Jennifer Carnahan

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Jennifer Carnahan
Carnahan (cropped).jpg
Carnahan at a 2020 campaign event
Chair of the Minnesota Republican Party
In office
May 1, 2017 – August 19, 2021
Preceded byKeith Downey
Succeeded byCarleton Crawford (Acting)
Personal details
Born1976 (age 45–46)
South Korea
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 2018)​
EducationSyracuse University (BS)
University of Minnesota (MBA)

Jennifer Carnahan is an American political operative in the U.S. state of Minnesota. In 2017 she was elected as the chair for the Republican Party of Minnesota, becoming the state party's first Asian-American chairwoman.[1] She resigned under pressure from state party officials on August 19, 2021, amid several scandals.[2] Carnahan is married to U.S. Representative Jim Hagedorn.[3]

Early life and education[]

On November 11, 1976, Carnahan was left on the back doorstep of a rural hospital in South Korea.[4] She was adopted by an American family from Minnesota. Carnahan grew up in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area and graduated from Osseo Senior High School in 1995.

Carnahan earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1999 from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University where she majored in broadcast journalism. She earned her Masters of Business Administration from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota in 2010.

Career[]

Early career[]

Carnahan began her career working with private businesses on branding, including with McDonald’s Corporation, General Mills, and Ecolab.[5]

She co-hosted a fundraising event for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who was affiliated with the Democratic Party, when he was a city council member. Her affiliation later became with the Republican Party in 2016.[6]

She was elected as a National Delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. She ran as the 2016 Republican Party candidate for the Minnesota Senate in the 59th district, but she was defeated by incumbent Democrat Bobby Joe Champion.[7]

State party chair[]

She was elected as chairwoman of the Minnesota Republican Party in 2017. Under the motto Make Minnesota Red 2018,[8] the state party hoped to carry the momentum of Trump almost winning Minnesota in 2016, however the party did not do well in those elections, losing both U.S. Senate races, and all state constitution offices. In 2020 election she maintained winning zero statewide races, had no gain in the federal house, still had not managed to regain the state house that was in Republican control prior and had no gain in the state senate.[9] She made claims that the election showed "extreme abnormalities and statistical variations from Minnesota's historic voter trends." Her examples were noted in local media as either off-base, vague or flat-out wrong.[10]

In January 2017, after coming off losing a state senate race with only 22% of the vote, during her first race for chair she was quoted to say “We can’t keep putting up the same white 60-year-old guy to speak about our values, if they say that’s identity politics then that’s too bad.”[11] In December 2018, it was announced she would marry Congressman Jim Hagedorn, a congressional candidate that she as chair helped win election.[12] It was the same election cycle that resulted in Minnesota Republicans losing Congressman Jason Lewis[13] and Congressman Erik Paulsen.[14]

In June 2018, she claimed that Republicans were racist and sexist toward her.[15] Her comments regarding the sexism were that Republicans said "she deserves to make less money than her male predecessors" when she had publicly said she would ask for less than her male predecessors and then after being elected received a higher salary and a controversial bonus paid to her for each major donation to the party.[16]

In January 2021, in her announcement to run for a 3rd term she claimed to have paid off all state party legacy debt;[17] however; it was revealed that the party still had $255,030 in debt.[18]

Re-election to state party chair[]

On April 10, 2021, Jennifer Carnahan was re-elected to the chair of Republican Party of Minnesota. State Senator Mark Koran challenged Carnahan in the race, but she prevailed with 67% of the vote. During her re-election campaign, Carnahan touted the state party's success of winning three United States congressional seats in Greater Minnesota that were previously held by Democratic members—Minnesota's 1st and 8th districts in 2018; and Minnesota's 7th district in 2020.[19] While Carnahan's opponent alleged that the staff of the Minnesota Republican Party seized undue control of the party convention process at the local level in order to tilt the scales in Carnahan's favor, local activists pushed back on that assertion and said they saw no proof of a fixed race.[20]

Fundraising controversy[]

In April 2021, Carnahan was embroiled in a controversial fundraising mechanism that placed large percentages of fundraising dollars in the hands of a vendor, rather than the state party she is responsible for. It was quoted, "Of the $202,126 raised by the Minnesota Republican Party online, $103,607 went to WinRed, with most or all of it passed on to IMGE LLC, based in Alexandria, Virginia, even though that company had little to do with much of the money raised, according to an email from Max Rymer, a Republican National Committee member from Minnesota."[21]

Sex trafficking scandal and resignation[]

In August 2021, a federal grand jury indicted , a prominent Republican political operative and fundraiser in Minnesota, on child sex trafficking charges. Controversy ensued when photos circulated publicly of Carnahan and Hagedorn with Lazzaro at events, including the wedding of Carnahan and Hagadorn in 2018.[22] Lazzaro led a team that helped Carnahan successfully campaign for the state party chair position starting in 2017.[23]

