HOUSE SPEAKER DEMUTH TOPS GOP GUBENATORIAL STRAW POLL

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth appears to be the winner of the GOP gubernatorial straw poll at Tuesday’s precinct caucuses.  With 71-percent reporting, Demuth had 4,255 votes, Kendall Qualls 3,552 votes, Mike Lindell over 2300 votes, Scott Jensen 846 and Kristin Robbins got 626.  There were 826 undecided votes.  The first place finish gives the Demuth campaign for governor some momentum heading into the Republican state convention in late May.  The DFL Part reports at least 30,000 voters attended in -person precinct caucuses.  Democrats are now focused on their state convention in Rochester.