In order to maintain the corrupt St. Paul Swamp, the RINO Establishment protects itself with the House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC) as a tool to sabotage grassroots conservative candidates and support unendorsed RINO career politician incumbents. A4L now learns that the HRCC is demanding $25K in order to be a part of leadership.

The HRCC is a party unit of the MNGOP, despite previous denial and eventual admittance on this topic by Establishment Rep. Walter Hudson (30A). As a party unit, the HRCC is obligated to abide by the endorsements of Republican party units on all races, most notably, the state House races. Article IV, Section 8 of the MNGOP bylaws states “No Party Officer shall use their official position to promote pre-primary endorsement support or induce the candidacy of any individual by assuring Party support prior to any endorsement by the convention which is representative of the entire electorate for the office.”

To provide further evidence of the HRCC existing as a party unit of the MNGOP, look no further than the category the HRCC belongs to in Campaign Finance Board (CFB) reporting because they are under the category called party unit! This means they must abide by MNGOP bylaws and the party’s endorsements. The HRCC’s desperate desire to work outside of MNGOP endorsements, especially in deep red districts for RINO incumbents, proves they are working against the interests of Republican voters. 

So who are the party officers of the HRCC? Are they elected by the GOP Representatives? Do they have a Constitution or bylaws governing their actions?

The party officers of the HRCC would likely include its Chair Lisa Demuth (13A), the Treasurer Paul Torkelson (15B), and steering committee members who A4L is told includes Harry Niska (31A) and Josh Heintzeman (6B). A4L is also told that these ‘leaders’ were not elected. On episodes of the Truth Hurts, both Rep. Walter Hudson (30A) and Rep. Mike Weiner (5B) said they had never seen HRCC bylaws and were unsure how HRCC leadership was decided.

A4L has been told that a meeting was held this month led by Speaker Lisa Demuth with GOP Representatives concerning HRCC issues raised by members (including that there are no bylaws or a Constitution governing the HRCC and some desire to make the HRCC focus only on general elections) at a hotel down the road from A4L Headquarters. A4L is told that Demuth required GOP Reps pay $10K in 2025 and $15K in 2026 ($25K in total), volunteer at 15 HRCC events, and then put in an application subject to approval by the HRCC in order to be on the steering committee! A4L was informed that 4 Representatives have put in applications. So even if a Rep. fork over the money, the RINOs running the HRCC can deny them!

This is a corrupt pay-to-play scheme that requires big donations to a group working against the interests of Republican endorsed candidates. Do we want a system where $25K to a corrupt party unit buys politicians more power?

Ironically, Josh Heintzeman and Harry Niska did not pay $25K in 2023 and 2024 according to CFB reports which means they do not meet the requirements to serve in the HRCC if the $25K requirement is truly a rule. In 2023-2024, Niska gave $15,300 and Heintzeman gave $20,200. Demuth and Torkelson surpassed $25K in donations from 2023-2024. According to the June 2025 HRCC CFB report, Demuth has given $5K, Heintzeman has given $2,500, and Niska and Torkelson have given nothing. This means all 4 of the mentioned Reps do not meet their own requirements to run the HRCC unless they’ve donated big money since the June report which covers 2025 up to May 31.

As mentioned earlier, there is no Constitution or bylaws for the HRCC and A4L is told there was debate about giving the HRCC bylaws and requiring that the HRCC abides by GOP endorsements. Reportedly, RINO Ron Kresha (10A) argued that bylaws would handcuff the HRCC and cause the GOP to lose, even going as far as to say that that certain members aren't ready for the Majority in the House. Harry Niska also reportedly opposed bylaws and defended the HRCC protecting unendorsed RINO incumbents by saying “We can’t leave a soldier behind.” This means that the HRCC does not care who conservative Republican delegates endorse at state House endorsing conventions, the HRCC will back the Establishment incumbents no matter what We the People say.

The HRCC has gone out of its way to work against the endorsement process and are only seeking to protect unendorsed incumbents to maintain the corrupt status quo. In deep red districts, the HRCC protected RINO Ron Kresha against Aikin County farmer Diane Webb Skillings, RINO Brian Johnson against then-challenger now-incumbent Jimmy Gordon (28A), and RINO Greg Davids (26B) against conservative challenger Gary Steuart. Despite mass mailers and other HRCC spending, Skillings was only 35 votes behind Kresha (closest primary election in MN for 2024), Jimmy Gordon won his primary by 32%, and Gary Steuart got over 47% of the vote against Greg Davids (who Walz recently said should be an example that Trump and other DC Republicans should act more like). When Walz praises big government RINOs like Davids, Demuth, Torkelson for passing the 2nd largest budget in MN history while the HRCC does too, you realize the Uniparty is in full effect.

