Several prominent Republican lawmakers who greeted President Donald Trump before his rally in Duluth, Minnesota, last week have tested negative for COVID-19.
The president announced his positive test results just over 24 hours after his campaign rally in northern Minnesota.
Minnesota’s three Republican congressmen — Eighth District Rep. Pete Stauber, Sixth District Rep. Tom Emmer and First District Rep. Jim Hagedorn — traveled with the president on Air Force One, but have tested negative for the virus.
“I have just received the results of my second COVID-19 test this week and it is negative. I do not have any symptoms. Jodi and I continue to pray for those with the virus and hope everyone stays well,” Stauber said on Twitter. Hagedorn and Emmer issued similar statements.
I have just received the results of my second COVID-19 test this week and it is negative. I do not have any symptoms. Jodi and I continue to pray for those with the virus and hope everyone stays well.
— Pete Stauber (@RepPeteStauber) October 2, 2020
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka and House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt greeted President Trump at Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport before a private fundraiser in Shorewood. Both Gazelka and Daudt have tested negative for COVID-19.
“Today I was notified my test for COVID was negative. Following my doctor’s advice, I am limiting activities and will be tested again later this week to confirm the results,” said Gazelka.
Today I was notified my test for covid was negative. Following my doctor's advice, I am limiting activities and will be tested again later this week to confirm the results.
— Paul Gazelka (@paulgazelka) October 5, 2020
Republican Senate candidate Jason Lewis also greeted the president at the airport, but received negative test results Monday.
Lewis pointed out that he didn’t meet the criteria for “close contact” with someone (the president) who has tested positive for COVID-19, which the Minnesota Department of Health defines as being within six feet of someone who has tested positive for more than 15 minutes.
“I’m pleased to say that I’ve been feeling fine, received negative test results this morning, and will be returning to the campaign trail,” said Lewis, who quarantined for four days.
He said the events of the last five days “have laid bare the media’s slanted coverage of the president’s illness” and raise “several questions that Democrats and the media should now answer.”
“First, where was the concern over mask-less rioters spreading the virus? Second, why is it that in numerous interviews I’ve done in the last few days, none revolved around Communist China lying and unleashing the coronavirus on an unsuspecting public, including the highest levels of the U.S. government? Finally, if every detail about President Trump’s health is vital for the public to know, it’s high time ‘journalists’ start inquiring about Joe Biden’s — which by all objective accounts appears fragile, to say the least,” said Lewis.
“It strikes me that once again, this latest media frenzy is more about keeping a lockdown narrative going for the sake of the Democrat ticket than it is about public health,” he added.
Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan similarly criticized the media for taking “joy from the news that the president and the first lady had been infected with COVID-19.”
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
