The Minnesota GOP State Central Committee reelected Chairman David Hann and Deputy Chair Donna Bergstrom Saturday. The committee also elected Jenna Dicks to serve as secretary.
Hann was initially elected in October 2021 after Jennifer Carnahan resigned following a sex-trafficking indictment against a major donor. He appointed Bergstrom deputy chair.
Both won reelection with about 60 percent of the vote.
Hann, a former state senator, said he is proud of his accomplishments over the past 13 months.
“There is much work ahead of us to take back our state legislature, win more statewide and congressional elections, and deliver our state to the Republican nominee in 2024,” Hann said in a press release.
Bergstrom told Alpha News she looks forward to working with Hann over the next two years.
“David brings a great sense of purpose to the chairman position, with a calm, methodical approach to achieving set goals,” Bergstrom said. “He understands the effectiveness of goal setting, such as his 5-year plan to be the majority party in Minnesota, and the importance of communicating that goal for others to gain ‘buy in.’ I like that challenge — how to help achieve a lofty goal, and how to inspire others to feel a sense of buy-in for that goal.”
She said both she and Hann are veterans, and they share a sense of commitment to the party.
“Up and down the ballot we need to do a better job getting our candidates on message,” she said. “MNGOP is already working on ways to grow the party by inviting like-minded communities to partner with us to elect candidates that will work for our shared values.”
“Additionally, I believe that the party needs to recruit and assist good candidates for elections at all levels, from townships to school boards to city and mayoral races to state and federal,” she continued. “Republican leadership is needed at all these levels. Our representative republic is stronger when we have solutions for problems from multiple viewpoints. The party needs to ‘build the bench’ of elected officials.”
The Minnesota GOP failed to win a statewide race in November’s midterms and lost control of the Minnesota Legislature.
“I think the Republican Party needs to do a much better job defining ourselves instead of having the left define us. Although I think our ‘brand’ or values and principles are much more in line with the majority of Minnesotans, the left does a better job vilifying the individual Republican candidate,” she said. “This vilification translates into the voter ‘disliking’ the candidate, even if that candidate’s values better align with the voter’s values.”
“MNGOP must do better in our get-out-the-vote efforts, and that’s already being worked on,” she continued. “Then, MNGOP needs to persuade people to vote for our candidates. That’s relationships. For that, it will be all hands on deck. Showing how we govern — with compassion, with limited government, protecting constitutional rights — is another great tool we can use in attracting more voters.”
The officers will serve two-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2023.
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Written by AlphaNews staff reporters.
Photo “David Hann” by Minnesota GOP. Photo “Donna Bergstrom” by Minnesota GOP. Background Photo “Minnesota State Capitol” by McGhiever. CC BY-SA 4.0.
