Minnesota GOP pushes back election of new leader

Republican Party of Minnesota officials are pushing off a meeting of party delegates to elect a new chair.

A planned Aug. 30 meeting of Minnesota GOP delegates will not be counted as official, the party's deputy chair is telling members.

Instead, the party will hold an Oct. 2 meeting to elect a new chair. Former Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan resigned under pressure last week amid a scandal involving a big donor who was arrested for child sex trafficking. Carnahan was also accused of overseeing an organization where verbal abuse, intimidation and sexual harassment was pervasive, which she denies.

Party activists petitioned for the Aug. 30 meeting. But the GOP's Executive Committee met Tuesday and found issues with some signatures and therefore any business conducted Aug. 30 will not be recognized, deputy chair Carleton Crawford said.