Marijuana candidates shake up Minnesota races

[question everything]

(snip)

Democrats say marijuana legalization candidates, some with ties to Republican politics, pulled away votes from their candidates in key races across the state on Tuesday, possibly helping Republicans maintain control of the Minnesota Senate and propel Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn to a second term in Congress. But Republicans point to other situations where DFL candidates appeared to benefit from the third-party hopefuls.

Absentee ballots were still being tallied in critical swing races on Thursday, but the likelihood of continued divided government meant the whole reason Minnesota’s two major marijuana parties exist — to legalize recreational use — slipped out of their grasp for at least another two years.

DFL Gov. Tim Walz supports legalized recreational marijuana and was hoping Democrats would flip the state Senate and maintain control of the state House, making it possible to pass a statewide proposal. Political operatives in both parties said they were surprised by how well marijuana party candidates performed this year.

(snip)

Democratic Rep. Brad Tabke, of Shakopee, was trailing Republican Erik Mortensen by 560 votes. He said he believes Legal Marijuana Now candidate Ryan Martin, who got 1,705 votes, is part of the reason. He said legalization candidates’ names appear first on the ballot, which helps them. Tyler Becvar, the Legal Marijuana Now candidate in Senate District 27, posted a video on his Facebook page in May promoting the Republican candidate in that race, Gene Dornink, who beat DFL Sen. Dan Sparks by 1,902 votes. Becvar won more than 2,500 votes.

(snip)

Even if the DFL Party controlled the Legislature and decided to pass recreational marijuana legalization, Schuller said they still wouldn’t be “dealing with the truth.” He sees a fundamental difference between Democrats who want to regulate legalized cannabis and the Legal Marijuana Now Party that wants to lift regulations. “It’s not theirs to tax and regulate,” he said. “Homegrown cannabis belongs as a protected liberty and a protected right.”

More..

https://www.startribune.com/marijuana-candidates-shake-up-minnesota-races/572985922/

[dflprincess]

1. And, like in the 2nd District,

how many of the legalize pot "candidates" were paid by the Republicans to put their names on the ballot just to siphon votes from Democrats?

[mysteryowl]

2. Then the DFL should have paid them more.

Minnesota would have legal pot in 2021 if the DFL took the Senate.