From Star Tribune: Republican Chris Madel made a stunning exit from the Minnesota governor’s race on Jan. 26, saying he cannot support the national GOP’s “stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so.”
Madel, who launched his campaign on Dec. 1, quickly rose from a relative political unknown to a top contender for the GOP nomination. He won over many GOP activists with the communication skills he developed as a trial attorney and his status as a political outsider. He was consistently finishing in the top three in straw polls of GOP activists, in a crowded field of about a dozen candidates for governor.
In a surprise video announcement, the Minneapolis attorney said he supported the originally stated goals of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s operation in Minnesota, including the deportation of undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records, but the effort has “expanded 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.
“National Republicans have made it nearly impossible for a Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota,” he said.
Madel believes ICE’s Operation Metro Surge will be a political liability for statewide candidates in Minnesota and Washington.
WATCH:
I am ending my campaign for Minnesota Governor. I describe why in the below video. Please watch until the end. (It is 10 minutes, 52 seconds.)
Thank you,
Chris pic.twitter.com/2nfyAyTzNZ— Chris Madel (@CWMadel) January 26, 2026
Read more at Star Tribune
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