Pawlenty: "It's fair to say the Republican elevator has arrived in the basement"
"The party will now predictably debate whether an improved version of Trump populism, an updated version of Reagan conservatism, better outreach or more celebrity candidates is the way forward."
Some prominent conservatives are hoping to cleave the party from Donald Trump and the mob who stormed the Capitol on Wednesday. They see it as their best hope to win statewide races in 2022 and beyond. Others are skeptical about whether that's possible in a state where Trump's near-victory in 2016 left an indelible mark on the Republican base and its leadership. It's part of an identity crisis for a party that has struggled with debt and been shut out of statewide office for more than a decade.
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In Minnesota, at least a half-dozen House members participated in a pro-Trump rally outside the State Capitol on Wednesday that coincided with the breaching of the U.S. Capitol building. Rallygoers cheered as the emcee, a local GOP party chair, delivered news of the breach with a laugh. Reps. Eric Lucero, R-Dayton, and Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, singled out a Ramsey County judge who approved a change to absentee ballot rules before the election — and Lucero suggested impeaching the judge. Others painted a bleak picture of the future if some form of action was not taken.
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Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder who said he is "90%" likely to run for governor in Minnesota in 2022, spoke at pro-Trump demonstrations in Washington on Wednesday. He had a front-row seat as Trump encouraged rallygoers to march to the Capitol. Lindell's national profile and interest in challenging Walz will be one of the state party's biggest tests. Lindell is still funding efforts to prove fraud swung the presidential election and says he does not accept Biden's victory. On Wednesday, he suggested antifa bore responsibility for Wednesday's breach of the U.S. Capitol, citing reports that have since been retracted or debunked as misinformation.
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Other prominent Minnesota conservatives said reaching across the aisle and showing the Republican Party can work with Democrats is the right approach in this moment. Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, also a potential 2022 gubernatorial contender, cited the police accountability package legislators passed this summer after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis officer. More recently, he said lawmakers have come together on COVID-19 relief for businesses and workers.
https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-s-gop-congressional-delegation-divided-on-electoral-college-challenge/600007764/
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