Chris Madel ends GOP bid for governor, says he can't support federal 'retribution' against Minnesota

[Native]

Source: The Minnesota Star Tribune

Republican Chris Madel made a stunning exit from the Minnesota governor’s race on Jan. 26, saying he cannot support the national GOP’s “stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so.”

In a surprise video announcement, the Minneapolis attorney said he supported the originally stated goals of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s operation in Minnesota, including the deportation of undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records, but the effort has “expanded far beyond its stated focus on true public safety threats.”

“United States citizens, particularly those of color, live in fear. United States citizens are carrying papers to prove their citizenship. That’s wrong,” Madel said.

Madel, who launched his campaign on Dec. 1, quickly rose from a relative political unknown to a top contender for the GOP nomination. He won over many GOP activists with the communication skills he developed as a trial attorney and his status as a political outsider. He was consistently finishing in the top three in straw polls of GOP activists, in a crowded field of about a dozen candidates for governor.

Read more: https://www.startribune.com/chris-madel-ends-gop-bid-for-governor-says-he-cant-support-federal-retribution-against-minnesota/601570793

[rzemanfl]

1. A Republican attorney

with scruples. What a rarity! How soon will TSF call him a RINO and sic the DOJ on him?

[Native]

2. Scruples and a spine! Doubly rare.

[3catwoman3]

9. 3...2...1...

[rampartd]

3. if ya gotta have a gop governor

this guy sounds better than landry, or abbot, or desantis .........

[wolfie001]

17. Abbott was murdering women and children on the Rio Grande when Biden was President

He did everything in his racist power to make as many drown as he could. Fascist pig. And deShitStain is a total asshole. Landry looks and acts like he has a sub-90 IQ.

[JustAnotherGen]

4. He's right

And he will be kindly remembered by history.

[biophile]

5. Hopefully more will break away

[OldBaldy1701E]

6. Sure.

In a surprise video announcement, the Minneapolis attorney said he supported the originally stated goals of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s operation in Minnesota, including the deportation of undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records, but the effort has “expanded far beyond its stated focus on true public safety threats.”

Like you had no idea that they were going to do something like this. You were cheering them on.

Lawyers and politicians, they just love that pivot when they see the backlash coming, don't they?

You owned it before, Mr, Madel... you still own it.

[mopinko]

8. they killed ppl in chicago.

gimme a break.

[KPN]

12. Yeah. While I do applaud and appreciate him for standing up against Trumpism and foregoing his political ambitions in

order to forcefully demonstrate his opposition to ICE, he like all Rs who have supported or ignored the radical hard-right turn of today's Republican Party are all cut from the same "goals justify the means" cloth. Win at any cost thinking enabled what we, and especially Minneapolis, are experiencing today.

PS - I use the word "thinking" lightly.

[bluestarone]

7. Great start. Now

Minnesota i'm hoping will NOT vote any RETHUG in, in 2026. Then for the next 20 years!! (or end of time, whichever comes last)

[malaise]

10. Great news

Rec. Rec. Rec

[Gaugamela]

11. You wonder what took him so long. Republicans are people who are incapable of

seeing the big picture. Events have to spell it out for them. Their vision of the future doesn’t extend beyond their next meal.

[iemanja]

13. I can no longer be in the GOP because I have a conscience and a modicum of humanity

That is what he is saying.

[littlemissmartypants]

14. He deserves No accolades for this cowardice.

He launched his campaign for governor as a staunch defender of law enforcement and had recently provided legal counsel to Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.

[Raven123]

18. Yep. He is right.he can't win, but twisted in his logic

The GOP thinks it’s okay to kill a smiling, unarmed woman in a car, who was saying she wasn’t angry, but somehow killing a man legally carrying a gun is just a little too close for their comfort. How revealing.

[AllyCat]

26. Exactly. Didn't see your post so I repeated it down thread.

[Martin68]

15. Looks like Minnesota might be Trump's Vietnam.

[Beartracks]

16. ICE never seemed to "focus on true public safety threats" from the get-go. n/t

[brakester]

19. My first reaction was "DONT QUIT!"

"GET in there and fight like hell!" (Apologies for borrowing that phrase, but we DO need to counter these monsters with as much energy as the jan6ers!)

What we need is people like these with access to power to put their big boy pants on and fight!

My second reaction was to ask myself if I am willing to do something similar? Thats a HARD question to answer!

I don't have that kind of access to power, as is true for most of us whose struggle to survive this crisis!

I dedicate a lot of my time to fighting this, but can I do more?

[dflprincess]

20. A week ago he was interviewed by Esme Murphy on WCCO's morning show

He refused to answer her question about Trump's behavior. If you read his whole statement from today, it's not as impressive as the sound bites we're getting.

He dropped out because he knows he can't beat Klobuchar in the general election & this "principled" act may play well in the future.

[cstanleytech]

22. You're probably correct.

[littlemissmartypants]

23. Exactly, he's a flip flopping coward Republican. He may as well be a dead fish.

Throw him back. He's a loser and a coward.

[mdbl]

27. It's all about the optics.

[JoseBalow]

24. Go peddle your bullshit elsewhere, repug

And please fuck yourself on your way out.

[AllyCat]

25. I'm not giving him much cred here.

While I appreciate his public statement, he also said the state GOP has made it impossible for a republican to win and helped Jonathan Ross file paperwork to get legal defense for murdering Renee Good.