DULUTH, Minn. — Adam Schwarze, a former Navy SEAL, won the Republican Party of Minnesota’s endorsement this weekend in the race to occupy the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Tina Smith. The Democratic incumbent is not seeking reelection.

It was a remarkable rise for Schwarze, who lacked the name recognition of former sportscaster Michele Tafoya or NBA veteran Royce White, the other two candidates who made it to a fourth ballot in the endorsement process.

Schwarze’s appeals to the party’s base paid off Friday at their state party convention in Duluth. He was ahead from the first ballot, leaning into his strict anti-abortion beliefs in contrast with Tafoya, whose views on the issue are thought to be more moderate.

“I will not compromise,” said Schwarze in accepting the endorsement. “I will fight for you, I will fight in D.C., and we will fight to take back our state together.”

Although Schwarze ultimately prevailed, the party’s divisions were on display as the endorsement battle dragged on through six ballots. On the sixth attempt, Schwarze narrowly passed the 60% threshold.

Speaking between ballots, Tafoya repeatedly reminded delegates about the importance of winning the general election, while Schwarze encouraged them not to compromise their principles.

Other races

The first candidate to be endorsed for office Friday was Ron Schutz. His bid for the party’s support challenging incumbent Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat, was uncontested.

“Minnesota has become known across the country for massive fraud, waste and abuse,” said Schutz, accepting the endorsement. “It is time to recover the taxpayers’ money — your money — and it is time to put fraudsters in jail.”

After the Senate endorsement, delegates soldiered on to select Nate George as their preferred candidate for state auditor. Incumbent State Auditor Julie Blaha, a Democrat, is not seeking reelection.

“Let’s get back to business,” said George in accepting the endorsement. Scott Jensen, Republicans’ nominee for governor in 2022, vied for the auditor endorsement but lost decisively on the first ballot.

The day concluded with the endorsement of Tad Jude as candidate for secretary of state, with Republicans attempting to oust Democrat Steve Simon, who is running for a fourth term.

Election system, state flag, fraud among issues

Though speaking late in the evening, secretary of state candidates shook delegates awake with calls for numerous revisions to the state’s election system and for the revocation of a state flag that candidate Wendy Phillips called “the abomination that’s flying over the Capitol.”

Gov. Tim Walz has dropped his bid for reelection, but the fraud that occurred under his administration was a major talking point at the GOP convention, as it will doubtless continue to be through the campaign season.

“We got Tim Walz out of this race nine months ahead of schedule,” said Minnesota Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove, addressing delegates Friday morning. Robbins chairs the Minnesota House committee on fraud prevention.

Americans for Prosperity sponsored a striking display in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center’s Pioneer Hall, demonstrating the scale of the fraud losses with faux $100 bills stacked in volumes that would total $2 billion.

Jacob Coleman, the conservative advocacy group’s Minnesota director, said the convention marked the display’s debut. “I’m sure it will make an appearance at the State Fair.”

Looking ahead to DFL opponents

Republicans Friday were preparing for battle against U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. The DFL convention is being held this weekend in Rochester. Klobuchar won the endorsement for governor late Friday and Flanagan was expected to capture her party’s nod for U.S. Senate on Saturday.

“The Democrats are giving us a nice peachy gift this year in the form of Peggy ‘Fraud Again’ Flanagan,” said Senate candidate Mark York. “I can think of nine billion reasons why she’s not going to win.”

Among the six Senate candidates appearing at the convention, York and Schwarze were the only two to earn an appraisal of “qualified” without reservations, from the party’s nominating committee.

The nominating committee chair, state Rep. Patti Anderson, R-Hugo, noted that neither Tafoya nor White had committed to leaving the race in the absence of the party endorsement.

White, the party’s 2024 nominee for U.S Senate, also has drawn a call from party leadership to leave the race due to domestic violence allegations. “I’ve been abiding by the endorsement since 2024,” said White in his remarks at the convention.

Stauber: ‘This is the year we win statewide’

Speakers on Friday included U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, who spoke of his successful resolution rejecting the Biden administration’s ban on mining within the watershed of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Stauber also addressed what he called “the elephant in the room” (a phrase later used by the DJ to describe a dancing elephant mascot).

“We have not won statewide in over 20 years,” Stauber said. “This is the year we win statewide.”

Republicans last won a statewide election in 2006, with the reelection of Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

More endorsement decisions through the weekend, including the closely watched gubernatorial endorsement, will provide further evidence as to whether Minnesota Republicans see the path to that victory as involving relative moderates or more strident rightward candidates.

“I am standing here today because I can win this election,” said Tafoya, addressing delegates before the fifth ballot. “You know what the consequences could look like if we don’t win this.”

“Yes, Democrats might watch” Friday’s results, acknowledged Schwarze, speaking earlier in the balloting process. “You know who else is watching? God.”