I don't know why anyone ever thought Lindell would be a good candidate. MN is a structurally Democratic state. To win it, Republicans have to max out Greater Minnesota, minimize losses in the suburbs, and pray for low turnout in the Twin Cities. That's an extremely difficult task, and a hardcore Trumpist like Lindell was never a candidate who could do that. Why would you run a candidate emulating someone who lost the state by 7 points?
Yeah. I think this state will continue to be very frustrating for the GOP. I'd say they'll finally win a statewide race in 2026 and possibly win the state for the presidential election in either 2028 or 2032.
2026 really depends on 2024, I think. If the Democrat wins, I think the GOP will probably pick up the Governorship, but if it's a Republican midterm, I'd be really surprised if Democrats didn't win. It's dependent on the nominees, though. I do agree that MN will vote Republican at the presidential level within the decade, especially once rural MN starts voting GOP at the levels of other rural areas in states like PA.
