Conservative US Senate nominee and former NBA player Royce White defeated Navy veteran Joe Fraser in Minnesota's Republican primary on Tuesday and will challenge Sen. Amy Klobuchar of the Democratic Alliance in November.
Former Sacramento Kings player Royce White received 38% of the vote to Fraser's 29% in Minnesota.
With more than three-quarters of the votes counted Tuesday night, White received 38% of the vote to Fraser's 29%, according to the New York Times, via the Associated Press.
“Thank you to every Minnesotan who voted in today's primary,” White wrote in X. “I am honored by your support during this critical time in our nation's history. For years, Republicans have talked about expanding our tent and focusing on the Twin Cities Metro.
Thank you to every Minnesotan who voted in tonight's election. I am honored by your support at this critical time in our nation's history.
For years, Republicans have talked about expanding our tent and focusing on the Twin Cities Metro. I am committed to… pic.twitter.com/T6I0E4DoTD
— Royce White 🇺🇸 (@Highway_30) August 14, 2024
“I am committed to growing the base, bringing disenfranchised Democrats into the tent, and uniting all conservatives in Minnesota. By doing this, we will deliver President Trump a victory in November. Together we will bring the fight to free Amy Klobuchar. “
White, 33, was a first-round pick by the Houston Rockets in the 2012 NBA draft. The 6-foot-8, 260-pounder was a power forward out of Iowa State. However, he did not play for Houston, citing mental health issues and refusing to fly to road games with the team.
Klobuchar won the 2016 election with 24 percent
During his rookie season, Royce White revealed his Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which is mainly caused by a fear of flying. He signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings in 2013, playing three games, but was eventually released before spending several years overseas.
White also played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and Reno Bighorns of the NBA G League. From 2016 to 2018, he played for the London Lightning of the NBL Canada, winning the championship and the MVP award.
As a player, White has also been a consistent advocate for mental health awareness in sports. Although the Minneapolis native is eyeing a future in mixed martial arts, he lost his only professional fight in 2021.
White ran and lost in the GOP primary for a US House seat in 2022. He argues that as a black man, he can expand the party's base by wooing voters of color in the Minneapolis-St. This is Paul's place.
However, he now faces a long odds against Klobuchar, who has served as a member of parliament since 2007. Klobuchar last won the 2016 general election by 24 percent.
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