New Minnesota state flag becomes partisan issue in 2024 [View all]

Minnesota Republican leaders are ramping up their opposition to the new state flag, hoping to turn anger over the redesign into a election-year issue.

Rep. Bjorn Olson, R-Fairmont, and Sen. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, both nonvoting members of the State Emblems Redesign Commission, plan to introduce legislation in the upcoming session to put the final design to a vote of the public in the fall.

The Secretary of State's Office has raised questions about whether such legislation is constitutional. But both legislators said they felt the process was rushed — the commission had to decide on a new flag and seal design in four months — and the public didn't get enough chances to testify in front of the commission.

Earlier this month, David Hann, the chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota, also denounced the new state flag along with Deputy Chair Donna Bergstrom, arguing that the old flag was historically significant and arguing that the DFL is on a "quest to erase our history." They're raising money by selling "don't PC our flag" and "erasing history" T-shirts on the party's website.

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https://www.startribune.com/new-state-flag-becomes-partisan-issue-in-2024/600339023/