In Minnesota, polls show a tight race between President Trump and Joe Biden. This has Democrats worried; in 2016, the last October poll showed Hillary Clinton with an 11-point lead, and she carried the state by a point and a half. That was remarkable, in view of the fact that in 2016, the Trump campaign allotted $50,000 to Minnesota, according to Mick Mulvaney. This year, the campaign is spending millions, most significantly on voter turnout efforts.
The most tangible evidence that Minnesota is in play is the fact that Joe Biden has added a stop in St. Paul to his schedule for Friday. He didn’t to that because his campaign is happy with their own polling here. Breitbart reports: “Democrats increasingly worried Minnesota could flip for President Trump.”
Democrats are increasingly concerned that Minnesota, which has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate in 48 years, could flip for President Trump next week, given the GOP’s “significant operation” in the state and the Democrats’ stunning lack of canvassing in recent months.
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The Atlantic’s Peter Nicholas reports that Democrats estimate there to be “as many as 250,000 white residents who didn’t go to college—the heart of Trump’s base” who were not registered to vote during the last presidential election. Now, Republicans are “taking pains to find them.”
Like Biden, President Trump will visit Minnesota on Friday, stopping for a rally in Rochester. Minnesota’s far-left Attorney General Keith Ellison is doing what he can to suppress enthusiasm for the president:
Trump’s Minnesota rally will be limited to 250 guests due to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison putting pressure on the campaign and business owners, needling them for a “COVID Preparedness Plan,” as Breitbart News reported:
The rally was initially planned at the Rochester airport, but Ellison’s office demanded a “COVID preparedness plan” from officials from the City of Rochester, Olmsted County, and the Rochester airport, as well as the Republican National Committee to ensure the event was safe.
The event was then moved to Dodge Center, prompting Ellison’s office to ask the Trump campaign and the owner of the building McNeilus Steel for their “COVID Preparedness Plan.” That prompted the Trump campaign to move the event again, back to the airport.
“Thanks to the free speech-stifling dictates of Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, only the first 250 people will be admitted,” the campaign said in a statement on Thursday.
“Without question, Minnesota Democrats had hoped that the President would simply cancel the event, but he will not allow partisan politicians to deprive people of their First Amendment rights to gather peacefully to hear directly from the President of the United States,” the campaign continued.
This is exactly the same tactic Ellison’s office used to try to block a forum on voter fraud that my organization sponsored earlier this month. I have heard other reports of the AG’s office demanding “covid preparedness plans” from conservative organizations, but no reports of similar demands on liberal groups. Of course, it could be a moot point. Joe Biden couldn’t draw a crowd of 250 in any event.
Tuesday’s election will have many interesting angles and undoubtedly will result in some surprises. I hope Minnesota will be one of them.
UPDATE: Undaunted by Ellison’s interference, Minnesota Republicans are turning out to cheer on the president:
DEVELOPING: Trump supporters not taking “no” for an answer at Rochester Airport rally. Hundreds with Trump flags gathering outside the airport and the roads surrounding the airport are jammed. State limited size of rally inside to 250. Big screen set up outside for overflow. pic.twitter.com/RFU6abEiqk
— Tom Hauser (@thauserkstp) October 30, 2020
Meanwhile, it looks like Trump supporters may have vastly outnumbered Biden’s people at Biden’s event at the state fairgrounds:
Joe Biden being drowned out by Minnesota Trump supporters right now. pic.twitter.com/gN4Y5Xcohq
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) October 30, 2020
Trump supporters waving Biden supporters away in St. Paul, Minnesota pic.twitter.com/xLZhcRmFrZ
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) October 30, 2020
Biden, as so often happens, got flustered and angry at the “ugly” Trump supporters:
WATCH: Joe Biden gets angry, calls Minnesota Trump supporters "ugly." pic.twitter.com/rLojZQupU5
— Trump War Room – Text TRUMP to 88022 (@TrumpWarRoom) October 30, 2020
Today’s events are pretty much the 2020 campaign in microcosm.
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