Minnesota candidate bows out over Republican response to Pretti shooting

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Erin HaleJanuary 27, 2026 at 08:56 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Republican candidate Chris Madel ended his campaign for Minnesota governor on January 27, 2026, citing his party's response to the shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. The shooting occurred during "Operation Metro Surge," a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation that began in December. Madel stated that the operation, which he believes has negatively impacted Minneapolis, has gone beyond its stated focus and created fear among citizens, particularly people of color. He criticized the use of civil warrants for home raids and expressed his inability to support the Republican party's stance on the issue. Madel also mentioned the difficulty for Republicans to win statewide elections in Minnesota, despite a Democratic corruption scandal.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Kristi Noem 35% Democratic Party 35% Renee Good 40% Amy Klobuchar 40% United States Border Patrol ×240% Alex Pretti ×270% Minneapolis ×370% United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ×370% Operation Metro Surge ×375% Minnesota ×480% Republican Party ×380% Chris Madel ×590%

Keywords

ice operation 90% operation metro surge 90% republican party 80% minnesota 70% immigration enforcement 70% shooting 70% political campaign 60% federal agents 60% civil warrant 50%