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Peggy Bennett Drops Minnesota Governor Bid After Elliott Engen Switches Plans
Bennett said Engen’s late filing left her no time to replace him, and he was also facing a DWI charge and a separate state auditor campaign.
- Rep Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, announced she was forced to drop her bid for governor after running mate Rep Elliott Engen, R-Lino Lakes, unexpectedly abandoned their campaign on Tuesday.
- Engen notified Bennett by text message roughly 4 hours before the 5 p.m. filing deadline, then filed for the House to primary the endorsed GOP candidate instead.
- In a statement, Engen called Bennett a "terrific servant leader" and claimed his campaign was not in his family's best financial interest while criticizing the party's selection process.
- Bennett expressed being "dumbfounded" and "incredibly disappointed" in her colleague, stating in a release that the decision was "not by my choice," leaving her campaign shut down at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
- Engen's political future remains complicated by a recently filed DWI charge, while he simultaneously pursued a state auditor race before abandoning the governor's ticket.
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Republican gov candidate drops out after running mate changes mind
"This is not by my choice," Republican Peggy Bennett says after her choice for lieutenant governor, state Rep. Elliott Engen, notified her he changed his mind hours before the filing deadline.
GOP gubernatorial candidate unable to file for office after running mate selection changes mind
Share This StoryRepublican State Rep. Peggy Bennett was left unable to file paperwork to run for Minnesota governor after her chosen running mate, GOP State Rep. Elliott Engen, decided to run for reelection to his seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In an exclusive statement to Alpha News, Bennett said “it is with great sadness and heartbreak that I announce that I am unable to move forward as a candidate for governor, and my 2026 ca…
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Total News Sources19
Leaning Left0Leaning Right9Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution60% Right
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources lean Right
60% Right
C 40%
R 60%
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