Disinfo is splintering Minnesota Republicans ahead of midterm elections: report

Republicans in Minnesota are divided on the issue of whether to confront the disinformation that motivates the MAGA base.

"As Minnesota Republican candidates try to win back statewide elected offices for the first time in more than a decade — and also control of the Minnesota Legislature — at least a half dozen are mixing false claims about mass election fraud and the COVID-19 pandemic with other talking points on public safety and the economy," Stephen Montemayor reported for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "Now under new leadership, the Minnesota GOP is at a crossroads as it approaches this spring's convention: Forcefully rein in discredited and conspiratorial claims, or stay quiet while levying allegations of the same practices against their political opponents?"

The divide occurs against the backdrop of Donald Trump continuing to push his "big lie" of election fraud that resulted in his impeachment for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

"Party leaders, insiders and candidates all remain optimistic that the GOP can capitalize on a midterm election that typically swings to the party not holding the presidency.Yet multiple Minnesota Republicans running for governor, attorney general and secretary of state are among a growing number of statewide candidates nationwide to promote false claims that the 2020 election was not legitimate," he reported.

One Minnesota Republican is in a leadership position, but is not showing leadership on the topic of disinformation.

"To date, the topic of curbing disinformation has not been a prominent focus in the higher reaches of the Republican Party. When asked whether the party's leaders were worried about the spread of misinformation among its candidates, Minnesota U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, instead accused Democrats of being untruthful about the causes of inflation and higher gas prices. 'The worst examples of disinformation we've seen in the last year-plus is coming from Democrats,' he said. Emmer did vote to certify President Joe Biden's election last year, but as a party leader and chief of the GOP's congressional campaign arm, he has not — at least publicly — intervened to counter false or misleading statements from within his own ranks," he reported.

Read the full report.