Republican Drops Out of Minnesota Gubernatorial Race and Renounces GOP

One of the top Republican candidates for governor in Minnesota—who just two weeks ago provided legal counsel to the ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Nicole Good—has dropped out of the race, saying he can no longer call himself a Republican after a second American citizen, Alex Pretti, was killed by federal agents.

“I cannot support the national Republican stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so,” Chris Madel, who works as an attorney, said in a 10-minute video on Twitter announcing the end of his campaign.

Madel launched his gubernatorial campaign in December. (Governor Tim Walz announced he wouldn’t be seeking re-election in early January, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar is rumored to be considering running.) Despite never holding public office, he quickly garnered support for his continued defense of law enforcement, rising to the top of a crowded Republican field; he received an early endorsement from the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis.

“United States citizens, particularly those of color, live in fear. United States citizens are carrying papers to prove their citizenship. That’s wrong,” Madel continued. ICE has authorized its agents to raid homes using a civil warrant that need only be signed by a border patrol agent—that’s unconstitutional,  and it’s wrong.”

He also called out Gaza protesters and said he was annoyed that they were silent when Trump announced a ceasefire deal between Israel and Gaza in October—so, he doesn’t get too many props here. But I’ll take a Republican condemning ICE over a Republican doing full-throated propaganda work for ICE any day of the week. On that note, he also called Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis an “unmitigated disaster” and said it has “expanded far beyond its stated focus on true public safety threats.” Say it louder, girl.