MN Gov. race just got more Rich

Just in time for Minnesota caucus night. 

Former Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek is running for governor, joining a crowded field of Republican candidates seeking to challenge Gov. Tim Walz this fall.

Stanek announced his campaign with a video published on Tuesday, declaring himself a "lifelong conservative" and attributing his decision to Democrats in charge "letting lawlessness run rampant and using the actions of a few bad actors to wage all-out war on law enforcement," over images of prominent Minnesota and national Democrats.

"We need leaders who build bridges instead of burning them," Stanek said in the video. "Who call for understanding instead of unrest and protect our communities instead of bowing to the socialist left."

Stanek's announcement video emphasized scenes from the 2020 unrest that upended Minneapolis after George Floyd's killing. He joins a growing field of Republican challengers who have broadly declared public safety to be a top priority of their campaigns. But Stanek is banking on decades of experience in law enforcement to stand out as he seeks the party's endorsement.

While crime and public safety are typically important issues to voters, they're even more salient in this year's cycle. With violent crime increasing at an alarming rate in many large metropolitan areas around the country, one could argue that the summer of 2020 in Minneapolis was the bellwether for that escalation. As such, Stanek's candidacy will garner significant attention despite such a late entry into the race. Unlike the other GOP gubernatorial candidates, Stanek has proven he can win votes in the state's most populous county having won multiple terms as Hennepin County Sherriff. 

With all that said, those who believe Stanek will be a the proverbial one trick pony by focusing only on crime are sorely mistaken. Stanek also served in the Minnesota Legislature for a decade, so he's definitely had experience in dealing with issues outside of public safety. 

I'm skeptical that Stanek will ultimately be the candidate to oppose Tim Walz this November but it would be wise for the current crop of Republicans to not underestimate his viability. 

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