The Minnesota Republican Party will have a primary battle in the only statewide race in the 2024 election year. On Friday, Joe Fraser filed to run against GOP-endorsed candidate Royce White one day after White filed.

In an interview recorded for “At Issue with Tom Hauser,“ Fraser explained why he isn’t abiding by his pledge to not run in a primary if he didn’t win the party endorsement.

“I think we have to look at it like we have to have an endorsement process that’s fair and equitable and the rules are applied equally for all candidates across the board,” Fraser said. “In Mr. White’s case, I don’t believe that process was followed.”

White won the endorsement with 67% of the delegates who voted. Fraser claims only about one-third of eligible delegates showed up and were not representative of the whole state Republican Party.

He also says he doubts most delegates knew about White’s personal history of civil actions regarding unpaid child support, domestic abuse, evictions and unpaid business debts, along with questions about his 2022 campaign spending when he ran for the 5^th District congressional nomination. White’s campaign report from that year shows thousands of dollars for luxury hotels around the country, $1,200 at a strip club in Miami and thousands more for limousine services, including a trip from Tampa, Florida, to Atlanta, Georgia.

“People in that room (at the convention), they’re familiar with who I am from conservative media, radio shows, podcasts, appearances on other podcasts, social media,” White told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS in an interview last week. “And I talked about three fundamental issues that are the basis of my agenda as a United States senator…border, debt, forever wars….and that resonated.”

In an interview on Wednesday, Republican Party Chairman David Hann says he thinks White deserves a chance.

“He’s got an unusual background. He’s a very engaging guy and he’s very committed to winning votes in areas Republicans traditionally have not done as well,” Hann said. “So I think we have to give him the opportunity to make the case. He is the first African American candidate for Senate Minnesota has had and he’s a Republican and that’s a very good thing. We’re going to try to work with him and see what we can do.”

Fraser says he believes White is unfit to serve in the U.S. Senate.

“When you look at his behavior, it’s unbecoming of the office and when we seek to represent the people his history, his commentary, I believe Minnesota deserves better,” he said. “He is not good for the Republican Party and he’s going to impact the Republican Party down ticket.”

You can see the entire interview with Fraser on Sunday at 10 a.m.  White is scheduled to appear on “At Issue” next week.