GOP Gubernatorial Debate Candidates Push Baseless Conspiracies & Dangerous Plans

Plymouth, MN - Today, conservative Minnesota gubernatorial candidates debated in Plymouth, MN.

“Every conservative Minnesota governor candidate, including Paul Gazelka, Scott Jensen, and Michelle Benson, promoted baseless election conspiracies and pushed plans to restrict peoples’ voting rights and reproductive rights. They are dangerous for Minnesota,” said Marissa Luna, Executive Director of Alliance for a Better Minnesota. “From denying climate change to advocating against COVID-19 health safety measures, Paul Gazelka, Scott Jensen, and Michelle Benson showed that they’re wrong for Minnesota. Minnesotans deserve better than baseless conspiracies, ignoring science, and reckless ideas.”

During the debate, Paul Gazelka, Scott Jensen, and Michelle Benson all committed to restricting abortion access and voiced support for a dangerous, Texas-style abortion ban in Minnesota. Gazelka, Jensen, and Benson also all pushed baseless election conspiracies. And they promoted restrictive voter ID laws that Minnesotans already voted down in 2012.

Paul Gazelka, Scott Jensen, and Michelle Benson also spoke out against COVID-19 public health measures that have saved lives. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott Jensen promoted COVID-19 conspiracy theories, dubbed “Lie of the Year” in Kaiser Health News. Paul Gazelka consistently downplayed the pandemic and made reckless decisions like holding a large, in-person post-election party that resulted in a member of his caucus dying from COVID.