A Righteous Call to Minnesota Republicans: Demand Leadership Move the State Convention to April – Or Skip Endorsement Altogether – to Truly Take Back Our State
Put Pride Aside, Embrace Truth, and Choose Course Correction Before It’s Too Late
By Phillip C. Parrish
Retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander, Fraud Whistleblower, Farmer, Teacher, Administrator, and 2026 Republican Candidate for Governor of Minnesota
January 27, 2026 – Faribault, Minnesota
Fellow Republicans across Minnesota—candidates, delegates, precinct leaders, grassroots activists, and party faithful:
I write this open letter not to divide, but to unite us under the banner of truth, integrity, and service to our constitutional republic. As a child of God first and foremost, guided by faith in choosing right over wrong, I refuse to compromise on the principles that make Minnesota worth fighting for. I’ve traveled this state from the Iron Range to the southern borders, listening to tens of thousands of you in raw conversations, town halls, X Spaces, and one-on-one calls. The message is clear: Minnesotans—80% of whom want no part in the Republican or Democrat labels—are sick to death of lies, games, and hollow slogans like “unity” and “winning” that ring false when actions breed division.
We’ve seen the pattern repeat: party insiders and state central committee members prioritize covert maneuvers, stacked processes, and short-term optics over transparency and trust. Efforts to mask embarrassing realities or avoid public scrutiny have backfired—creating the very chaos they aimed to prevent. Despite endless rhetoric about unity, dishonest and covert behaviors have sown deeper mistrust and fractured our ranks.
Worse, too many in leadership treat the public as if we’re stupid. But we’re not. Far more Minnesotans understand exactly what’s happening than insiders seem willing to admit. They’re awake, discerning, and ready to support leaders who fight clean—not those who guard turf through favoritism or manipulation. The majority are exhausted by the bipartisan loot train and want real change: ending fraud pipelines, protecting families, restoring accountability through prosecutions, and fortifying public safety.
Our current setup is priming us for self-inflicted failure—especially for statewide races where the party’s endorsement can make or break our shot at reclaiming the governor’s office, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Auditor. The state convention is scheduled for the last weekend in May (May 29-31, 2026), right up against the June 2, 2026, filing deadline to get on the August 11 primary ballot (with early voting starting June 26). This compressed timeline leaves no margin for genuine deliberation, dispute resolution, or rallying after a contentious process. It amplifies risks of rushed decisions, lingering grudges, and spoiler tactics funded by big money to fracture votes in the primary.
The call for unity becomes even more hollow when documented patterns show insiders channeling resources toward spoiler candidates—diluting strength and handing advantages to the DFL syndicate looting our treasury.
If we truly want to change course and take back our state for all Minnesotans—not just the connected few—we must act with righteous resolve. Put pride aside. Set egos down. Look through a lens of faith, truth, and service to the republic.
I urge every Republican—especially those in statewide races—to publicly call on MNGOP leadership to make one of these adjustments immediately:
Option A: Do not hold a state endorsement convention at all for statewide races. Let candidates compete openly in the primary, allowing voters—not a compressed insider process—to decide. This eliminates incentives for covert deals, reduces spoiler risks, broadens appeal to independents and disillusioned voters, and focuses energy on defeating the DFL in November.
Option B (my strong personal recommendation): Move the state convention for statewide endorsements to April 11, 2026. This provides essential breathing room before the June 2 filing deadline: time for thoughtful deliberation, genuine unity-building, strategy against potential spoilers, and a stronger, more cohesive ticket heading into the primary. It signals to Minnesotans that we’re committed to transparency, fairness, and winning—not last-minute manipulations.
I strongly recommend Option B because it preserves the party’s endorsing tradition while fixing the fatal timing flaw. An April convention gives us months to rally, heal divisions, and build momentum—turning potential chaos into coordinated strength for the republic.
Additional steps we can take together:
• Commit publicly to forensic audits of party finances and endorsing processes to root out any pay-to-play remnants.
• Host open, neutral forums for statewide candidates to debate without stacked audiences or incentives.
• Prioritize outreach beyond echo chambers: town halls in every region, focusing on the fraud, family protection, accountability, and safety issues Minnesotans demand.
This isn’t about one candidate or faction—it’s about all of us choosing integrity over comfort. Grace and mercy are available for repentance and redirection. I extend the Expanded Park Rapids Pledge once more: Join me in a pre-convention alliance for statewide races, sign it live, campaign clean, and dismantle the syndicate together.
Minnesotans deserve better. They deserve leaders who fight for them—all of them—with spines of steel and unbreakable faith. Republicans: rise up, call on leadership, put pride aside, and demand these changes. The time is now to take back our state for the constitutional republic we love.
In service to Minnesota and guided by my Savior Jesus,
Phillip C. Parrish
2026 Republican Candidate for Governor of Minnesota
phillip@parrish4mn.com | (612) 460-1717
X: @phillipcparrish
Campaign Manager: Heidi Wanty – heidi@parrish4mn.com
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