In subsequent years, Carnahan and Lazzaro had shared a political podcast and collaborated to advance Republican party candidates in the state. In a statement released to the media after Lazzaro's federal indictment, Carnahan condemned his alleged actions.[24] Several officials and organizations in the Minnesota Republican party called for Carnahan's resignation in mid August 2021 due to her association with Lazzaro and for other management concerns of the state party.[25]

Carnahan was forced out amid the scandal,[2] resigning on August 19, 2021. She received a severance package of three months' salary, where she was the deciding vote in an 8-7 split decision to give her severance.[26] During the scandal that led to her resignation, Carnahan was also accused of creating a "toxic workplace" during her time as chair.[27]

Personal life[]

Carnahan is married to U.S. Representative Jim Hagedorn who represents the Minnesota's 1st congressional district.[3]

Carnahan was criticized in 2020 for seeking private, guided tours from the National Park Service by leveraging her status as Hagedorn's spouse.[28]

In 2021, Carnahan publicly acknowledged and apologized for a call recording that appeared on social media in which she said that Hagedorn, who had been diagnosed with cancer, would be dead in two years.[29]

References[]

  1. ^ News, Brian Bakts MPR. "Carnahan chosen as new state GOP chair". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Bierschbach, Briana; Chhith, Alex (August 19, 2021). "Minnesota GOP chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan forced out amid scandal". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "GOP party chair to wed congressman-elect". MPR News. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  4. ^ Montgomery, David (April 29, 2017). "Minnesota GOP elects newcomer Jennifer Carnahan as state chair". Pioneer Press. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  5. ^ "MNGOP" (in American English). Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  6. ^ August 14, Jake Duesenberg 130sc on; reaction, 2020 · Add your. "MNGOP Chair Carnahan & Swamp Team Up Against Conservatives". Action 4 Liberty.
  7. ^ "Minnesota 59th District State Senate Results: Bobby Joe Champion Wins". NYTimes.com. August 1, 2017. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  8. ^ Hertel, Eliza Collins and Nora G. "2018 midterms: GOP sees opportunity in Minnesota Trump country, despite an otherwise brutal House map". USA TODAY.
  9. ^ "Minnesota Secretary Of State - Election Results". www.sos.state.mn.us.
  10. ^ "Carnahan's election claims unsupported by facts". MPR News.
  11. ^ "MN Republican Party chair candidate: 'We can't keep putting up the same white 60-year-old guy to speak about our values'". MinnPost. January 31, 2017.
  12. ^ "GOP party chair to wed congressman-elect". MPR News.
  13. ^ Hertel, Nora G. "What changed in Tuesday's election, and what does it mean for Minnesota?". St. Cloud Times.
  14. ^ "Dean Phillips Projected Winner Over Incumbent Erik Paulsen". Maple Grove, MN Patch. November 6, 2018.
  15. ^ "Minnesota GOP chair said she faced racism from within party". NBC News.
  16. ^ "Minnesota GOP leader to earn cut of large donations". MPR News.
  17. ^ "Minnesota GOP chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan announces re-election campaign". KSTP. January 28, 2021.
  18. ^ Krumholz, Willis (February 5, 2021). "Minnesota GOP ends 2020 with $250K in debt".
  19. ^ Condon, Patrick (April 10, 2021). "Jennifer Carnahan re-elected to lead Minnesota Republican Party". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  20. ^ "Accusations fly in contest to lead Minnesota Republican Party". Star Tribune.
  21. ^ "Minnesota GOP embroiled in dispute over use of Trump-endorsed WinRed fundraising platform". MinnPost. April 2, 2021.
  22. ^ Stolle, Matthew (August 17, 2021). "Carnahan denies knowledge of Lazzaro's alleged criminal activity". Post-Bulletin. Retrieved August 19, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ Uren, Adam (August 13, 2021). "Gold, private jets and Ferraris: Arrested GOP strategist Anton Lazzaro's high-flying lifestyle". Bring Me The News. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  24. ^ Bakst, Brian; Sepic, Matt (August 12, 2021). "Grand jury indicts Minn. GOP operative on child sex trafficking charges". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  25. ^ Hyatt, Kim (August 15, 2021). "Growing GOP calls for chairwoman's resignation following sex trafficking indictment against top donor". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  26. ^ Bierschbach, Briana; Chhith, Alex (August 19, 2021). "Minnesota GOP chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan steps down with severance package". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 20, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ Associated Press. "Minnesota GOP Head Resigns After Sex Trafficking Claims Against Top Donor". Bloomberg.
  28. ^ Newhauser, Daniel. "The mystery of a GOP congressman's seemingly rent-free campaign office". POLITICO. Retrieved August 19, 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  29. ^ Winter, Deena (August 17, 2021). "MN GOP Chair Jennifer Carnahan remains defiant amid calls to resign". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
Party political offices
Preceded by Chair of the Minnesota Republican Party
2017–2021 		Succeeded by
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