WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) is intensifying its involvement in Minnesota’s attorney general race, highlighting a new political advertisement from its affiliated Safer Minnesota Fund as part of a nearly $7 million campaign spending push across 13 states.
The Republican organization said the advertisement is aimed at defeating Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and supporting Republican candidate Ron Schutz, an Army veteran and longtime litigator. The Minnesota campaign forms part of a broader fall strategy designed to defend Republican-held attorney general offices while competing for positions currently held by Democrats.
The investment underscores the growing national attention surrounding state attorney general contests, where issues including fraud enforcement, consumer protection, public safety and government accountability are increasingly prominent campaign themes.
RAGA Focuses Minnesota Campaign on Crime and Fraud
RAGA has framed its campaign in Minnesota around crime, fraud and taxpayer protection, arguing that the state needs new leadership in the attorney general’s office.
“Fighting crime is on the ballot this November,” said RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper. “After years of Keith Ellison’s failed leadership and fraud scandals costing Minnesota billions, the state needs an attorney general who will put Minnesota families first.”
The association is promoting Schutz as an alternative to Ellison, emphasizing his military service and extensive legal career. Schutz is an Army veteran and longtime litigator with decades of courtroom experience.
RAGA argues that Schutz would bring his litigation experience to efforts focused on combating fraud and protecting Minnesota taxpayers. The Safer Minnesota Fund, which produced the advertisement highlighted by RAGA, is an affiliated group focused on electing conservative attorneys general and promoting its public-safety agenda in Minnesota.
Feeding Our Future Case Becomes Campaign Issue
A major element of RAGA’s criticism of Ellison involves his connections to individuals associated with the Feeding Our Future scandal, a significant fraud case involving federal child nutrition program funds.
RAGA pointed to a 2021 meeting between Ellison and people who were later charged in the $250 million fraud scheme. The association also cited campaign contributions from individuals tied to the case as it seeks to make fraud oversight and government accountability central issues in the Minnesota attorney general campaign.
The Feeding Our Future case has become part of a wider political debate over Minnesota’s handling of fraud and the effectiveness of state oversight. RAGA is using the controversy to challenge Ellison’s record while making the case for a change in leadership.
The advertisement reflects a broader strategy of connecting attorney general races with issues that directly affect taxpayers, businesses and residents, including financial misconduct, public safety and enforcement of state laws.
Nearly $7 Million Campaign Covers 13 States
The Minnesota advertisement is part of RAGA’s nearly $7 million political spending campaign across 13 states in August. The organization characterized the investment as an aggressive early effort to defend Republican attorneys general and compete for offices currently controlled by Democrats.
The initial spending represents the first phase of RAGA’s fall campaign and includes a combination of digital and television advertising.
RAGA said the spending supports Republican attorneys general in Iowa, Kansas, Georgia, Ohio, Florida and Texas, along with Republican attorney general nominees in Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan, Nevada, New York and Wisconsin.
The geographic scope of the investment demonstrates the organization’s focus on both defending existing Republican offices and expanding its presence in states where Democrats currently hold attorney general positions.
Attorney General Races Attract National Political Spending
State attorneys general have broad authority involving consumer protection, fraud investigations, antitrust enforcement and litigation over state and federal policies. Those responsibilities have increasingly made attorney general elections important targets for national political organizations.
For RAGA, Minnesota represents one of several opportunities to capture a Democratic-held office. Its promotion of the Safer Minnesota Fund advertisement indicates that Ellison’s record and the Feeding Our Future scandal are likely to remain prominent elements of the Republican campaign.
With the nearly $7 million August expenditure described as the first phase of its fall strategy, RAGA is positioning itself for an expanded advertising and political campaign as the November elections approach.
