Attorney Chris Madel has ended his campaign for Minnesota governor. In a video published Monday morning, Madel said Minnesota faces serious challenges, but Operation Metro Surge has made running a Republican campaign untenable.
Referring to the federal government’s ongoing immigration enforcement efforts in the state, Madel said, “I cannot support the national Republicans’ stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so.”
This appeared to be a reference to a Jan. 13 statement from President Donald Trump in which Trump said ICE wants to remove dangerous criminals from Minnesota and Democrats “love the unrest” that has occurred because it distracts from fraud.
“FEAR NOT, GREAT PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA, THE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING!” the president said.
A longtime trial attorney, Madel said he supports Operation Metro Surge’s “originally stated goals” of locating and deporting the “worst of the worst” non-U.S. citizens who have been convicted of sex crimes and violent offenses.
However, Madel said “Operation Metro Surge 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.”
“ICE has authorized its agents to raid homes using a civil warrant that need only be signed by a Border Patrol agent; that’s unconstitutional and it’s wrong,” Madel said.
Madel, who entered the GOP primary for governor on Dec. 1, said he was withdrawing from the race because “the national Republicans have made it nearly impossible for a Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota. It is a simple fact.”
Despite criticism of national Republicans, Madel praised Trump for achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, compelling NATO countries to increase their defense spending, signing the bipartisan Take It Down Act, and proposing a 10% cap on credit card interest rates.
In his video, Madel spoke about defending Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan, Alpha News, and providing legal assistance to ICE agent Jonathan Ross. He also said he was not ending his campaign due to speculation that Sen. Amy Klobuchar is preparing to run.
Critiquing the current situation in Minneapolis, Madel said “federal immigration operations have led to increased street-level activity, community disruptions, and complaints about tactics that affect the public trust.”
“We also know that the governor, the attorney general, and the mayor of Minneapolis have prohibited state and local law enforcement from assisting their federal counterparts, even when those federal law enforcement officers have been physically attacked by agitators,” he continued.
Discussing the pressures on local police, Madel urged Minnesotans to “please remember that these cops are the good guys; they’re trying to protect you. Please understand and appreciate the difficult circumstances they have been placed [in]. Please thank them for their service.”
Madel closed his video by thanking those who supported his campaign and said he would be refunding contributions from donors.
Later this year, Republicans will endorse a candidate for governor at their state convention. That endorsement, while impactful, does not decide who the Republican nominee will be. Ultimately, the Aug. 11 state primary election will decide who gets the nomination.
At present, there are more than a dozen Republican candidates for governor which include House Speaker Lisa Demuth, ex-State Sen. Scott Jensen, ex-CEO Patrick Knight, MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, retired Naval intelligence officer Phillip Parish, businessman Kendall Qualls, and State Rep. Kristin Robbins.
A Republican has not won the Minnesota governorship since 2006 when Gov. Tim Pawlenty secured reelection by less than one point.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
