Republican Jeff Johnson and Democrat Tim Walz took first place in their parties’ straw polls for governor at last night’s (Tues) precinct caucuses across Minnesota. Johnson took 45 percent followed by 16 percent undecided, which analysts say is because former Governor Tim Pawlenty is thinking about running. Johnson doesn’t buy that. He says, “We always have somewhere between 10 and 20 percent undecided at caucus time, and this is right in there — so I think people are overthinking that just a little bit.”
Congressman Tim Walz’s Democratic rivals in the governor’s race are nearly all from the Twin Cities, but he says, “We did as well in Minneapolis precincts as we did in some of the Greater Minnesota ones.” Democrat Walz and Republican Johnson’s next challenge is winning their respective parties’ endorsements in June.
Final results – GOP straw poll for governor
Jeff Johnson – 45.4 percent
Undecided – 15.6
Keith Downey – 14.6
Phillip Parrish – 12.0
Mary Giuliani Stephens – 11.9
Lance Johnson – 0.5
Preliminary results – DFL straw poll for governor with 72 percent of precincts reporting
Tim Walz – 30.91 percent
Rebecca Otto – 20.11
Erin Murphy – 13.16
Uncommitted – 12.87
Chris Coleman – 11.74
Tina Liebling – 6.14
Paul Thissen – 4.72
More in this interview with Jeff Johnson:
More in this interview with Tim Walz: