Hot dish 07.09.24

By Sydney Kashiwagi

Hello, and welcome to another DC Dish!

So much of the last week has been focused on the Democrats since the presidential debate, so I’m going to turn to the Republicans this morning, as I start to gear up for the Republican National Convention next week and preview some of the things I’m hearing and what’s to come.

STAFFING UP: First off, I’ve heard from Republicans that the Trump team is closing in on hiring a state director as the former president looks to flip Minnesota in November.

One GOP source told me that the Trump team was given a short list of names for the position and are currently running through them. Another told me a state director could be named within the next week.

“They’re actively talking and trying to find staff and build out,” a Minnesota Republican consultant told me of the Trump’s team’s plans. The Republican consultant said an announcement on the coveted position is imminent, with the Trump team “actively searching and talking to multiple different candidates.”

When reached, Trump’s team would not immediately provide an answer about their plans. I caught up with Rep. Tom Emmer on Capitol Hill Monday, who is serving as Trump’s state chair in Minnesota.

But Emmer declined to provide any updates on the Trump team’s plans. “I’m not going to step in front of the Trump team,” he said. “They’ll decide what they want to do and we’re going to be fully supportive because Trump has a real opportunity to win Minnesota for the first time since 1972.” Emmer said once a “ground guy” is named, we will know more about when and where the eight field offices the Trump campaign has promised to open in Minnesota will go.

IN THE MIX: A short list of names that the Trump team is considering for the role was hard to come by. One source told me they did not recognize some of the names they heard, but one they did remember was Kevin Poindexter.

Poindexter was Trump’s state director last cycle, he previously worked for Emmer and is currently working on the campaign of GOP congressional candidate Tayler Rahm. But Poindexter declined to comment when asked if he is being considered, instead saying he’s focused on his work at the firm National Public Affairs.

DOWNGRADING MINNESOTA: Trump’s plans to staff up come as Sabato’s Crystal Ball, a nonpartisan election forecaster run by Larry Sabato at the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, downgraded Minnesota from “likely Democrat” to “leans Democrat” last week following the debate.

Sabato also downgraded Michigan from “leans Democrat” to “toss up,” and said that because he downgraded the Great Lakes State, it also “makes sense” to downgrade Minnesota, too. “Powered by Democratic growth in the Twin Cities and its suburbs that has mostly counterbalanced a Republican trend in outstate areas, Minnesota is the second-bluest Midwest state, trailing only Illinois,” Sabato said. “But Trump almost won Minnesota in 2016 and it’s just one shade bluer, not two shades bluer, than Michigan (hence why it should be just Leans Democratic in our ratings if Michigan is a Toss-up).”

Here’s what the parties have to say about the latest rankings.

DFL CHAIR KEN MARTIN: “Minnesotans recognize the stakes in this election and know that Donald Trump’s reckless policies and dangerous rhetoric threaten the progress we’ve made here. A Republican presidential candidate has not won Minnesota in over 50 years and President Biden will continue that streak by winning in November. Donald Trump has lost Minnesota twice, and the third time won’t be the charm.”

MNGOP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANNA MATTHEWS: “It’s no surprise that Minnesotans are less confident in Biden’s ability to serve following his disastrous performance & the Stephanopoulos interview that was supposed to reassure voters that the debate was ‘just a bad night.’ With Democratic legislators publicly abandoning ship in MN & across the country, it only makes sense that independent voters are completely giving up on Biden & looking for an alternative.”

DEBATE TIME: Republicans Joe Fraser and the Minnesota Republican Party’s endorsed candidate Royce White will debate each other next Thursday, July 18 at 7:15 p.m. The debate will be hosted by Alpha News and moderated by Kelly Jahner-Byrne.

Fraser had a lot to say about the debate but White declined to comment before the event.

FRASER SAYS: “Minnesota Republicans have a unique opportunity to make significant gains down ballot, defeat Amy Klobuchar, and help President Trump win our state — but we can only do so with the right candidate at the top of the statewide ticket. Minnesotans deserve a choice between an unapologetic, patriotic, conservative who they can relate to and an anti-Semitic who attacks the courts system that is designed to protect women and children from men like him. I look forward to showcasing that I am the only candidate in this race with the temperament, drive, and experience to flip the senate and support Republican victories up and down the ballot.”

YOU’RE INVITED. Rep. Brad Finstad announced in a fundraising email that hard right GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, is coming to Minnesota this weekend to campaign with him. Finstad had initially supported Jordan in his short-lived bid for House speaker last year.

The fundraiser will take place this Saturday at the Arlington Event Center. Tickets range from $50-$500 for a VIP roundtable and photo op.

BACK TO THE DEMS: We now know where most Minnesota Democrats stand on Biden following the debate. But since this is DC Dish, here’s the latest.

So far, Rep. Angie Craig remains the only Democrat in the congressional delegation who’s called for Biden to step aside. Rep. Ilhan Omar joined fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus Monday evening to hear from Biden in a virtual call. And following the call, her office said she continues to stand behind him.

Rep. Betty McCollum had strong words for Biden last week right after the debate. But she did not want to talk any further on Monday, saying she wasn’t talking to press as she hurried out from the House floor on her phone when I tried to speak with her.

Rep. Dean Phillips hasn’t commented since the debate. I tried to find him on Monday, but per the House Clerk’s office, he did not cast any votes on the two bills that were considered yesterday.

Sen. Tina Smith focused much of her attention on Trump after the debate and did not pull any punches for Biden in her initial remarks. But on Monday, she said she has “a lot” of concerns about Biden.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar has not said anything new to my knowledge since the statement she provided after the debate, in which she stood with Biden.

HOUSING: My colleague Josie Albertson-Grove talked to new St. Paul homeowners benefitting from a program the Legislature funded in 2023 to loan down payment assistance to buyers who had never owned a home and whose parents did not own their homes either, or who lost their homes to foreclosure. The $150 million fund provides up to 10% of the home’s purchase price, up to $32,000, in down payment assistance to up to 4,500 eligible homebuyers across the state.

WHERE’S WALZ:

Gov. Tim Walz will meet with Palestinian families in Minnesota affected by the conflict in Gaza at 11:30 a.m. He will then hold a call with State Auditor Julie Blaha at 12:30 p.m.

READING LIST

Keep us posted at hotdish@startribune.com.

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