On Friday, October 28, during a Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) governor debate, conservative governor candidate Scott Jensen once again spread conspiracies and touted his extreme agenda.
During the debate, Jensen deflected attention from his extreme plan to ban abortion, spread dangerous COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and repeated his plan to cut taxes for the wealthy at the expense of public schools.
In case you missed it, here’s what you need to know:
Scott Jensen would still try to ban abortion
During the MPR debate, Scott Jensen tried to deflect attention from his extreme plan to ban abortion, but we’re not falling for it.
Time and again, Scott Jensen has made it clear that he would ban abortion if elected governor of Minnesota.
In an MPR interview in March 2022, Scott Jensen said, “I would try to ban abortion.”
In an interview with WCCO Radio in May 2022, Scott Jensen stated that he would ban abortion without exceptions for rape or incest. And in the same interview, Jensen said he would sign any legislation restricting abortion that would come to his desk as governor.
Jensen received a 100% rating from an extreme anti-choice organization, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL). He said on the campaign trail that he would rubberstamp their agenda and “sign anything that they [MCCL] said that we should do.”
In a YouTube video posted by Scott Jensen in April 2022, he stated, “We’re going to ban abortions. That’s really not news.”
Scott Jensen will cut taxes for the wealthy at the expense of public schools
During the MPR debate, Scott Jensen confirmed his plans to decimate our public schools and put tax breaks for the wealthy over the needs of Minnesota families.
Jensen wants to eliminate the state income tax, which would create a $15 billion hole in the state budget every year and would primarily benefit the wealthiest Minnesotans.
The state income tax funds programs like early childhood and K-12 education, transportation, health care, higher education, and public safety. Jensen’s plan to eliminate the state income tax would require slashing funding for things like schools and health care, steep increases to sales and property taxes, or both.
Scott Jensen has also said that public education is “a black hole” and he would put “less money” into Minnesota schools as governor.
Scott Jensen continues to spread dangerous COVID-19 conspiracy theories
During the MPR debate, Scott Jensen once again promoted reckless misinformation about COVID-19.
The Minnesota state medical board has already investigated Scott Jensen for spreading COVID-19 conspiracy theories and giving reckless medical advice. And in June 2022, Scott Jensen threatened the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice with political retaliation for their investigation if elected governor.
In December 2020, Kaiser Health News called Scott Jensen’s COVID-19 comments the “Lie of the Year.” That same month, the Washington Post also fact-checked Jensen’s lies.
In a 2020 Star Tribune story, the director of medical ethics at New York University’s school of medicine called Jensen’s COVID-19 comments problematic and politically driven.
And in 2021, Scott Jensen joined a group of right-wing doctors trying to block the use of the COVID vaccine in 12 to 15-year-olds.
Help us hold Scott Jensen accountable
Scott Jensen threatens to bring extreme policies to our state that are wildly out of touch with the needs of Minnesotans and dangerous for our families, schools, and communities. Minnesotans deserve far better than Scott Jensen.
Sign up now to help us hold Jensen accountable.
