Two GOP Senate hopefuls end campaigns against Klobuchar
Two of the Republicans who had announced earlier they would seek the party's nomination to run against DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar said Monday they are ending their campaigns.
Anthony Hernandez said he's decided to abandon his campaign and instead will try to run against DFL Rep. Betty McCollum in Minnesota's 4th Congressional District.
St. Bonifacius City Council member Joe Arwood also ended his campaign for Senate today.
The announcements come two days before Minnesota Army National Guard Capt. Pete Hegseth is set to formally launch his Senate campaign against Klobuchar. There's been a lot of buzz about Hegseth's candidacy. He is a graduate of Princeton University who served in Iraq and recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
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Hernandez indicated he will focus on economic issues in his campaign for Congress.
"In a lot of ways Congresswoman McCollum has served this district well, however I think the issues that she champions such as environmentalism and protecting the global environment is not what's resonating with your common voters here in St. Paul and the surrounding areas," Hernandez said. "So I think what people are yearning for are decisive and bold economic solutions."
In a posting on Facebook, Arwood indicated he was ending his campaign for financial reasons.
"I can no longer devote adequate time and financial resources to this endeavor and do what is best for my family," his post said.
The first Republican to launch a campaign against Klobuchar, former four-term state Rep. Dan Severson, has no intention to end his campaign, according to a campaign official. Severson is also a veteran, having served 22 years in the Navy.