Editing Republican Party of Minnesota (section)

==History==

{{Section citations needed|date=February 2023}}

===Early history===

The Republican Party in Minnesota was the dominant party in the state for approximately the first seventy years of Minnesota's statehood, from 1858 through the 1920s.  In the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], the state supported [[Abolitionism in the United States|Abolitionism]] and the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]].<ref>{{Cite journal |title=THE GENESIS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN MINNESOTA |url=https://collections.mnhs.org/mnhistorymagazine/articles/2/v02i01p024-030.pdf |journal=[[Minnesota Historical Society]] |quote=The demand for the organization of a new anti-slavery party, following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska bill in May, 1854, was most urgent in the region of the Old North-west. On July 6, in a state mass meeting made up of Whigs, anti-slavery Democrats, and Free-Soilers, Michigan gave the name Republican to the party whose formal organization was effected at this convention... Minnesota was slow in joining the movement.}}</ref>

Republican candidates routinely won the state governorship as well as most other state offices, having 12 out of the first 13.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sturdevant |first=Lori |title=Politics in Minnesota |url=https://www.mnopedia.org/politics-minnesota |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925043137/https://www.mnopedia.org/politics-minnesota |archive-date=2022-09-25 |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=mnopedia.org |language=en |quote=While Minnesota's first governor, Henry Sibley, was a Democrat, his successor, Alexander Ramsey, and the state's next eleven governors all affiliated with the Republican Party—the party of Lincoln}}</ref>

The [[1892 Republican National Convention]] was held in Minneapolis.  The party was aided by an opposition divided between the Democratic Party and the [[Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party]], which eventually merged in 1944.

===Independent-Republican era===

The '''Independent-Republicans of Minnesota''' ('''I-R''') was the name of the party from November 15, 1975, until September 23, 1995. The name change was made because the "Republican" name was damaged by the [[Watergate Scandal]]. Polls conducted in the early-mid-1970s indicated people in Minnesota were more likely to vote for a candidate who identified as an "Independent" versus a "Republican". During that time, the state party became more dependent on [[grassroots fundraising]] and eventually went bankrupt.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}} After the national party pumped money into the party, in the early-mid-1980s, their image and base began turning more conservative. During this time the party held both US Senate seats and briefly controlled the state House of Representatives. By 1994, the grassroots had turned socially more conservative and changed the name back in 1995. Attempts to drop the term "Independent" had previously been defeated in 1989, 1991 and 1993.

===2000-2010s===

For the [[2006 United States Senate election in Minnesota|2006 U.S. Senate election]], the party endorsed [[Mark Kennedy (politician)|Mark Kennedy]] for [[United States Senate]], who lost to [[Amy Klobuchar]].

In the [[2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota|2008 U.S. Senate election]], incumbent Republican Senator [[Norm Coleman]] was defeated by [[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|Democratic-Farmer-Labor]] candidate [[Al Franken]] by 312 votes out of over 2.5 million cast after a long series of dramatic, contentious, and expensive re-counts.

The party was fined $170,000 for violating federal campaign finance regulations from 2003 to 2008.<ref>http://www.citypages.com, AUGUST 19, 2011, MINNESOTA GOP FINED $170,000 FOR FEC VIOLATIONS BY MIKE MULLEN, [http://www.citypages.com/news/minnesota-gop-fined-170-000-for-fec-violations-6545785]</ref> The Chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party [[Tony Sutton]] (R) was found guilty of circumventing Finance Laws in the Gubernatorial Election Recount of 2010 and fined $33,000. (2010)<ref name="auto">http://www.mprnews.org,  July 13, 2012, Minn. GOP, former chairman fined over recount by Tom Scheck [http://www.mprnews.org/story/2012/07/13/politics/sutton-gop-recount-fines]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/blogs/113884259.html |title=GOP chairman Sutton to join PR company |publisher=Startribune.com |date=2011-01-17 |access-date=2011-01-18}}</ref>

