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In Private Campaign Email, Senate Republicans Double Down on Distracting from COVID-19

10/13/2020

Today, as Senate Republicans try desperately to shift the public’s focus away from COVID-19, the Minnesota DFL Party released an email exposing these Senate Republican efforts as nothing more than a cynical campaign stunt.

In an email from the Republican State Senate Victory Fund to their candidates, the Victory Fund recommends the following to all Republican Senate candidates:


“Speaking of message, speaking out against lawlessness and defunding the police is the best message for Republican candidates right now. It solidifies our base and attracts independents. Stay on it!

[…]

The politics of COVID-19 do not provide good messaging opportunities for Republican candidates. Minnesotans support the mask mandate and are predisposed to the fear coming from Gov. Walz and other leaders. Wish it wasn’t true but it is. Our advice is to pivot back to lawlessness every chance you get.”


During the last special session, State Representative Jon Koznick sent a similar email to colleagues, advising them to “stay on message if you speak today. COVID issues are not our winning message. PUBLIC SAFETY is our ticket to the majority, let’s win with that.”

DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin issued the following statement:

“Once again, as our legislature meets to tackle the resurging pandemic threatening our health and safety, Minnesota Republicans are doing everything in their power to change the topic and distract from their failure to take COVID-19 seriously. Private Republican emails prove that their party’s efforts to pull focus from COVID-19 is not a good-faith effort at governing, but rather a cynical campaign stunt designed to win an election.

“Minnesota Republicans don’t want to talk about COVID-19 because they don’t have a plan to deal with COVID-19 and the public knows it. Instead, they’re wasting a valuable opportunity to respond to the pandemic by trying to push a false narrative about DFLers and cause strife between friends, neighbors and families. Unfortunately for Republicans, our citizens are a lot smarter than they give them credit for.”