Minnesota Lawyer
Dennis Nguyen has been endorsed by 23 Republican senators.
Republican Secretary of State candidate Dennis Nguyen announced the endorsement of 23 Republican senators on Monday morning in a major campaign coup for the political rookie. Nguyen is the only officially declared Republican in that race.
Nguyen’s list of endorsements features a number of caucus leaders, including Senate Minority Leader David Hann, as well as Sens. Michelle Benson (Ham Lake) Bill Ingebrigtsen (Alexandria) and Julianne Ortman (Chanhassen), now a GOP candidate for U.S. Senate.
Only five Senate Republicans chose not to endorse Nguyen. Notable among them are gubernatorial candidate Sen. Dave Thompson, R-Lakeville, and Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, who has not ruled out running again for the office she held from 1999 to 2007.
Nguyen is chairman of New Asia Partners, a Minneapolis-based investment firm. In a statement accompanying the announcement, the caucus members said Nguyen’s proven business acumen was a factor in their endorsement.
“We believe that Mr. Nguyen’s professional experience and personal background make him uniquely qualified to serve the people of this great state,” reads the jointly produced statement.
Nguyen’s own statement said he was “humbled and honored” to have the support of Republicans from “every corner” of the state.
“I intend to make the Secretary of State’s office the one-stop shop for job creation and capital information in the state of Minnesota,” Nguyen continued. “We can construct a new public-private partnership with the Office as the hub of a 21st century Minnesota economy—an ecosystem designed to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, lawyers, accountants and bankers to create new sustainable, middle class jobs.”
Rep. Steve Simon, DFL-Hopkins, has taken a similarly commanding lead in the endorsement game on the Democratic side, having been endorsed by dozens of his DFL colleagues. Also running to replace outgoing Secretary of State Mark Ritchie is Rep. Debra Hilstrom, DFL-Brooklyn Center.
Here’s the full list of Republican senators who endorsed Nguyen.
Sen. Bruce Anderson
Sen. Michelle Benson
Sen. David Brown
Sen. Roger Chamberlain
Sen. Gary Dahms
Sen. Paul Gazelka
Sen. Dan Hall
Sen. David Hann
Sen. Karin Housley
Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen
Sen. Jeremy Miller
Sen. Carla Nelson
Sen. Scott Newman
Sen. Sean Nienow
Sen. Julianne Ortman
Sen. David Osmek
Sen. Branden Petersen
Sen. Eric Pratt
Sen. Julie Rosen
Sen. Carrie Ruud
Sen. David Senjem
Sen. Bill Weber
Sen. Torrey Westrom
