Second District Republicans to decide whether to back Joe Teirab after primary win

Republicans in the competitive Second Congressional District will decide Tuesday evening whether to throw their support behind primary winner Joe Teirab to challenge DFL Rep. Angie Craig in November.

The former federal prosecutor won the GOP primary two weeks ago, but did so without the backing of his local Republican party, which had endorsed grassroots conservative candidate Tayler Rahm.

Rahm suspended his campaign in July to work as Trump’s senior adviser in Minnesota, a move that upset some supporters who had campaigned for him. After he dropped out, his mailers and lawn signs could be seen throughout the district, even after Teirab won former President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

Rahm won 24% of the primary vote without campaigning. Second Congressional District GOP Chairman Joe Ditto said he thinks the full committee vote on Tuesday is a toss-up.

“I’d say they’re pretty split,” Ditto said. “A lot of them want to unite behind the winner of the primary and others are still bitter about the way things went down.”

Without the Second Congressional District Republican Party’s backing, Ditto said Teirab cannot receive resources from them and they can’t help him campaign. However, the state party can still help Teirab because he won the Republican primary and so can smaller offshoots of his local party, the state Republican Party’s Executive Director Anna Mathews explained.

“The state party has been helping him. We will continue to help him. The [Basic Political Operating Units] in CD2 will continue to help him,” Mathews said. ”Regardless of the result.”

Tuesday’s meeting comes after the committee decided before the primary to not hold an endorsement convention after Rahm dropped out of the race.

“I don’t entirely know what to expect,” said Will Beck, deputy chair of the Second Congressional District Republican Party. Beck said he voted for Rahm in the primary but would not say how he will vote Tuesday, though he plans to support Teirab in November against Craig.

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I know people are upset with what happened and many are still not keen on supporting Teirab,” Beck continued.

Some Rahm supporters have been reluctant or have refused to back Teirab because he didn’t follow through on his pledge to drop out of the race if he did not get the party’s endorsement.

Some view Teirab as an establishment candidate, and point to Rep. Tom Emmer’s joint fundraising committee backing Teirab as evidence of the majority whip and Washington’s influence in the high-stakes race.

Heading into Tuesday, Teirab said in an interview that he feels confident he can unite Republicans in the district.

“I’ve talked to so many people that supported my primary opponent, who I think is a great American and made a tough decision, but I think we’re all on the same page and unified against Angie Craig,” Teirab said.

Rahm did not throw his support behind Teirab after he left the race. When asked if he has heard from Rahm since his primary victory, Teirab would not say.

“Our campaign’s been been in contact with him and his team, and so I’m excited about continuing that conversation and working with him and the Trump team to make sure we we flip CD2,” Teirab said.

After the primary, Craig, who is seeking her fourth term, criticized Teirab as the candidate of Washington Republicans and said she would soon see him on the debate stage.