Republican Scott Jensen to take on Tim Walz for Minnesota governor

Scott Jensen won Tuesday's Republican primary for Minnesota governor and is now the challenger to incumbent Democrat Gov. Tim Walz in the November election.

Driving the news: Jensen and Walz both sailed to victory in their respective primary bids, the Associated Press projects.

State of play: Minnesota hasn't elected a Republican to statewide office since 2006. But state polling and national political headwinds point to a potentially competitive race this year.

Bio in brief: Jensen, a physician and former state senator, has garnered national attention — and backlash — for his comments questioning COVID-19 death tolls.

• He's been a vocal critic of Walz's pandemic response and vaccine mandates, though his campaign has more recently focused on inflation and public safety.
• During his one term representing a suburban seat in the state Legislature, Jensen had a reputation as a political wild card willing to buck his party leadership on issues such as gun control and conversion therapy.
• He disavowed his past gun stances during the primary, issuing an apology to GOP activists.

How we got here: Jensen defeated five rivals to secure the Republican endorsement at a bitterly contested party convention in May.

• The losing candidates all dropped out following the endorsement decision, leaving Jensen with no serious opposition for the primary.
• Walz, a former congressman and teacher first elected to statewide office in 2018, also faced minimal opposition in his bid to be nominated for a second term.

Of note: Four independent candidates, including two from Minnesota's legal marijuana parties, will also appear on the November ballots.