Live: DFLers and Republicans are endorsing candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and other statewide races

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Six candidates made their pitch to delegates at the Republican state convention that they’re best suited to receive the party’s endorsement.

The pitches ranged from wanting to root out the “deep state” in Washington, D.C. to bringing a stronger focus on policy to breaking the mold of a typical Minnesota GOP candidate.

Former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze topped the first round of balloting, followed by former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya and the party’s 2024 nominee Royce White in third place, although no candidate got the required 60 percent of the vote needed for endorsement, and additional ballots were expected Friday evening.

In a second round of balloting, Schwarze, Tafoya and White again remained in the top three as other candidates fell away.

Here are some of the punchiest lines from the candidates’ speeches to delegates.

Schwarze drew on his military background in his remarks to delegates, saying Republicans had lost “battle after battle after battle” in Minnesota. But this year could be different with him as the endorsed candidate, Schwarze said.

“If you want a smooth-talking politician, there are other options, and I'll be blunt: if you are happy with the D.C. status quo and the D.C. establishment, there are other options too,” Schwarze said. “If you want a fighter who specializes in no-fail missions, who doesn't know how to quit, who doesn't lead by reading polls, but abides in his faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and who will work like hell when the mission demands, then I ask for your vote.”

Tafoya, who has raised the most money in the race and brought her national profile to the contest, said her entry in the race could be a game changer after 20 years of Republicans coming up short in statewide races.

“If we nominate someone different, someone who has been tried and tested under the brightest lights. Who was a total political outsider, who has spent her whole career calling out BS and getting to the truth then this Senate race in Minnesota will not be a footnote,” Tafoya said. “It will be a national story, one of the most competitive races in the country, and we will win.”

Farmer Mark York said he filled a unique role that other candidates couldn’t fill mobilizing independent voters as well as those in rural communities. 

“Adam Schwarze, Michele Tafoya are good people, but Adam Schwarze is not going to win with independents. You'll hear his pitch in a minute, it's all red meat,” York said. “Michele Tafoya, she wins with independents, but she doesn't fire up the real base. I'm the only candidate who does both.”

York also took aim at the candidate expected to win the DFL endorsement for the U.S. Senate seat this weekend – Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, calling her Peggy “fraud again Flanagan.” And he alluded to the hundreds of millions of dollars siphoned from state Medicaid programs in fraud.

Another candidate also came out metaphorically swinging. The party’s 2024 nominee and former NBA player Royce White told the crowd that he was “ultra MAGA, America first, conspiracy theorist, vaccine denier.” He likened himself to U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton in Texas who bested Sen. John Cornyn in a runoff primary this week.

“We're going to save this country, and the endorsement. I hope I have your endorsement, but what I really want is your courage,” White said.

Natural foods co-op founder Alycia Gruenhagen said the party needs to focus on issues like health, limiting abortion and shrinking the role of government.

“Today, too many leaders are asking the government to solve problems that the government was never designed to solve,” Gruenhagen said. “Government cannot replace faith, government cannot replace family government, it cannot replace personal responsibility. Those institutions are what make freedom possible.”

Retired Navy submarine captain Tom Weiler told that crowd that he would “torpedo the do-nothing status quo in the United States Senate.” 

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Six Republican candidates vying for a U.S. Senate seat set to come open next year made their case to Minnesota Republican Party delegates that they would be the best candidate to advance.

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