running mate Matt Birk. Jensen even poked some fun at himself as he promised to keep speaking his mind if he’s elected. “As governor of Minnesota I will speak the truth regardless of how much trouble it gets me into….and I had no idea how good I am at getting into trouble, let me tell ya,” he said with a smile.

Jensen was introduced by RNC Chairwoman McDaniel who told cheering supporters they can “turn Minnesota red.” She said voters need to send Democratic leaders a message that rising crime is unacceptable. “And the only way you can say to your leaders that is not acceptable…that we need safer streets and we need safety communities is by firing them on November 8 and electing Jensen and Birk,” she said to a big cheer in the Capitol rotunda.

After campaigning in greater Minnesota over the past few days, both Republicans and Democrats will concentrate campaign efforts over the weekend in the metro area where most of the state’s voters live.