Save up all the days, a routine malaise............

This is one summer Sunday I don't mind being in the air conditioned Patriot bunker! Today's edition of my radio show The Closer will air in its usual slot of 1-3 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, I will be chatting with two different MN House Republican candidates looking to unseat incumbent DFLers. At 1:00, Caleb Steffenhagen will be on to discuss his candidacy in House District 48B (Chanhassen, Chaska). Then at 1:30, it'll be Aaron Paul, who is running in 54A (Shakopee, Jackson Twp.). 

In the second hour, I will weigh in on the latest news regarding the MNGOP races for governor and US Senate.

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Second look at Graham Platner?

Could prominent progressives be having regrets over throwing Platner, the now *former* Democrat nominee for US Senate out of Maine, under the proverbial bus?

Well, no.

While his being abusive to a girlfriend who was a political righty was not a dealbreaker (nor was sporting a Nazi tattoo. Or lying about his "working class" background. Or professing to having masturbatory fantasies when visiting port-a-potties. Or claiming to be willing to rape home invaders), Platner's alleged assault of a prog chick was a bridge too far. So yeah, that ship has sailed. 

The fact is there are now twelve individuals looking to replace Platner. I'm not really sure who can be considered the frontrunner, but there was one candidate in particular which looks......interesting. 

Ashley Webb is a man running for the U.S. Senate in Maine while presenting himself as a woman who promised to never lie to or deceive voters.

But Webb's newly revealed Reddit posts demonstrate a grasp of reality that's tenuous at best. Webb claims that he ovulates, menstruates… pic.twitter.com/09XpQIoXBp

— Colin Wright (@SwipeWright) July 17, 2026

 

Social media is scratching its head after this Maine Democrat's answer to a simple question:

What qualifications do you have to serve in the U.S. Senate?

Candidate Ashley Webb answered: "I ran for office several times, didn't win... I'm a songwriter... and I write my own… pic.twitter.com/VUSXIuMels

— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 17, 2026

Soooo....Webb has had several failed candidacies, but is a songwriter and author?

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CDXVI

- President Donald Trump has decided to insert himself into the GOP race for Minnesota governor. 

Mike Lindell, the “Pillow Man,” and one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots, is running to be GOVERNOR OF MINNESOTA, replacing one of the worst and most incompetent governors in the history of the U.S.A. Early Primary Voting has begun and, if given the chance,… pic.twitter.com/ntm2ZC0HXD

— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) July 15, 2026

This is of zero surprise given how Lindell has debased himself over the past several years in clinging to stolen election conspiracies, all to the delight of Trump.  

This endorsement is a clear indication that the President values loyalty over electoral viability, given Lindell has absolutely zero chance to prevail in the general election if he somehow wins the GOP nod. What's worse is a Lindell general election candidacy may well adversely affect down ballot races,  resulting in the DFL regaining the trifecta (Governor's office, House and Senate) they so enjoyed in 2023-24. And if that happens, the state of Minnesota becomes a cold California in less than a decade after that. 

In short, I wholly reject your recommendation, Mr. President. 

- Meanwhile in the GOP race for US Senator out of Minnesota, it's becoming clear who the most viable general election candidate will be. 

THANK YOU to the tens of thousands of grassroots donors who contributed to our campaign! With the average donation of under $43, Minnesotans are showing they are ready to send a message in this election.

Let’s keep the momentum going! The path to victory starts with showing up… pic.twitter.com/n9kItdAtzd

— Michele Tafoya (@Michele_Tafoya) July 15, 2026

Meanwhile, the MNGOP endorsed candidate Adam Schwarze continues to flail about, demanding that Tafoya engage in a debate. Meanwhile, Tafoya is essentially running a general election campaign with direct voter contacts, national media hits, etc. 

I'm not ready to suggest that Tafoya could do the unthinkable and break the MNGOP's near 20-year losing streak in statewide races. However, this race could help keep the US Senate in Republican control if the Dems' financial resources have to be diverted to defending a seat in reliably blue Minnesota. But given the fundraising prowess Tafoya has shown, we certainly can't bet against her prevailing in a general election. 

- The left has been fomenting violence for some time toward what they chide as the "MAGA Supreme Court." And given there are enough mentally unstable people who will take those words to heart, it shouldn't be all that shocking what the SCOTUS justices have been enduring.

NEW: Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett details the chilling threats her family has faced, revealing the terrifying moment her 12-year-old son discovered a bulletproof vest in her bedroom during the fallout of the Dobbs leak.

Barrett also recounted a recent "swatting"… pic.twitter.com/Cn6yG0VTYO

— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 14, 2026

Around the time the Dobbs decision was leaked (which overturned Roe v. Wade), Justice Brett Kavanaugh was a target of a potential assassin. And two years prior to that, while SCOTUS was hearing a case regarding a Louisiana law that would require doctors who perform abortions to have the right to admit patients at nearby hospitals, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer very clearly called out two specific justices. 

In which Chuck Schumer threatens TWO sitting Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. pic.twitter.com/pA3mryeVK2

— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) March 4, 2020

It'll never cease to shock me the lengths pro-aborts will go to in order to protect what they consider a sacrosanct right to kill an infant. It's demonic. 

