KEITH ELLISON

Running for reelection, Ellison spoke strongly in support of the clinic and a woman’s right to choose on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

A group called Mothers Offering Maternal Support is attempting to intervene after Ramsey County Judge Thomas Gilligan in July tossed several laws restricting abortion, including a 24-hour wait period and a requirement for minors to notify both parents before getting the procedure. Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison, who backs abortion rights, declined to file an appeal in the case, arguing his office had spent three years and more than half a million dollars defending the laws in the case Doe v. Minnesota.

Now confronted with a challenge from the other side of the abortion debate, Republican nominee for Minnesota attorney general Jim Schultz continues to downplay the issue’s importance in the race. He argues the attorney general’s office ultimately has very little influence over abortion policy in the state of Minnesota and said the question is fundamentally for the legislature to decide.

Critics say warnings over "post-abortion syndrome" are unsupported by the best evidence and that the state Positive Alternatives Grant Program should not be funding crisis pregnancy centers that endorse it.

The Associated Press called the race for Schultz at around 10:35 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9. With 73% of precincts reporting, Schultz had 54% of the vote, with candidate Doug Wardlow at 35%. Perennial candidate Sharon Anderson had around 12% of the vote.

The two candidates in the Republican primary for attorney general are political newcomer Jim Schultz and 2018 candidate Doug Wardlow. Incumbent Keith Ellison is the likely DFL nominee.

Traverse County Attorney Matthew Franzese is petitioning Ramsey County District Court Judge Thomas Gilligan to intervene in a case that ended Minnesota abortion restrictions, including a 24-hour wait period. Attorney General Keith Ellison, who was defending the state’s laws in that case, announced last week he would not appeal the ruling.

Keith Ellison has joined other attorneys general in an Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force investigating “gateway providers” that sell access to U.S. telephone networks. The ultimate goal is to bring legal action against the companies and cut down on illegal robocalls.

Minnesota has reached several other settlements with opioid companies over the last two and a half years that have brought the state hundreds of millions of dollars.