Royce White, a former NBA player, has secured the Republican Senate nomination to challenge Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar in Minnesota, according to a projection from Decision Desk HQ.
White, who received strong support from the state GOP, emerged victorious from a competitive primary field that included business executive Joe Fraser. Known for his connections with figures like ex-Trump aide Steve Bannon and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, White entered the primary as the leading fundraiser, based on FEC filings.
Royce White, backed by the state GOP, emerges as the Republican nominee to challenge Sen. Amy Klobuchar in Minnesota
Fraser was endorsed by former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-Minn.) and ex-Republican Senators Rudy Boschwitz and Norm Coleman. The Senate Republicans’ campaign arm has yet to make an official move in the race.
On the Democratic side, Klobuchar was anticipated to easily secure her party’s nomination despite facing several longshot contenders. As she aims for her fourth term in the Senate, White now confronts a challenging battle against the incumbent.
Decision Desk HQ’s projections suggest that Klobuchar would have a 95 percent chance of winning in a head-to-head matchup with Fraser, and the Cook Political Report categorizes the seat as solidly Democratic.
