GOP candidate suggests jail for Democratic elections chief

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A leading Republican running for Minnesota governor has suggested that the state’s Democratic secretary of state should go to prison for his running of the state’s election system, without providing any evidence that he’s done anything illegal.

Scott Jensen, a doctor and former state senator known for his skepticism of the COVID-19 vaccine and the state’s response to the pandemic, attacked Secretary of State Steve Simon at a recent GOP district convention.

“We are not voter suppressors,” Jensen told the delegates. “We have a simple attitude. Make sure that every ballot in the box belongs there. Make sure that it’s easy to vote, hard to cheat, and if you cheat, you’re going to jail.

“And Steve Simon, you maybe better check out to see if you look good in stripes, because you’ve gotten away with too much, too long, under [Democratic Attorney General Keith] Ellison, and the hammer’s coming down,” Jensen said to applause and cheers.

Courts have ruled repeatedly that the temporary steps that Simon took with Ellison’s backing to make it easier and safer to vote during the COVID-19 pandemic were legal.

“It’s bizarre and irresponsible; a cynical attempt to use extreme conspiracy theories to radicalize political supporters,” Simon said in a statement. “The truth is that Minnesota’s election system is fundamentally fair, accurate, honest, and secure. It’s also nonpartisan, and we need to keep it that way. The voters of Minnesota showed their confidence in our system by making us No. 1 in America in voter participation for the third time in a row.”