Trump spreads conspiracies about GOP's lack of success in Minnesota - The National Desk

Theory Briefing

• Trump has backed a specific candidate in Minnesota's gubernatorial race and is now framing GOP underperformance there as the result of conspiracies.
• Minnesota has resisted Republican wins at the presidential level for decades, making it a persistent puzzle for the party.
• Blaming hidden forces for electoral losses shields a candidate or party from examining their own strategic or structural weaknesses.
• The conspiracy framing could energize Trump's base in the state or, alternatively, discourage turnout by suggesting the game is rigged.