Former professional basketball player Royce White has won the Republican primary in Minnesota to challenge three-term Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the fall. White, who played in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings in 2014, had key endorsements from figures in former President Trump’s circle, such as Rep. Matt Gaetz, Arizona Senate hopeful Kari Lake, and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Describing himself as a “MAGA extremist,” White closely aligns himself with right-wing populist stances.
White’s victory in the primary was seen as a rebuke of the Minnesota GOP, as he beat out retired US Navy officer Joe Fraser despite Fraser having support from two former GOP senators and a former governor. White has raised just over $125,000 in individual contributions for this election cycle and has nearly $53,000 cash on hand heading into the general election. However, this amount pales in comparison to Klobuchar’s war chest, which has $12 million in individual contributions raised, with $6.5 million cash on hand.
Despite his victory in the primary, White remains a long shot to win the general election in Minnesota, as the state has trended blue in recent years. Additionally, Minnesotans have not elected a Republican to the White House since Richard Nixon in 1972. Klobuchar, the senior senator from the state, has won re-election twice after her initial campaign in 2006. She is the first woman to represent Minnesota in the Senate and is considered a moderate Democrat who voted with former President Trump approximately a third of the time.
Klobuchar won her first campaign in 2006 with approximately 58% of the vote, followed by 65% in 2012 and 60% in 2018. Her popularity in Minnesota, along with her ability to appeal to moderate voters, has made her a formidable force in state politics. White’s association with the more extreme elements of the Republican party, along with his lack of financial resources compared to Klobuchar, make his chances of unseating the incumbent senator a challenging task.
As the general election approaches, White will need to overcome the history of Minnesota voting blue in recent elections and the financial advantage enjoyed by Klobuchar. While his primary win demonstrates some level of support within the state, his alignment with right-wing populism and the relatively small amount of funds he has raised compared to Klobuchar, indicate that he faces an uphill battle in his quest to represent Minnesota in the Senate. Ultimately, the matchup between White and Klobuchar will test the political dynamics of the state and the appeal of different ideologies to its electorate.
