State GOP stresses support for Joe Teirab after local party delays endorsement vote

The Minnesota Republican Party is stressing its support for GOP congressional candidate Joe Teirab, putting them at odds with the local party, which delayed a decision on endorsing him even after he won the primary.

“The Republican Party of Minnesota fully supports Joe Teirab as our Republican candidate in Minnesota’s Second Congressional District,” state party Chairman David Hann said in a statement. “Teirab has proven that he has the ability to unite Republicans given his overwhelming win in the primary and through earning President Donald Trump’s endorsement.”

Second Congressional District Republicans had been set to decide Tuesday night whether to formally back Teirab, who’s challenging DFL Rep. Angie Craig in the competitive swing district in November.

But the committee voted 13-11 to remove the endorsement discussion from its agenda, Second Congressional District Deputy Chair Will Beck said.

“It’s a dead issue for the time being,” Beck said.

Teirab, a former federal prosecutor, won the GOP primary two weeks ago without the backing of the local party, which had endorsed grassroots conservative candidate Tayler Rahm.

But even without the local party’s backing, Teirab has support from national Republicans and the campaign war chest needed to run a formidable race against Craig.

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 Trump’s endorsement.

The former candidate won 24% of the primary vote without campaigning.

Before Tuesday’s meeting, Beck and Second Congressional District GOP Chair Joe Ditto said they thought an endorsement vote could go either way for Teirab.

“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 and smaller offshoots of the local party can help him because he won the primary, state GOP 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.”

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.

They also viewed him 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.

Teirab said in an interview Tuesday that he felt confident he could 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.