Good morning.  Rest in peace, Fitzy.

Today is the final day to get your name on a ballot for Legislature, Congress, a statewide office and more. (You could miss it and still get votes, but that requires you to seek write-in votes that are counted.) Filing closes at 5 p.m. and sometimes there’s a late rush to fill empty major-party slots in races. There is a two-day window after that to subtract yourself from the ballot. But we’ll know how many contested primaries await, how many free passes in which only one party has a candidate represented, how many third-party hopefuls are running (so far not many) and if any incumbents waited until the end to quiet quit. Track the ballot registrations here.

The head of the Minnesota Republican Party gave gubernatorial candidates who didn’t get the party’s nod over the weekend the green light to run in a primary. Chair Alex Plechash said while the party stands by its slate of endorsed candidates, electronic voting devices had issues that resulted in chaos and confusion. As a result, he said candidates were let out of their commitments to honor the endorsement and will no longer be discouraged from moving onto a primary. Kendall Qualls got the party endorsement and called on fellow candidates to unify behind his campaign. But the move from party leaders the day before campaign filing deadline could tee up an announcement today that House Speaker Lisa Demuth will continue her campaign. Demuth hasn’t ruled it out and would enter the primary with a likely financial advantage. Demuth and running mate Ryan Wilson will hold a press conference at the Capitol on Tuesday morning.

Newly endorsed GOP governor candidate Kendall Qualls touted his selection by GOP convention delegates as “a confirmation, not an upset.” He said things were pointing in that direction given his straw poll victories in local gatherings. About a competitive primary, Qualls said, “We're definitely ready for it.” He said GOP candidates should realize however that the infighting is “unfortunately disappointing.” He noted how he bowed out in 2022 after coming up just shy to the eventual nominee Scott Jensen. He said he held to his commitment to step aside to the endorsed candidate. During a conference call with reporters moderated by a campaign aide, Qualls answered several questions about his candidacy, issues and what transpired at the convention. Among the things he was asked was about the 10-second moment of silence for imprisoned police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murdering George Floyd in 2020. Qualls said he was surprised by the call from a delegate to do that, which the presiding officer allowed to proceed after asking for a delegate voice vote. “I would have had a moment of silence for officers that have fallen on duty. There are some concerns that people have about the Chauvin case,” he said. “I don't know if that was the best venue to do that.”

The question is how rough the, ahem, pillow fight gets for the GOP. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell filed yesterday with his running mate, Philip Parrish, who was himself a candidate for governor. There are three other Republicans who have run less visible campaigns who have also registered their candidacies: Loner Blue, Raul Estrada and Ross Nova. One big figure could shape the race: President Donald Trump. His endorsement would put the person who gets it in a prime position. Lindell is personally close with Trump, but Qualls said he would welcome Trump’s nod. “Who wouldn't want the president's endorsement? Any president, right?”

 

The Republican Party of Minnesota starts this next phase of the campaign with far less money than the DFL Party. That gap will persist through the summer because a major fundraising event has been postponed until after the primary. Axios Twin Cities writer Torey Van Oot says it stems from donor frustrations over the weekend convention results in which outsider candidates prevailed over establishment-backed candidates. She said Plechash sent an email to those who bought tickets to the Lincoln-Reagan dinner on June 5 now won’t happen until September. As of April 1, the DFL had about $1.7 million cash on hand in a state account to $125,000 for the GOP.

GOP-endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate Adam Schwarze says his campaign is centered on restoring common sense and helping President Donald Trump advance his policy objectives. The former Navy SEAL spoke with All Things Considered Host Clay Masters yesterday and said Republican candidates who win the party’s endorsement have a strong record of advancing, even when they face primary challengers. “No candidate who has ever earned the support of the grassroots has ever gone on to lose the primary to a D.C. candidate,” Schwarze said, referring to challenger and former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya. “There's no road through D.C. for the Republican Party. You have to go through the will of the people in the grassroots.” He said he is a more reliable ally to the president than Tafoya is. “I know that Trump's branding is brash to some, but his policies are great,” Schwarze said. “He's an America First president. He truly is a president that has taken bullets for us, and I look forward to supporting his agenda, especially when it's foreign policy.”

Endorsed DFL candidate for U.S. Senate Peggy Flanagan also appeared on All Things Considered. The current lieutenant governor said the DFL endorsement will matter in her race with U.S. Rep. Angie Craig. Flanagan downplayed the financial advantage Craig carries into the primary phase. “We’re going to have enough resources to win, but I am going to be beholden to the voters of Minnesota and no one else,” she said. Both Craig and Flanagan have agreed to debate on MPR News in July (with the date yet to be set). Flanagan told Clay that Democrats are tired of candidates who bend too far. “We're going to be fighters, and we can't just be the lesser of two evils, and we're never going to win by being a pale shadow of our opponents,” she said. 

Some pack-rat candidates will be happy for saving the opposition research on their rivals. There will be at least 20 races that are rematches of the most recent elections for House and Senate. That includes several in legislative districts decided by the narrowest of margins (we’re looking at you Brad Tabke and Aaron Paul ) and those that will be key to determining the majorities come 2027. With the caveat that more could come onto the scene on the last day or some could come off if there’s a candidate change of heart, here’s our list of campaign sequels: 

Gov. Tim Walz appointed members to a new state council tasked with documenting the impact of the federal immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota . The DFL governor appointed 13 people, including retired Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill – who will chair the panel. Cahill is a retired trial court judge who was appointed by former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty. He also presided over former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial. Walz said the appointees have lived experience and a commitment to uncover the truth. The panel will gather evidence and testimony about the ways in which the Trump administration's immigration operations caused hardship. Members will also issue recommendations to help the state recover and prevent potential harm in the future. Appointees also included several professors and organizers, the head of the Minnesota Farmers Union, a police chief and a public school superintendent.

Finally, big news over at the Star Tribune. A former MPR News colleague turned newspaper scribe turned newspaper editor is turning newspaper scribe again. That’s right Briana Bierschbach, the other “BB,” is going back to reporting. Readers will be well served by her expertise and her fine writing. She’s also going to be cooking up Hotdish but the paper won’t be serving it up every morning. Read more from her return to the field here.