BLUE EARTH, Minn. — The chair of the state Republican Party, Jennifer Carnahan, announced for a third term. Among her accomplishments, she listed eliminating the state party’s “legacy debt” The debt, she said, was $1 million when she was elected in 2017. Carnahan’s announcement was silent on the failure of President Trump, who lost his re-election bid by 4 points in Minnesota. She was fervently for Trump. She campaigned for him not only in Minnesota but also in Michigan, Florida and Nevada. After Trump lost, she picked on his theme that the election was rigged. She alleged voting irregularities in Minnesota, although neither she nor anyone else ever produced any evidence. On another issue she noted that Republicans flipped three U.S. House seats from Democrat to Republican during her tenure. That include the victory of Jim Hogan, her husband, for the First Congressional District seat that had been held by Tim Walz.

Earlier: Data journalist faults state GOP assertions

Earlier: Vote critics called ‘foolish, irresponsible, shameful’

Earlier: State senator seeks to chair state GOP

Carnahan’s credentials

Carnahan, a Minnesota native, has been called a rising GOP star. Recently she was elected to the Republican National Committee’s executive committee. She leads the party’s Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus. Her Asian heritage is a plus in a party that’s had trouble ridding itself of an  image as a club for old white men.

Carnahan bio

As an infant Carnahan was left on the backdoor of a rural hospital in South Korea. She was adopted by an Osseo, Minnesota, family. She holds degrees in communication, journalism and business. The business degree is from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. She held branding jobs for McDonald’s, General Mills sand Ecolab. She is 44 or 45 years old, the year of her birth obscured by her being orphaned as an infant.

Her GOP awakening. Carnahan was a Minnesota delegate to the 2016 Republican national convention in Cleveland. That year, also,  she challenged incumbent Bobby Joe Champion for the 58th State Senate district from downtown and north Minneapolis. She lost 77% to 22%.

Verbatim

Carnahan: “Our party is stronger than we were four years ago and I’m running again because I believe it’s important to build on the successes we’ve achieved, keep stable leadership in place and ensure our party remains on the right track as we head into the 2022 elections.”