DFL ‘disavows’ 12B endorsement following accusations of threatening behavior

The chairman of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has called on a local unit of the party to withdraw its support for a candidate in the Senate District 12B.

Judd Hoff was initially endorsed by the DFL as a candidate running against Republican incumbent Rep. Mary Franson before previous allegations of harassment resurfaced and the DFL rescinded its support.

In a statement on Monday, DFL Chairman Ken Martin said, “The kind of violent and threatening behaviors that Mr. Hoff has engaged in have no place in the Minnesota DFL party. The Minnesota DFL strongly disavows this endorsement, and I have asked the local unit in question to withdraw their endorsement immediately. The Minnesota DFL will not spend any of our resources on behalf of Mr. Hoff. We all have a responsibility, regardless of party or ideology, to reject violence in our politics – we can and should expect better from candidates for elected office.”

David Hann — the chairman of the Republic Party of Minnesota — also released a statement on Monday.

Hann said, “The endorsement of Judd Hoff by the Minnesota DFL normalizes his threatening behavior towards Rep. Mary Franson and normalizes the increased rancor and crime that disturbingly continues to escalate within politics today. The Minnesota DFL must urgently and unequivocally condemn this type of behavior and take immediate action to rescind its endorsement of Judd Hoff.”

Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, issued the following statement prior to the DFL rescinding its support for Hoff, saying, “Democrats must withdraw their endorsement of this repeat criminal. For years he has harassed and stalked Rep. Franson by digging through her trash, publishing her address and contact information, filming her at her private residence, and relentlessly sending rude and threatening messages online. While I have no doubt that Rep. Franson will overwhelmingly win re-election, this man belongs nowhere near the ballot and the DFL should make clear that this behavior will not be tolerated.”