The last Republican Governor of Minnesota was [[Tim Pawlenty]]. He was [[2002 Minnesota gubernatorial election|elected in 2002]]; after [[2006 Minnesota gubernatorial election|winning re-election in 2006]], he served two terms. With [[2010 Minnesota gubernatorial election|Tom Emmer's defeat in 2010]] by [[Mark Dayton]], Republicans held the governorship for eight years. Despite having lost every executive race in the general election of 2010, the party captured both chambers of the [[Minnesota Legislature]] for the first time since the 1970s,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/106596798.html | title=Republicans celebrate, outline legislative goals | work=[[Star Tribune]] | date=November 4, 2010 | access-date=June 23, 2014 | author=Kaszuka, Mike | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915125846/http://www.startribune.com/politics/106596798.html | archive-date=September 15, 2014 }}</ref> and defeated 18-term Rep. [[Jim Oberstar]] by electing [[Chip Cravaack]] to [[Minnesota's 8th district]].

====2010 gubernatorial race====

For the [[2010 Minnesota elections|2010 statewide elections]], the party endorsed State Representative [[Tom Emmer]] and [[Metropolitan Council (Minnesota)|Metropolitan Council]] member [[Annette Meeks]] for governor and lieutenant governor. State Representative [[Dan Severson]] was the endorsed candidate for [[Minnesota Secretary of State|secretary of state]]. Attorney and psychologist [[Chris Barden]] was the endorsed candidate for [[Minnesota Attorney General|attorney general]]. [[Patricia Anderson]] was the endorsed candidate for [[Minnesota State Auditor|state auditor]]. All five executive candidates lost their respective elections.

Following the [[Minnesota gubernatorial election, 2010|2010 gubernatorial recount]], the Minnesota GOP was heavily in debt, owing $2 million primarily for the recount of votes.  The GOP had stopped paying rent for its headquarters near the Capitol and the landlord filed an eviction summons once the Party had fallen $111,000 behind in rent.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/148614415.html | title=Debt-laden Minn. GOP notified of eviction | work=[[Star Tribune]] | date=April 23, 2012 | access-date=June 23, 2014 | last=Helgeson | first=Baird | author2=Stassen-Berger, Rachel E.}}</ref> They announced they would move their headquarters to Minneapolis's [[Seward, Minneapolis|Seward neighborhood]] in January 2014. The new headquarters is situated diagonally across from the [[Seward Community Cafe]] where it shares a building with a [[Pizza Luce]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/235075261.html | title=State GOP moves HQ to Minneapolis DFL stronghold | work=[[Star Tribune]] | date=December 9, 2013 | access-date=June 23, 2014 | last=Helgeson | first=Baird | quote=The new location puts the party headquarters in the heart of a longtime DFL stronghold.}}</ref> Party Chairman Keith Downey said they were moving away from St. Paul "to be closer to the people."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_24687880/minnesota-gop-move-offices-from-st-paul-minneapolis | title=Minnesota GOP to move offices from St. Paul to Minneapolis | work=[[St. Paul Pioneer Press|Pioneer Press]] | date=December 9, 2013 | access-date=June 23, 2014 | last=Salisbury | first=Bill}}</ref> The headquarters were later moved to [[Edina, Minnesota|Edina]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=About {{!}} MNGOP|url=https://mngop.com/about/|access-date=2021-02-17|language=en-US}}</ref>
Despite this, in 2010, Republicans had taken control of both houses of the State Legislature for the first time in three decades, only to lose both houses in 2012.

