Dear Delegates and Alternates,

As we near our convention, I want to ensure you have the information you need to make an informed decision for the endorsement to fill my husband, Congressman Jim Hagedorn’s seat, and carry his work forward.

Earlier today, the National File reported that candidate Brad Finstad has a history of expressing his agreement with anti-Trump sentiments on Twitter. And as reported by both the National File and Minnesota Sun, Brad Finstad refused to vote for President Trump in the 2020 Republican Primary.

For those of you who have been around Minnesota politics for some time, this news likely does not come as a surprise. Establishment Republicans in Minnesota have never truly supported President Trump.

Before my husband had even passed away, candidates in this race were being primed by powerful figures in Washington D.C., including at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), to run for his seat. Now, these same figures are attempting to cloud our convention process and deny anyone but their handpicked candidates a fair chance for endorsement.

In Jim’s final weeks, Republican leaders in Washington badgered Jim and his staff “demanding” to know the status of Jim’s health. These leaders didn’t call to offer support or encouragement. Their only interest was knowing if my husband’s battle would end and how quickly they could get their candidate off the ground and running. While I was caring for Jim around the clock doing everything to help him beat cancer, power brokers were pulling levers behind the scenes.

Politics is important, but so is fighting cancer.

Allowing the establishment to control our district would be a great dishonor to Jim’s memory. Jim never cared about a title or a position. He just wanted to fight for America. That is what brought us together.

I am proudly running to carry our good work forward and be a voice we can trust and count on, just like my husband.

Unlike some of my opponents in this race, I am not and will never be for sale to the highest bidder in Washington. My responsibility will only ever be to the people that elect me. I’m proud to remain a political outsider, just like President Trump and Jim.

I look forward to seeing you next weekend and working together to keep our district in conservative hands.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Carnahan