No Republican endorsement in the 7th Congressional District. Tad Jude gets nod in the 3rd
Republican delegates in Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District failed to endorse a candidate Saturday.
Rep. Michelle Fischbach is the incumbent in the sprawling western Minnesota district. One of her challengers was Steve Boyd, a politician who describes himself as a “grassroots America First conservative.”
After three rounds of voting, Fischbach failed to obtain 60 percent of the vote necessary to earn the party endorsement, forcing a stalemate. The endorsement process ended after a motion to suspend the rules was passed.
The deadlock means Republican voters will decide the nominee in an August primary. That candidate would be heavily favored in November due to the district’s hard shift to the right over the years.
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Boyd called the stalemate “a victory for our grassroots campaign.”
“Today’s battle, while technically a stalemate, was really a victory for our grassroots campaign, and one of just many more ahead,” Boyd said in a press release on Saturday.
Tad Jude receives GOP endorsement for 3rd District
Delegates to the Republican 3rd Congressional District convention endorsed Tad Jude Saturday. The seat, which includes the suburbs west of Minneapolis, is being vacated by DFLer Dean Phillips.
Jude, a long-time politician who served in the Minnesota House and Senate and as a county commissioner and judge, says improving public safety will be key to his campaign message.
Jude won the endorsement over three other GOP hopefuls.
Jude is a former DFL legislator who changed parties long ago. It’s possible he will face a primary challenge as well.
State Sen. Kelly Morrison is expected to be the DFL candidate for the seat. Morrison is a physician, lives in Deephaven and serves as vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.
Minnesota’s primary election is scheduled for Aug. 13. The general election is Nov. 5.