Scott Jensen topped the Republican field for governor at precinct caucuses Tuesday night, and the physician and former state senator also leads his party’s money chase. More on the money down the page. Here’s Brian Bakst on the caucuses:   Jensen, who has based his campaign on opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates, won by a commanding margin among six Republicans listed on caucus ballots – taking 38 percent. Everybody else was bunched in the teens or below. “Minnesotans are engaging and they’re saying we can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing. People see me as a person who is willing to speak for the common everyday person.” State Sen. Paul Gazelka, the second-place finisher, said there’s still time before the Republican Party Convention in May to make the case that he and not Jensen is the best candidate. “It’s going to be competitive. We’ll draw the distinctions,” Gazelka said. “He had a half a year to talk to people about defining me, and now I will be able to define him. And in the end, may the best person win.” Jensen said he expects to be on the receiving end of attacks. “As a family doctor who has had a wonderful career of working with my patients, to be put in this situation where you are sort of hoping you might get the thick skin of an aardvark or an elephant, it’s hard,” he said.

Gov. Tim Walz has a big fundraising edge over his GOP rivals, but DFL Attorney General Keith Ellison is in a tight money race. MPR’s David Montgomery breaks it down: As of Dec. 31, Walz had $3.6 million in his campaign account as he seeks a second term as Minnesota’s governor. That’s more than twice as much as all his would-be Republican opponents combined, as they launch into a competitive primary battle to be the GOP nominee. Another DFL incumbent with a big cash advantage is Secretary of State Steve Simon, who has more than $460,000 in his war chest. None of Simon’s declared rivals has more than 10 percent of that on hand.  But incumbent Attorney General Keith Ellison is in a much tighter financial race. Ellison’s nearest GOP rival, Dennis Smith, has nearly as much money as he does, and the declared Republican candidates together have combined to outraise Ellison. On the GOP side in the governor’s race Jensen has the most cash on hand, with about $807,000 after raising more than $1.2 million in 2021.

The Star Tribune noted that DFL U.S. Rep. Angie Craig widened her financial advantage over Republican Tyler Kistner. Kistner lost a close race to Craig in 2020. Craig's campaign reported raising about $876,000 from the start of October to the end of December, leaving the incumbent's campaign with more than $2.9 million to defend her swing district seat.  Kistner, the only GOP challenger to emerge against Craig so far, reported raising $310,000 in the past financial quarter. He trails Craig in cash on hand, with his campaign disclosing it had more than $170,000 at the end of the year.

From MPR’s Tim Nelson: Former Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek announced a run for governor Tuesday, hours before Minnesotans attended precinct caucuses.  Stanek is a well known figure in politics and policing. He is a former Minneapolis police officer, Republican state legislator and public safety commissioner. He narrowly lost a reelection bid as sheriff in 2018.  He announced his challenge to DFL incumbent Tim Walz on a campaign website, saying he believes Democrats are allowing lawlessness and waging what he calls an "all out war on law enforcement." In a video announcing his run he vowed as governor to protect public safety, privacy, gun rights and what he called "conservative values."  In 2004 Stanek stepped down from his position as public safety commissioner in then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s administration after a 1989 court case came to light that revealed Stanek had used racial slurs. Two years later, he was elected Hennepin County sheriff.

And the Pioneer Press reports that a group of GOP senators has asked the legislative auditor to look into the Minnesota Department of Education’s management of two federal food programs at the center of what the FBI has called a “massive fraud.” The FBI’s investigation into the nonprofit food program sponsor Feeding Our Future “has us deeply concerned” about the department’s management of federal funds, Sen. Roger Chamberlain, Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, Sen. Michelle Benson and Sen. Mark Koran said in a letter Thursday to the state government’s watchdog agency.