Donald Trump falsely claimed on Friday that he won the 2020 Minnesota presidential election and said he would win again this year in a state that has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate in more than 50 years.
In a speech at the Minnesota Republican Party's annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner in St. Paul, President Trump made the case that the last presidential election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden, was tainted by widespread fraud. repeated false claims.
“I know we won (Minnesota) in 2020,” President Trump said to applause. “We have to be careful. We have to pay attention to that vote.”
Ahead of the presidential rematch on Nov. 5, Trump campaign officials have maintained publicly and privately that Trump can beat Biden in Minnesota. While some turmoil in the state seems likely, available polls and the state's political history suggest the former president faces an uphill battle.
Major independent polls show Mr. Biden holding a small but consistent lead in Minnesota, typically between 2 and 4 percentage points. Trump campaign officials did not directly say whether they planned to commit resources to the state.
While rural Minnesota has trended Republican over the past decade, the suburbs around Minneapolis have trended Democratic, reflecting broader national trends.
During his speech, President Trump repeatedly called for “massive deportations” of illegal immigrants in the country.
He doubled down on his promise to build a new missile defense system, likening it to Israel's Iron Dome project.
He also reiterated that North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a former primary rival who introduced Trump on Friday night, is the frontrunner for his running mate.
“A lot of people think of him as that guy over there,” Trump said of Burgum. “He's very good.”
As with other recent speeches, Trump made personal and even profane attacks on Biden throughout the evening, at one point saying the president was “full of shit.”
During presidential campaigns, it is common for major candidates to claim that they can capture favorable states.
arrival. Biden officials say he has a chance to win Florida, although most polls show him trailing by about 10 points in the state.
