MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Republicans got a straighter path to potential victory Saturday in what is expected to be Minnesota's closest congressional race when GOP-endorsed candidate Tayler Rahm dropped out of a primary fight against the better-funded Joe Teirab, who already had tacit backing from key House leaders.
Rahm, a political newcomer and defense attorney, said in a statement that he was shifting gears to serve as a senior adviser to former President Donald Trump's campaign in Minnesota, where Trump insists he can defeat President Joe Biden after coming close to carrying the traditionally Democratic state in 2016.
That gives Teirab — a Marine Cops veteran, former federal prosecutor and son of a Sudanese immigrant — free rein to focus on incumbent Democratic Rep. Angie Craig in the highly competitive 2nd District, which includes suburban and rural areas south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and represents one of the best pickup opportunities for the narrow House Republican majority.
“In my opinion, there is nothing more important for this district than getting Biden (or a Democrat replacement) out of power and getting Donald Trump back in the White House," Rahm said in a statement. "Therefore, I will suspend my campaign operations and focus on doing everything possible to save our country.”
Rahm won the endorsement with 74% of the vote at the district GOP convention in April, with backing from grassroots conservatives despite Teirab's huge fundraising edge and expected support from establishment Minnesota Republicans like House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who is Trump's state chairman.
Teirab on Thursday announced he had raised nearly $700,000 in the second quarter, bringing his total for the cycle to over $1.5 million, while ending the quarter with over $813,000 in cash on hand that he can now devote to the general election campaign. Rahm has not yet announced his second-quarter numbers.
Craig, who last Saturday called for Biden to withdraw from the presidential race and allow a new nominee to emerge, hasn't announced her latest quarterly totals either but finished the first quarter with $2.8 million in the bank.
In a statement Saturday, Teirab extended his “sincere gratitude to Tayler Rahm for his selfless decision to step out of the race in order to help re-elect Donald J. Trump as President. Tayler is a strong conservative and a relentless fighter for the America First agenda. He ran a great campaign, and I can’t think of a better person to help mobilize grassroots conservatives across Minnesota."
But leaders of the grassroots conservative group Action 4 Liberty accused Rahm of selling them out. The group's president, Erik Mortensen, tweeted that Rahm proved to be “just another corrupt candidate that’s easily bought and paid for.” He also posted a video of a Rahm sign burning in an outdoor fireplace, saying: “Disposing the trash. So tired of sellouts in politics. ”
The House GOP's campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee, was quick to throw its weight behind Teirab.
“Tayler Rahm’s selfless decision to put the team first allows Republicans to unite and defeat extreme Democrat Angie Craig," spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement. “Joe Teirab is one of our strongest candidates in the nation and will fight relentlessly for Minnesotans every single day.”
Craig's campaign said in a fundraiser email to supporters that she is up against a pro-Trump extremist.
“National Republicans will flood this district with millions now that they have an official candidate,” Craig said in the email. “The general election starts today, and my opponent and his allies will use every dollar at their disposal to unseat me and expand the GOP’s narrow House majority.”
The state chairman of the Democratic Party in Minnesota said they will stress Craig's support for abortion rights in the campaign to keep the suburban seat blue.
“Throughout his campaign, Joe Teirab has made it clear that he is 100% pro-life and will do everything he can to attack abortion rights and roll back reproductive freedoms in Congress," Ken Martin said in a statement.
