Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jason Lewis will self-quarantine and get tested again for COVID after exposure this week to a person who tested positive on Wednesday.
Senate candidate Jason Lewis to quarantine after COVID exposure
October 8, 2020 at 10:14AM
![Jason Lewis spoke to the crowd at Reagan Day at the Ranch, a Republican event held annually in Taylors Falls, in Chisago County. ] GLEN STUBBE • glen.stubbe@startribune.com Saturday, September 26, 2020 Jason Lewis spoke to the crowd at " Reagan Day at the Ranch, a Republican event held annually in Taylors Falls, in Chisago County.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/FLGCHMLRQI2MB6UZ2IRRXXATT4.jpg?&w=712)
"Congressman Lewis is currently feeling fine and displaying no symptoms," read a statement from his campaign. "All campaign staffers who were in contact with congressman Lewis since Monday are also self-quarantining and will be tested."
Lewis is the Republican challenger to U.S. Sen. Tina Smith this year. He was one of a handful of prominent Minnesota Republicans who mingled with President Donald Trump in Minnesota last Wednesday — shortly before the president revealed his own COVID diagnosis.
Lewis announced on Monday that he tested negative. But his campaign said Wednesday that the exposure to the other infected individual came that same day. The campaign declined to reveal the identity of the individual or how that person came into contact with Lewis, citing privacy concerns.
Lewis has been a harsh critic of forced business closures and other state-imposed limits in response to the pandemic. He has also flouted social distancing guidelines at campaign events.
![(From left) U.S. Represntatives Pete Stauber, Jim Hagedorn and senate candidate Jason Lewis stood off stage left during President Trump's remarks at Duluth International Airport on Wednesday night. The president tested positive for COVID-19 just over 24 hours later. ] ALEX KORMANN • alex.kormann@startribune.com President Trump visited Duluth on Wednesday September 30, 2020 as one of multiple campaign stops in Minnesota that day. The President spoke at Duluth International Airport starting around](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/N5F3EHTKIICILOIDC7US3AR23Y.jpg?&w=712)
These Minnesotans are poised to play prominent roles in state and national politics in the coming years.
