MINNESOTA
     Governor—Republican State Convention May 13-14, 2022
    Republican Primary Aug. 9, 2022

Overview
Republicans saw a competitive nominating contest with seven major candidates vying to challenge Gov. Tim Walz (DFL).  Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan announced in an Oct. 19, 2021 video (+) that they were seeking re-election.  Republicans running were Lexington Mayor Mike Murphy, family physician Dr. Scott Jensen, dermatologist Dr. Neil Shah, state Sen. Michelle Benson, state Sen. and former Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, former business executive Kendall Qualls, and former Hennepin Sheriff Rich Stanek.  Benson dropped out in April.  The remaining candidates except Stanek competed for the endorsement at the state GOP convention in Rochester on May 13-14.  The scene at the Mayo Civic Center on May 14 was filled with drama (>) as the endorsement vote for governor unfolded.  Sixty-percent was required to obtain the endorsement.  On the ninth ballot, delegates endorsed Jensen for governor (+).  An endorsement provides the party the opportunity to unify behind a candidate relatively early (+), but does not preclude a Republican primary contest.  Stanek left open a possible run against Jensen in the Aug. 9 primary, but did not file to run by the May 31 filing deadline.

The Republican Field
GOP
 Announced
 (Withdrew)
 Running Mate
 Announced
Paul Gazelka
 Sept. 8, 2021

Mary Giuliani Stephens
 Apr. 22, 2022
Scott Jensen
 Mar. 10, 2021
Matt Birk
 Mar. 8, 2022
Mike Murphy
 Feb. 6, 2021
Lacy Johnson
 May 12, 2022
Kendal Qualls
 Jan. 9, 2022


Neil Shah
 Aug. 3, 2021


Rich Stanek
 Feb. 1, 2022


Michelle Benson
 Sept. 1, 2021
Apr. 29, 2022

         










   









   










First Ballot
No.
 Name
 Votes %
5
 Scott Jensen
 555
 26.52%
6
 Kendall Qualls
 484
 23.12%
7
 Mike Murphy
 392
 18.73%
4
 Neil Shah
 333
 15.91%
8
 Paul Gazelka
 316
 15.10%
2
 Undecided
 7
 0.33%
3
 No Endorsement
 5
 0.24%
1
 No Preference
 1
 0.05%

Second Ballot
No.
 Name
 Votes %
5
 Scott Jensen
 616
 29.40%
6
 Kendal Qualls
 589
 28.11%
7
 Mike Murphy
 398
 19.00%
4
 Neil Shah
 269
 12.84%
8
 Paul Gazelka
 218
 10.41%
2
 Undecided
 5
 0.24%
1
 No Preference
 0
 0.00%
3
 No Endorsement
 0
 0.00%
Neil Shah out.
 
Third Ballot
No.
 Name
 Votes %
7
 Mike Murphy
 665
 31.79%
5
 Scott Jensen
 658
 31.45%
6
 Kendall Qualls
637
 30.45%
8
 Paul Gazelka
 127
 6.07%
2
 Undecided
 3
 0.14%
1
 No Preference
 1
 0.05%
3
 No Endorsement
 1
 0.05%
Gazelka out.

Fourth Ballot
No.
 Name
 Votes
 %
6
 Kendall Qualls
 787
 37.30%
5
 Scott Jensen
 722
 34.22%
7
 Mike Murphy
 590
 27.96%
2
 Undecided
 7
 0.33%
3
 No Endorsement
 4
 0.19%
1
 No Preference
 0
 0.00%

Fifth Ballot
No.
 Name
 Votes %
6
 Kendall Qualls
 885
 42.00%
5
 Scott Jensen
 745
 35.36%
7
 Mike Murphy
 465
 22.07%
2
 Undecided
 6
 0.28%
3
 No Endorsement
 4
 0.19%
1
 No Preference
 2
 0.09%

Sixth Ballot
No.
 Name
 Votes
 %
6
 Kendall Qualls
 906
 43.08%
5
 Scott Jensen
 800
 38.04%
7
 Mike Murphy
 391
 18.59%
3
 No Endorsement
 4
 0.19%
1
 No Preference
 1
 0.05%
2
 Undecided
 1
 0.05%
Murphy out.

Seventh Ballot
No.
 Name
 Votes
 %
5
 Scott Jensen
 1,233
 59.02%
6
 Kendall Qualls
 818
 39.16%
3
 No Endorsement
 22
 1.05%
1
 No Preference
 8
 0.38%
2
 Undecided
 8
 0.38%

Eighth Ballot
No.
 Name
 Votes
 %
5
 Scott Jensen
 1,180
 56.70%
6
 Kendall Qualls
 846
 46.65%
3
 No Endorsement
 33
 1.59%
1
 No Preference
 13
 0.62%
2
 Undecided
 9
 0.43%

Ninth Ballot
No.
 Name
 Votes
 %
5
 Scott Jensen
 1,344
 65.12%
6
 Kendall Qualls
 674
 32.66%
3
 No Endorsement
 37
 1.79%
2
 Undecided
 5
 0.24%
1
 No Preference
 4
 0.19%


Transcript of May 12, 2022 Republican Party of Minnesota video on "the importance of uniting to endorse our candidates to take on Tim Walz and the Democrats in November!"

Republicans need three things to win statewide campaigns in Minnesota: time, money and help.  An endorsed Republican candidate with no opposing Republican candidate running in the primary has almost six months between the endorsing convention in May and the general election in November and can spend that time focused on defeating the DFL opponent. 

If the endorsed candidate is challenged in the August primary election, that candidate will have to spend months battling fellow Republicans with only three months left to campaign against the DFL candidate.  Unendorsed candidates cut the Republican campaign against the Democrats in half.  Without a single candidate for all Republicans to rally around, raising the money necessary to finance a general election campaign becomes much more difficult.  During a protracted primary contest, developing and communicating an effective campaign message is nearly impossible.  We will not have the time or the resources to persuade voters to choose our Republican candidates over Tim Walz and his allies if we are focused on persuading voters to reject another Republican.

What does history tell us about statewide elections in Minnesota? The last time an unendorsed Republican candidate for governor won a primary was in 1994.  The last time an unendorsed Republican candidate for governor won a general election was also in 1994.  That candidate was Arnie Carlson, and he was the incumbent governor. 

Winning a statewide election in Minnesota is difficult.  We don't have to make it harder than it already is.   We can choose to honor our endorsement.  The path to electoral success for Republicans in November requires an endorsed candidate in May.

Those who claim that a primary is necessary to hear a wider array of voices or that our endorsement process is flawed and can only be corrected by a primary are really saying "I'd rather Tim Walz remain Governor of Minnesota for another four years than see our endorsed candidate have a clear shot at winning.

Let's choose to honor our endorsement.  Let's choose to reject a primary election contest.  Let's choose to win in November and change the course of our state.