Press Release

This week, Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen’s first ad hit the airwaves. The ad attempts to obfuscate Jensen’s view on abortion in an attempt to walk back his ticket’s extreme and archaic remarks about women and abortions. This heavy-handed attempt at revisionism was not lost on the media, both local and national, who have been highlighting Jensen’s ad and flip-flop on abortion.

Here’s what national & state media outlets are saying about Jensen’s ad:

The Washington Post:

“Democrats have pounced on the ad, noting past comments from Jensen on abortion, including from a March radio interview, before he won the GOP nomination, in which he said he would ‘try to ban abortion’ in Minnesota.”

MSNBC– All In with Chris Hayes:

“Jensen is running for governor of Minnesota, also currently running as fast as he can away from his previous, extreme positions on abortion.”

Newsweek:

“Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen has been the subject of criticism and mockery this week after the Republican released an ad showing him holding a baby and saying that abortion was protected under the state’s constitution.”

Twin Cities Pioneer Press:

“Jensen has softened or limited his statements on abortion since earlier this year, before the August primary and the June overturning of Roe. In a Minnesota Public Radio interview this spring, he said he would try to ban abortion and did not support exceptions. On the day the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Birk told an anti-abortion group he did not support abortions for rape victims because ‘two wrongs won’t make a right.’”

Minnesota Public Radio:

“[Jensen] closes by saying he wants to bring the focus back to public safety, education and inflation. But that he is talking about abortion in his opening ad demonstrates that the issue is exacting a political toll on his campaign. Jensen has gone from saying he’d support a full ban on abortion to laying out exceptions in cases of assault or when a mother’s life is at risk.”

Bring Me the News:

“In the ad, Jensen doesn’t actually acknowledge whether he is for or against abortion, but his past comments show he is against it, and would likely take efforts to restrict it were he to become governor of Minnesota.”

Minnesotans are smarter than Jensen gives them credit for and understand this ad as a desperate attempt to change the narrative around his previous, unabashed support for a full ban on abortion in all cases.