MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth is facing a formidable opponent in her race for governor against U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar. But she’s also confronting the challenges raised by the leader of her own party.

President Donald Trump is a political riddle for Demuth. She is a Republican, has largely supported a president she views as successful and could face a revolt from the GOP base if she routinely castigated him. Trump has also effectively tanked the careers of many Republicans who loudly disavowed him.

At the same time, associating too closely with Trump is risky. Demuth is running for statewide office in left-leaning Minnesota, where Trump lost three presidential elections. He has a dismal approval rating following his immigration crackdown here.

In a midterm election that could serve as a referendum on Trump’s second term, Demuth needs to rally Trump supporters to the polls and convince decisive swing voters to back her — even if they dislike the president.

Faced with that quandary, Demuth has gently broken from Trump on a couple of economic issues headed into the general election. Even though Trump didn’t endorse her, Demuth has for the most part stuck by the president or sidestepped questions about issues she argues are decided in Washington and not St. Paul. Fraud scandals in Minnesota’s social services programs, she says, are at issue more than Trump’s record.

Nevertheless, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and her Democratic allies have made Demuth’s links to Trump one of their major lines of attack. Lately, Democrats have focused on Trump’s tariffs.

Demuth said Klobuchar is “the only person in this race with a say on tariff policy in this country. She could have done something about tariff policy at any point over the last 20 years in Washington but clearly didn’t care to until now.”

Klobuchar has also faced her own tough questions about her views on fraud under DFL Gov. Tim Walz and other issues. The outgoing governor’s popularity is roughly as bad as Trump’s in Minnesota, and Demuth has argued Klobuchar did not speak out as fraud was exposed.

But Democrats are betting Trump will be the bigger albatross in their efforts to block Republicans from breaking their 20-year losing streak for statewide office.

“Minnesotans need a governor who can work across the aisle but also stand up when federal policy hurts Minnesotans,” said Klobuchar spokesman Darwin Forsyth. “Lisa Demuth failed that test when she couldn’t name one thing she disagreed with Donald Trump on, even after the chaos and hardship that his health care cuts, tariffs, ICE surge and war in Iran have inflicted on Minnesota.”

At the Legislature, Demuth has supported some of Trump’s popular economic priorities, such as pushing to end taxes on tips and overtime in Minnesota to conform with the president’s federal law. (This never made it into state law.) She has also embraced extra federal oversight of social service programs over concerns about fraud as the Trump administration has withheld money for programs at risk of fraud.

When Trump’s Operation Metro Surge descended on the state, Demuth did not go as far as some Republican lawmakers who criticized the actions of federal agents and called for an end to the surge.

She was one of 12 people to meet privately with Vice President JD Vance when he came to Minneapolis in January and blamed disorder on state leaders. Demuth called for “peace in Minnesota,” more cooperation from county sheriffs with federal immigration agents and said federal law enforcement was in Minnesota “to make sure that our communities are completely safe.”

Demuth chose not to weigh in on whether the shooting of Alex Pretti was justified before results of official investigations, or whether she agreed with members of the Trump administration who initially characterized Pretti as a domestic terrorist.

“Lisa supports deporting criminals — period,” said Demuth spokesman Hank Long. “Amy Klobuchar said nothing while Joe Biden flooded the country with millions of illegal immigrants and supports taxpayer benefits for illegal immigrants.”

During the primary campaign, Demuth, like the other GOP candidates, asked for Trump’s endorsement. She also distributed flyers at the state GOP convention this spring, saying she “fights and wins for the MAGA agenda.” That included a pledge to “ban men from girls’ sports,” “secure our elections with voter ID” and punish fraudsters.

From the stage at the convention, Demuth emphasized how she led a prayer in St. Cloud at the first Trump rally after he was wounded during an assassination attempt in 2024.

During a primary debate in late May, Republican candidates for governor were asked to name one thing they disagreed with Trump on. Demuth didn’t name one, and instead praised Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” and other things.

“First of all, he secured our borders, and that makes our state and our cities much, much safer,” Demuth said May 28. “I also appreciate the fact that he has sought peace across the world.”

Still, Demuth wasn’t Trump’s choice for governor — the endorsement went to MyPillow founder Mike Lindell. Demuth stayed in the primary and won, defying the president’s wishes.

Since the Aug. 11 primary, Demuth has taken a few steps to differentiate herself from the president.

Her primary criticism of Trump has been about importing beef into the country with lower tariffs in an attempt to lower prices.

“That is not what is good for our country,” Demuth said on WCCO radio from the Minnesota State Fair on Monday. “That is not what is good for Minnesota.”

When pressed by host Chad Hartman, who suggested independents would like to hear more “separation” between Demuth and Trump, she said she was focused on things she can do as governor, such as reducing property taxes, car-tab fees, stopping fraud and eliminating a state tax on Social Security benefits.

“When I look at our state budget right now, we have almost doubled that budget in the last 10, 14 years,” Demuth said. “What I don’t see in the state of Minnesota is double the positive results.”

Demuth has often declined to take positions altogether, neither embracing nor opposing the president.

When asked by reporters last month about her views on a federal surveillance campaign of Minnesota labor unions, Demuth said she is “absolutely focused on what is going on here in the state of Minnesota.”

At the same time, Demuth has promised a stronger relationship with the White House compared to the Walz administration, which could help “unfreeze” federal money for the state, she said.

Klobuchar and fellow Democrats have hit Demuth on two main issues: tariffs and health care. Among Klobuchar’s proposals are a state tax credit for lower premiums in place of an expired federal one and grant funding for rural health care, in response to Trump’s massive tax and spending bill last year.

Klobuchar said on WCCO television that Demuth supports the Big Beautiful Bill even though “this is what is decimating our rural hospitals.”

As House speaker, Demuth negotiated a budget deal that included money for rural and critical access hospitals. During an August debate, she blamed Democratic-led policies like Minnesota’s new paid family leave program and the federal Affordable Care Act for raising health care costs.

Demuth has generally supported Trump’s import taxes. She told reporters last week that “tariffs definitely have a purpose,” but she also suggested the current situation with Canada is not ideal.

In the WCCO interview, Demuth said she wants to see “our president and the leadership in Canada get back to those conversations.”

Demuth may not have a seat at the table with Trump and Canada, but she’s sure to be asked about it for months heading into the November election.

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