Scott Jensen endorsed as GOP candidate for Minnesota governor

(ABC 6 News) – Members of the Minnesota GOP gathered at the Mayo Civic Center this weekend to endorse a candidate to challenge Gov. Tim Walz in the November election.

The GOP endorsed Scott Jensen after nine ballots, gaining 65 percent of the vote.

The state senator and physician lead on the first two ballots Saturday morning and then regained the lead on the seventh ballot with 59 percent, just below the 60 percent threshold needed to claim the endorsement.

"We’re going to pass constitutional carry, stand your ground castle doctrine. We are going to get student choice. We are going to have voter ID. And we are going to commute Kim Potter’s sentence in the first month," Jensen said to the delegates.

Matt Birk, former Vikings player, and Jensen’s running mate, used football metaphors throughout the day.

"This is like getting into the playoffs, okay? We’re not happy with that. We want to win the Super Bowl, alright?" Birk said.

Lexington Mayor Mike Murphy ended up endorsing Scott Jensen after being eliminated on the sixth ballot. Murphy then causing some controversy in the room after joining Jensen on stage and saying Kendall Qualls offered Murphy to be his running mate.

Qualls then called out Murphy saying that was never an offer on the table. This caused some delegates to be unsure of who to believe making some Qualls voters side with Jensen.

A delegate made a motion to adjourn with no endorsement, which was not favored by a majority of the crowd at the Civic Center.