Can’t decide who to support in the Tuesday Republican Primary in Minnesota? We made a pros and cons list of the top three candidates for Governor and top three for U.S. Senate. I must confess, this list isn’t impartial. We believe that the status quo of politics in the country and this state are leading to disaster. So we have no interest in supporting candidates who represent the status quo.

Governor Primary Candidates

Mike Lindell

I like Mike. We’ve had him on the show a couple times. What’s great about Mike Lindell is that he is the most aligned with the grassroots conservatives in Minnesota and also the small business community. Watch him in the Farm Fest forum – you see a guy who approaches things from a businessman’s problem solving background. Wouldn’t that be great to have in St Paul?

The problem with Mike is he is undisciplined as a candidate. Just two weeks ago he stated a policy that sounded like amnesty and had to walk that back. His campaign didn’t help in the whole matter, which shows they lack the professionalism that we’d expect of a campaign of that magnitude. Mike also suffers a problem with how he’s perceived in the general public. But that’s something that could be overcome if he campaigns correctly.

Lisa Demuth

Here’s your status quo candidate. I think government is broken, so there’s no point in supporting candidates who don’t represent change. Lisa has been in the legislature for 7 years and is currently the Speaker of the House. She has an F rating on the Action 4 Liberty scorecard, which means she votes for omnibus bills that grow government and supports anti-liberty legislation. Lisa represents a brand of Minnesota Republicans that is nearly indistinguishable from centrist Democrats. She might try and campaign as a “conservative fighter,” but as someone who follows the legislature closely, she is not a conservative at all.

Lisa’s advantage is she has experienced political consultants running her campaign and she has the support of an out-of-state billionaire and a casino, who funded $3 Million already in a political independent expenditure campaign. That might be enough to buy her the primary on Tuesday, but won’t work in a general election against Amy Klobuchar, who will have far more money behind her. Lisa won’t drive disenfranchised Republican voters to the polls in November – she doesn’t excite the base at all.

Kendall Qualls

He was originally recruited by a faction of the Establishment in 2022 to run for Governor and has stayed involved in politics for the last four years to run for the seat a second time. That gives me pause on what kind of Governor he’d make, but Kendall is running as a conservative and did earn the endorsement of Republican Party delegates in May. I’ve been impressed with how he’s campaigned this election cycle.

The problem with Kendall is he just can’t pick up steam. His name ID is incredibly low and has been polling behind Lindell and Demuth every time. I feel bad for Kendall because the Republican Party is failing him. He earned their endorsement, but I think the Chair of the MNGOP is doing what he can do make Lisa Demuth the winning candidate in the primary.

U.S. Senate Primary Candidates

Michele Tafoya

Do you remember the sideline reporter on NBC Sunday Night football who would grab star players and interview them before and after the game? That used to be Michele Tafoya, before her retirement a couple years ago. Her quasi-celebrity status has made her attractive to donors nationwide and has resulted in a large war chest. That’s good.

Here’s the problem: Michele was recruited by the Washington Establishment and they have their hooks in her heavily. There’s no doubt that she’ll go out to Washington and be a “yes man” for the Status Quo-Washington Elites. When asked about her support for the Iran War, which is increasing energy costs for Minnesota families, Michele said we can “take one less trip to Starbucks.” She might have a good chance of beating Peggy Flanagan and flipping the seat in Minnesota, but don’t expect her to change Washington at all.

Royce White

I’ve had Royce on my show many times because he represents a threat to the status quo of Washington politics. Good! He’s great on the issues and has a deep understanding of the issues that are destroying our country (like the Federal Reserve and the military industrial complex). Royce also has a powerful voice, huge stature as a former NBA player, and has an impressive online presence.

The problem with Royce is he is an undisciplined candidate and doesn’t have a campaign firing on all cylinders. That’s a shame, because it’s going to likely hurt his chances in the primary on Tuesday. However, I’m an optimist. Win or lose the primary, we’re not done seeing Royce White. He will remain a big part of the public dialogue and has a bright future in new media.

Adam Schwarze

Check out this resume: Former Navy SEAL, former Marine and endorsed candidate by Republican delegates. What’s not to like? My issue with Adam is a trust issue. We had him on the show and found him to not be truthful about his past support for Nikki Haley. Perhaps he likes the neocons because he supports the war in Iran and stated in a radio interview that it’s “worthy of American blood.” Adam is a hell of a campaigner and earned his early support by working the trenches of the grassroots movement – but I don’t think he’ll push back against the status quo if he goes to Washington.

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