===Recent history===

In 2021, the Minnesota Republican Party became a subject of controversy when donor and strategist Anton Lazzaro was indicted for [[sex trafficking]] charges.<ref>
* {{cite web |last1=Raguse |first1=Lou |title=MN GOP chair scrutinized after donor charged with sex trafficking |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/crime/mn-gop-chair-scrutinized-after-donor-charged-sex-trafficking/89-f82f2f57-7d4b-4bf7-bab0-2176e2a8f48d |website=KARE 11|date=13 August 2021 }}
* {{cite web |last1=Sheth |first1=Sonam |title=A GOP strategist was arrested on 10 felony counts of underage sex trafficking, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-strategist-anton-lazzaro-arrested-sex-trafficking-obstruction-indictment-2021-8 |website=Insider}}
* {{cite web |last1=Lyden |first1=Tom |title=The making of Tony Lazzaro |url=https://www.fox9.com/news/who-is-tony-lazzaro |website=Fox 9|date=19 August 2021 }}
* {{cite news |last1=Pagliery |first1=Jose |title=GOP Strategist Arrested for Underage Sex Trafficking |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-strategist-anton-lazzaro-arrested-for-underage-sex-trafficking |website=The Daily Beast|date=12 August 2021 }}</ref> Minnesota Chairwoman [[Jennifer Carnahan]] resigned amidst the controversy.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kare 11 Staff |title=Minnesota GOP Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan resigns |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/politics/minnesota-gop-chairwoman-jennifer-carnahan-resigns/89-67574712-3fc6-48c0-aeff-080a8590ceea |website=KARE 11|date=20 August 2021 }}</ref>

The party ran [[Scott Jensen (Minnesota politician)|Scott Jensen]] for the [[2022 Minnesota gubernatorial election|2022 gubernatorial race]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-14 |title=Minnesota GOP Endorses Dr. Scott Jensen To Take On Gov. Tim Walz |work=[[CBS News]] |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/kendall-qualls-takes-lead-as-minnesota-gop-picks-governor-candidate/ |access-date=2023-02-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Van Berkel |first1=Jessie |last2=Woodall |first2=Hunter |date=2022-05-14 |title=Minnesota GOP backs Scott Jensen in race to unseat Gov. Tim Walz |work=[[Star Tribune]] |url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-gop-backs-scott-jensen-in-race-to-unseat-gov-tim-walz/600173362/ |access-date=2023-02-22}}</ref> who lost to incumbent [[Tim Walz]].<ref>
* {{Cite news |title=2022 General Election Results |publisher=Secretary of State |url=https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/election-results/2022/2022-general-election-results/ |access-date=2023-02-22}}
* {{Cite news |last=Orrick |first=Dave |date=2022-11-30 |orig-date=2022-11-08 |title=Tim Walz Defeats Scott Jensen for Second Term as Minnesota Governor |language=en |work=[[Twin Cities Pioneer Press]] |url=https://www.twincities.com/2022/11/08/mn-governor-results-tim-walz-scott-jensen/ |access-date=2023-02-22}}
* {{Cite news |last=Kaul |first=Greta |date=2022-11-09 |title=How Walz Won Minnesota Governor's Contest against Jensen in Charts |work=[[Minnpost]] |url=https://www.minnpost.com/elections/2022/11/how-walz-won-minnesota-governors-contest-against-jensen-in-charts/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123122931/https://www.minnpost.com/elections/2022/11/how-walz-won-minnesota-governors-contest-against-jensen-in-charts/ |archive-date=2022-11-23}}
* {{Cite news |title=Minnesota Election Results: Walz Re-elected Governor |work=[[KMSP-TV|Fox 9]] |url=https://www.fox9.com/election/minnesota-election-results-2022-governor |access-date=2023-02-22}}
* {{Cite news |title=Minnesota Governor Election Results |work=[[New York Times]] |date=8 November 2022 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-minnesota-governor.html |url-status=live |access-date=2023-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126191630/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-minnesota-governor.html |archive-date=2022-11-26}}</ref> The party also lost its majority in the Minnesota Senate, giving the DFL a [[government trifecta|trifecta]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Callaghan |first1=Peter |date=9 November 2022 |access-date=16 February 2023 |title=MinnPost analysis: DFL turns GOP talk of midterm dominance into 'trifecta' of its own |url=https://www.minnpost.com/elections/2022/11/minnpost-analysis-dfl-turns-gop-talk-of-midterm-dominance-into-trifecta-of-its-own/?hilite=midterm}}</ref> but the party held to the four seats in the US House of Representatives.