David Sturrock explained part of the county convention process to Lyon County Republicans gathered in Marshall on Saturday. Lyon County Republicans co-chair Rick Konold prepared to note down delegates for upcoming conventions.

MARSHALL — Concerns like fraud in state government were on the minds of people gathered at the Lyon County Republican convention on Saturday.

State Sen. Gary Dahms said he thought it was spurring participation in the convention process.

“Looking out at this crowd, I think it’s been one of the bigger ones for a while. But I’ve been noticing that in other county conventions too, that the attendees are more than what we’ve seen in the past,” Dahms, R-Redwood Falls, told Republicans gathered at the Marshall Area YMCA for the Lyon County Convention.

It was a positive sign, Dahms said.

“It appears to me that the public, that the constituents are saying, ‘You know what, it’s time to get involved.’ Things that are going on at the state are probably getting people kind of irritated and upset.”

County conventions are part of the process for Minnesota political parties to choose delegates for upcoming district and state conventions, and endorse political candidates. The next steps after Saturday’s county convention would be the Republican endorsing convention for Minnesota Senate District 15, and the Congressional District 7 convention on April 25. Organizers said the SD 15 endorsing convention will be held in Belview. The CD 7 convention will be in Marshall.

Before getting down to the business of choosing convention delegates, Lyon County Republicans heard updates from area legislators, and brief speeches from three candidates running for Minnesota state Senate in District 15.

Dahms said the topic of fraud in state programs was an issue that would continue to be important for Minnesota.

“We do have several of these agencies that are being investigated by the federal government, but what’s happening is that (Gov. Tim) Walz has instructed his commissioners not to give a lot of information out,” Dahms said. “We have, I think it’s $250 million that’s not being sent out for Medicare from federal (government). The reason that’s not coming out is because the departments will not participate or work with the federal investigators to give them the information they need.”

“Hopefully the governor realizes pretty soon here that if he starts releasing that information, there’s going to be a lot less money withheld from the federal government,” Dahms said.

Dahms said upcoming Minnesota elections would also be important for Republican voters to try and prevent state deficits starting in 2028.

Minnesota state Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent, also gave a brief update on the current legislative session.

“Democrats are still dropping bad bills to be heard in committee,” Swedzinski said. “We just had a press conference last week, Democrats dropped a bill that would essentially go after petroleum manufacturers. So, you know, get companies that make gasoline and create an environmental superfund, essentially go back over 20 years any damage done, whether it’s water and sewer projects, whether it’s bridges, whether it’s buildings, look at the damage that the government had to pay for, go after petroleum manufacturers and levy a tax on them to pay for it.”

Swedzinski said the bill would create a chilling effect on the rural economy. He also raised concerns about the impact of Minnesota’s new Earned Sick and Safe Time and Paid Family Leave legislation.

Each of the three area candidates running for the SD 15 seat said fraud in state government was something they wanted to address.

“I will fight for an inspector general with real teeth, mandatory audits, swift prosecutions and full restitution so that we as taxpayers get our money back,” said candidate Braxton Seifert.

Seifert said he was running to help bring opportunity back to Minnesota residents.

“We need to start telling the government what to do, rather than the government telling us what to do,” Seifert said.

Seifert said he would also fight for a lower cost of living, and strong education in Minnesota.

SD 15 candidate Tiffany Lesmeister-Knott said waste, fraud and abuse were key concerns she heard from voters when she was door-knocking for Republican campaigns in western Minnesota.

“If the state would run the state like we run our townships – we spend money on roads, bridges and the core function of government, and every penny is accounted for – the state would be in a whole different matter. And with my knowledge and experience, we can help get that done,” she said.

Lesmeister-Knott said her knowledge and experience would be an asset in St. Paul.

“I’ve been on the Seventh Congressional District board since 2017,” she said. “We helped retire Collin Peterson, get Michelle Fischbach elected and steadily turned the district to red.”

Lesmeister-Knott said she also was a coordinator of the Trump election campaign in western Minnesota in 2024.

SD 15 candidate Brian Mock briefly spoke about his background, being charged, incarcerated and later pardoned for involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots in Washington, D.C. While Mock said he has since been working to help inmates he said were being illegally held in prison, he also couldn’t overlook fraud occurring in Minnesota.

“That’s the big difference that I bring to the table,” Mock said. “I’m the only candidate I can see that’s really been tried. I’m the only one out here who’s actually gone out and listened to God and said, I’m going to make a difference. And I’ve gone out there and I fought, I fought the system at the highest levels, and I’ve had success.”

“That same passion that I bring to that kind of reform is what I’m bringing here, and I have some concrete steps that are actually going to eliminate that fraud,” Mock said.