MNGOP leadership should take immediate action to reclaim this swampy legislative party unit. Until that is done, the MNGOP and GOP Reps must quit funding the HRCC. The MNGOP has given the HRCC $135K from 2023-2025 and has shielded this party unit from abiding by endorsements.

The HRCC must be dissolved as the legitimate House GOP party unit since it will not exclusively support candidates endorsed by the MNGOP. The HRCC must then be replaced with a legislative party unit that agrees to abide by party endorsements and uses funds for the sole purpose of electing Republican candidates in state House swing district general elections. In addition, the pay-to-play scheme must end and the House GOP caucus members must be able to elect their own leadership.

The following incumbent Reps have given money to the HRCC in 2025, 2024, and 2023 according to CFB reports. If you donated to any of these candidates, your dollars may have been spent protecting unendorsed career politicians RINOs in red district primaries. See below:

Jan. 1 to May 31, 2025: Jeff Backer (9A) - $500. Dave Baker (16B) - $2K. Matt Bliss (2B) $2.5K. Lisa Demuth (13A) - $5K. Josh Heintzeman (6B) - $2.5K. Paul Novotny (30B) - $500. Tim O'Driscoll (13B) - $2.5K. Kristin Robbins (37A) - $2.5K. Max Rymer (28B) - $3K. Erica Schwartz (18A) - $350. Peggy Scott (31B) - $1,050. Roger Skraba (3A) - $1.1K.

2024: Keith Allen (19A) - $3.2K. Pam Altendorf (20A) - $7.2K. Patti Anderson (33A) $8,250. Paul Anderson (12A) $10K. Jeff Backer (9A) - $4K. Ben Bakeberg (54B) - $10.2K. Dave Baker (16B) - $67.5K. Peggy Bennett (23A) - $17K. Matt Bliss (2B) - $2.5K. John Burkel () - $2.2K. Lisa Demuth (13A) - $25K. Mary Franson (12B) - $18.7K. Dawn Gillman (17A) - $5.2K. Bobbie Harder (17B) - $1.1K. Josh Heintzeman (6B) - $20.2K. Walter Hudson (30A) - $2,650. Spencer Igo (7A) - $8,625. Jim Joy (4B) - $1.1K. Krista Knudsen (5A) - $1K. John Koznick (57A) - $6.6K. Bryan Lawrence (27B) - $1K. Shane Mekeland (27A) - $1K. Patti Mueller () - $250. Tom Murphy (9B) - $1,150. Jim Nash (48A) - $16,605. Nathan Nelson (11B) - $15K. Harry Niska (31A) - $14.2K. Paul Novotny (30B) - $22.2K. Tim O'Driscoll (13B) - $12,650. Bjorn Olson (22A) - $8,751. Marrion Rarick (29B) - $30K. Duane Quam (24A) - $1K. Kristin Robbins (37A) - $21,250. Isaac Schultz (10B) - $30.5K. Peggy Scott (31B) - $15,150. Tom Sexton (19B) - $300. Terry Stier (22B) - $250. Chris Swedzinski (15A) - $10.3K. Paul Torkelson (15B) - $8,550. Cal Warwas (7B) - $300. Nolan West (32A) - $26K.   

2023: Pam Altendorf (20A) - $1,050. Patti Anderson (33A) - $500. Paul Anderson (12A) - $2,050. Jeff Backer (9A) - $5.7K. Ben Bakeberg (54B) - $1K. Dave Baker (16B) - $6,850. Peggy Bennett (23A) - $5,150. Matt Bliss (2B) - $350. Lisa Demuth (13A) - $8,250. Greg Davids (26B) - $500. Ben Davis (6A) - $3K. Dawn Gillman (17A) - $2,750. Tom Dippel (41B) - $2K. Mary Franson (12B) - $2.5K. Bobbie Harder (17B) - $600. Harry Niska (31A) - $1,100. Walter Hudson (30A) - $1K. Spencer Igo (7A) - 5,650. Steven Jacob (20B) - $1K. Joe McDonald () - $2.5K. Jim Joy (4B) - $500. Jon Koznick (57A) - $2.1K. Kristin Robbins (37A) - $7.7K. Jim Nash () $1.3K. Paul Novotny (30B) - $3.3K. Bjorn Olson (22A) - $2,950. Bernie Perryman (14A) - $1.3K. Isaac Schultz (10B) - $2,650. Peggy Scott (31B) - $1.1K. Chris Swedzinksi (15A) - $350. Paul Torkelson (15B) - $10.1K. Nolan West (32A) - $5K. Jeff Witte (57B) - $500. 

Action 4 Liberty will continue leading MN’s grassroots conservative movement by exposing the corruption of our state’s government and politics. Protecting liberty for the next generation requires uprooting institutions of corruption and that is exactly what A4L will continue doing.