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Box Score of the Week

It's the All-Star break!

With that, let's check out the 2022 All-Star game. 

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In this year's ASG, which occurred at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Cristopher Sanchez was the starting pitcher for the National League. It was the first time a pitcher started a game in his home ballpark since that '22 contest when Los Angeles Dodgers hurler Clayton Kershaw started for the N.L. in Dodger Stadium. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 7/12/2026

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I don't want to take advice from fools, I'll just figure everything is cool......

I'll be back live in the Patriot bunker today for my weekly radio show The Closer. The 2-hour extravaganza gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, I'll discuss Minnesota happenings, including multiple storylines in the GOP race for governor. 

Then in the second hour, I'll weigh in on U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner (D-ME) being forced to drop his bid despite many leftists accepting very obvious warning signs about his character. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Things looking up for Demuth

The sitting MN House Speaker received some good news Thursday in her campaign for governor. 

An internal poll from a conservative nonprofit group says Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth has a slight lead in the Republican primary for governor of Minnesota. The poll was obtained by Alpha News earlier this week.

Conducted by the Minnesota Private Business Council, the poll surveyed 1,601 likely Republican primary voters between June 23-25 and has a margin of error or 2.5%. Notably, the poll appears to have been conducted without the use of a professional polling firm.

According to the survey, 29.1% of respondents said they would vote for Demuth if the GOP gubernatorial primary were held today. Meanwhile, business executive Kendall Qualls got 23.9% of the vote, and MyPillow founder Mike Lindell got 20.4% of the vote.

However, 25.7% of those polled said they were “Unsure — I haven’t decided yet.” Of the undecided group, 55.9% said they were “completely undecided” while 17.1% leaned toward Demuth, 14.4% leaned toward Qualls, and 12.6% leaned toward Lindell.

Demuth certainly has the bona fides for proving she can govern effectively in addition to being in a better fundraising position than her opponents. It would still be a major uphill climb to defeat the juggernaut that is Amy Klobuchar, but nominating a candidate with a nonzero chance is obviously better than absolute zero. 

In addition to solid polling numbers, Demuth also received a high profile endorsement.  

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus & PAC today announced our full endorsement of Lisa Demuth for Governor and Ryan Wilson for Lieutenant Governor.

Lisa Demuth has earned the trust of Minnesota gun owners through her consistent defense of the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. As Speaker of the Minnesota House, Demuth has helped lead the fight against efforts to restrict the right to keep and bear arms while advancing policies that focus on violent offenders rather than peaceable firearm owners.

“Lisa Demuth understands that the constitutional rights of Minnesota gun owners are not negotiable,” said Bryan Strawser, Chairman of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus & PAC. “She has been a steady and effective leader against efforts to criminalize ordinary Minnesotans for exercising their rights. At a time when those rights face continued attacks at the Capitol, Minnesota needs a Governor who will stand firmly with law-abiding gun owners.”

“Speaker Demuth has consistently listened to Minnesota gun owners and understood the difference between responsible firearm ownership and criminal violence,” said Anna Leamy, Director of Government Relations and Advocacy for the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus. “She has stood against unconstitutional and ineffective gun control proposals and supported policies that respect the rights of law-abiding Minnesotans. Lisa Demuth and Ryan Wilson will provide the leadership Minnesota needs to defend those rights.”

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus is proud to support Lisa Demuth for Governor and Ryan Wilson for Lieutenant Governor and encourages our members and supporters across Minnesota to support their campaign.

Other candidates for Governor also participated in the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus candidate survey process. Others chose to side with anti-gun activists and organizations. Their candidate grades are available for public review at gunowners.mn/governor.

To be fair, both Qualls and Lindell received "A" grades from the Caucus. However, Demuth had to keep every single solitary Republican in the MN House unified against an assault weapons ban which passed in the Senate. That's not an easy thing to accomplish given Republicans can't seem to agree what kind of toppings to have on pizza, let alone vote in unanimity on legislation.  

I've often said that I don't make public whom I support in a Republican primary simply because I want to ensure *all* GOP candidates feel welcome to come on my radio show. That, and no one really gives two squats what I think. But I believe it's been pretty obvious from my writings of late that I wholeheartedly support Lisa Demuth to be the Republican nominee for Minnesota governor. In fact, I voted early just last week to ensure she has my vote banked. 

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Kendall Qualls alleged to have committed significant campaign violations

Former MN State Senator (and frequent NARN guest host) David Osmek has filed a Campaign Finance Board complaint against MNGOP-endorsed gubernatorial candidate Kendall Qualls. 

For purposes of full disclosure, Osmek was rumored last year to have been Qualls' Lt. Gov. designate before Brian Nicholson was ultimately chosen as Qualls' running mate. As such, Osmek's frequent criticism of Qualls over the past several months has been dismissed by some activists as sour grapes. 

With all that said, here is a copy of Osmek's complaint. You can decide for yourself how damning this may or may not be. 

For those who respond with "TL; DR," the substance of the complaint is Qualls has allegedly "been running his gubernatorial campaign" out of the offices of the nonprofit organization TakeCharge, an org founded by Qualls and wife Sheila. 

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