Minnesota GOP Candidate Drops Out, Blaming Republican “Retribution”

A Republican candidate has dropped out of the race for governor in Minnesota following a federal agent’s killing of nurse Alex Pretti over the weekend.

Minneapolis attorney Chris Madel announced he was leaving the race on Monday in a video announcement, saying that he could not support the “stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so.”

Madel said that he supported the initially stated goals of ICE and the federal government in Minnesota of deporting undocumented immigrants with criminal records, but that federal action in the state has gone far “beyond its stated focus on true public safety threats.”

“United States citizens, particularly those of color, live in fear. United States citizens are carrying papers to prove their citizenship. That’s wrong,” Madel said in the video, adding that he had read reports of U.S. citizens being detained by ICE agents “due to the color of their skin” and spoken to those allegedly targeted by federal agents.

“Driving while Hispanic is not a crime,” Madel said. “Neither is driving while Asian.”

Madel was a top contender in the Republican primary, finishing among the top three in polls. He criticized the rest of his party in his message.

“National Republicans have made it nearly impossible for a Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota,” Madel said. Madel was not a maverick in his party: He had provided legal assistance to Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who shot and killed Minneapolis mother Renee Good earlier this month.

Madel still stressed his support for President Trump, saying that while federal actions in Minnesota were an “unmitigated disaster,” many people “unfairly do not provide the president with nearly enough credit,” citing his “ceasefire” in Gaza, his proposal for a 10 percent cap on credit card interest, and his work to get NATO countries to increase their defense spending.

All of this shows that Trump’s efforts are starting to backfire among all Minnesotans, not just Democrats or left-leaning people in the Twin Cities. Republicans in the state, even true believers like Madel, are beginning to see ICE’s actions for what they are: an attempt to assert control over Minnesota using violence. Even Republicans outside of the state are starting to wake up.