Amy Klobuchar

By Dana Ferguson

Minnesota appears headed toward having its first woman in the governor’s office after a pair of primary elections Tuesday night.

Amy Klobuchar’s bid to trade her capitol office in Washington for one in St. Paul moved forward when the U.S. senator notched a decisive primary victory and the DFL nomination for Minnesota governor.

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth overcame a pair of weighty endorsements of her rivals to win the Republican nomination for governor.

Demuth, who was preferred by more-mainstream Republicans and major party donors, defeated Kendall Qualls and Mike Lindell in a competitive primary. Qualls came in with the GOP’s convention endorsement and Lindell had the backing of President Donald Trump.

Demuth is the first Republican in decades to defeat a party-endorsed candidate in a governor’s primary.

“It's going to take all of us pulling together,” she told cheering supporters at a watch party Tuesday night. “But this is the change that Minnesota, the start of the change that Minnesota is so desperate for."

Barring something unforeseen, Minnesota will have its first woman as governor. If Demuth prevails, she would be the first person of color to be governor as well.

Klobuchar had only nominal opposition in her primary race. The Associated Press projected Klobuchar’s win within 30 minutes of polls closing.

She used a victory speech to describe herself as a trusted figure known for delivering for Minnesota.

"I will measure our success as a state by result,” she said. “My goal is to keep what's right and fix what's wrong."

Klobuchar, a four-term senator, has amassed double digit wins in each of her past statewide races but the consequential governor’s race could prove closer.

The November winner will succeed outgoing DFL Gov. Tim Walz.

Prominent candidates in both parties hoped to land a job that Democrats have held since 2011.

The job will come with its share of challenges. While stable now, the state budget is headed into rougher waters and a possible deficit looms. Persistent fraud problems have shaken trust in government and created worries among legitimate providers and recipients of social services. Continuing clashes with the Trump administration over federal funding, immigration and more have also put a squeeze on Minnesota.

A vast field of Republican candidates entered the race to take on Walz last year. Then he upended the race by exiting in January, saying he wanted to put his full focus into combatting the fraud problem that had also complicated his political prospects.

Klobuchar renewed Democratic hopes of extending their historic run in the office — the longest in party history — by saying she would pursue the governor’s residence. Her stature in the party kept most party challengers out of the race, leading to her DFL endorsement at the May state convention

The primary ballot featured six other DFLers who lacked the money and public recognition of Klobuchar: Thomas Evenstad, Bill Gates Jr., Kobey Layne, Ole Savior, Po Vang and Mohammad Wazwaz.

She has laid out plans to fight fraud in state government, make healthcare more affordable and boost development in rural communities.

Republicans had a more competitive contest.

Party delegates endorsed Qualls, a businessman, at their late-May convention, promoting his status as a government outsider in a year when many voters are fed up with people in office.

Just days after the convention, however, party leaders gave a new lifeline to defeated candidates by releasing them from commitments to drop out because of issues with its electronic voting technology at the convention.

Lindell and Demuth filed to run in the primary.

Republicans historically stick with their endorsed candidate in primary contests, a streak that goes back three decades.

But Qualls has found more difficult terrain since gaining that convention backing. Lindell picked up President Donald Trump’s endorsement in July, causing some Republicans to reassess their choices.

Demuth has made the case that she has gone toe-to-toe with Walz in state budget negotiations and leading a tied House. She said that experience made her uniquely qualified for the job.

Other Republicans on the ballot were: Loner Blue, Raul Estrada, John Krhin and Ross Nova.

The November ballot will have a Green Party candidate in Steven Young.