Speaker up

The current Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives is officially seeking a new office. 

Demuth's star has definitely risen over the past few years with her ascendence from obscure state rep out of Cold Spring to the House Minority Leader and then ultimately House Speaker. And she appeared poised and ready with every step, never appearing as though the moments were too big for her. 

As expected, the other GOP entrants in the gubernatorial race immediately looked to draw distinctions. 

First up - Kendall Qualls: 

REMINDER: I’m running for governor to SAVE Minnesota, fix our economy and take back our streets and classrooms.

Some career politicians are treating this race like a promotion. Not me. I’m a political outsider who will bring a complete and total transformation to St Paul.

I’m the only candidate who can WIN statewide and I’ll continue to make that case across the state.

Political outsider? Is that a euphemism for "multi time loser in both runs for political office?" Look, I like Kendall a lot and would wholeheartedly support him were he the general election candidate next year. But to pretend like he walked out of the private sector just this year to jump into the gov race is, to be charitable, a stretch. 

Then you had the reaction of Demuth's MN House colleague Kristin Robbins, who didn't pull any punches. 

  

Speaker Lisa Demuth has been a friend since we were both elected in 2018, but I’m the only conservative Republican who’s a proven winner in the suburbs, and the only one who can actually defeat two-term Governor Tim Walz. I’ve led the fight against the rampant fraud in the Walz Administration, and as Governor, I’ll fight the fraud, lower our taxes, and stop the insanity.

After meeting with grassroots Republicans across Minnesota for months, it’s clear there’s no appetite for a Republican who sides with Tim Walz on raising taxes and making our streets less safe. Lisa Demuth agreed to a backroom budget deal that raised taxes and shut down the Stillwater prison with no plan which will result in releasing criminals back into our communities. Demuth and Walz raised our taxes and made our streets less safe, and that’s exactly what I’m fighting against.

If anyone should know the dynamics of divided government in St Paul, it's Robbins. The GOP literally had no majority in any of the three legs of the stool in this year's legislative session, yet Demuth was able to secure the banning of healthcare funding for illegal alien adults. The fact she got Dem Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman (may she RIP) to agree to that is no small thing. Again, I get it. Robbins is looking for an advantage in the GOP race. But this line of attack seems pretty disingenuous. 

I've yet to see any response from Dr. Scott Jensen, but I imagine he'll just stick to pontificating via videos on social media and then work towards the party primary since he'll likely not be endorsed by GOP delegates next year. 

In the end, I just want Walz defeated. Whichever of these candidates emerges I will enthusiastically support. And given the rhetorical shrapnel Demuth has received upon her entering the race, the candidate forums nex year oughta be spicy. 

Game on!

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