The governor’s race and the U.S. Senate primary will command most of the attention this summer (we covered those in an earlier edition of this newsletter), but several down-ballot races — both partisan and nonpartisan — could shape Minnesota politics and government for years to come.
These contests may not generate the headlines of the statewide races, but they’ll help determine how elections are administered, how taxpayer dollars are audited and how criminal justice is overseen in Minnesota’s largest county.
Here’s a look at some of the lesser-watched primary races on the ballot in August:
State Auditor (Republican primary): The state auditor examines local government finances and promotes accountability in public spending. The little-known public office is expected to become the clearest battleground on how Minnesota voters feel about the fraud crisis. The GOP field includes Nate George, the mayor of Braham and the party-endorsed candidate. George leads an office that does licensing and investigations for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe’s Tribal Gaming Regulatory Authority.