Michelle MacDonald, the Republican-endorsed candidate in 2014 for Minnesota Supreme Court was not endorsed by delegates Friday evening at the MNGOP Convention in Duluth, MN.
One piece of information that did not put MacDonald in a favorable light was the Judicial Elections Committee Minority Report written by attorney’s David Asp and Harry Niska. In the report they advised the body of delegates that they should not vote for the endorsement of Michelle MacDonald on the grounds that her endorsement would bring harm to the Party, claiming she was not qualified and would not make a good judge, and that she lacked the temperament needed to be a good judge.
MacDonald was not allowed to speak on Friday or Saturday and was not allowed in to the convention due to being registered as a guest. The floor was open only to campaign staff, press, and delegates. After Saturday’s vote to diminish the power of the Judicial Elections Committee, MacDonald sat down with Alpha News to discuss the events surrounding her candidacy and the amendment affecting the Judicial Elections Committee. The audio is posted below:
During the interview MacDonald claimed that the “party elites” (namely MNGOP Chair Keith Downey) were actively working against her and her candidacy. In the ten minutes she spoke with Alpha News, she called Keith Downey an “elite” and “pied-piper,” delegates “mice,” Attorney’s David Asp and Harry Niska “teenage attorneys” and lawyers who “wouldn’t know the constitution if it bit them in the butt.”
During the interview another delegate listening in came to the table and accused MacDonald of being “unprofessional” and being “disrespectful of police officers” – a reference to her DUI in 2013. MacDonald is no stranger to problems with the State Party as she was escorted off the State Fair Booth grounds in 2014 and filed a formal complaint against the MNGOP in 2014.
MacDonald plans on continuing her run for Minnesota Supreme Court.
Preya Samsundar
Preya Samsundar was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN. She graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities this Spring with a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology, with a minor in Strategic Communications. Preya has previously worked on several State Campaign Races.