Republican candidates for Minnesota governor debated in Wayzata Tuesday night

Five of the six Republican candidates for Minnesota governor debated in Wayzata Tuesday night. Not surprisingly, all five candidates were united in their opposition to how Democratic Governor Tim Walz has handled the pandemic.

All five of the candidates say they’ve had COVID and three of the five say they got vaccinated either before or after contracting the virus. None of them favor any vaccine mandates and say the decision to get vaccinated should be between individuals and their family physicians.

Two of the candidates are doctors, including former state Senator Scott Jensen and dermatologist Neil Shah. Shah says he got COVID after vaccination and Jensen says he’s relying on antibodies from his COVID infection to protect him. He says he will not get vaccinated.

Meanwhile, all five candidates, Jensen, Shah, Sen. Paul Gazelka, Sen. Michelle Benson and Lexington Mayor Mike Murphy, say the state should return most of the state’s projected $7.7 billion surplus back to taxpayers.