Shelisa Demuth Critiques Mother Lisa's Political Views Amid Campaign

Shelisa Demuth, the daughter of Minnesota GOP gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth, has once again distanced herself from her mother’s political views, this time making a comparison to former President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Shelisa shared a link to a Minnesota Public Radio article that discussed Lisa Demuth’s position on the state’s affordable housing crisis, suggesting that her stance mirrored that of Democratic candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar. In her post on Threads, she stated, "One of these candidates sounds like Trump and the other sounds like she’s considered the topic more than once before and perhaps has studied the issue with experts who can advise on it. I’ll let you decide who’s who."

Lisa Demuth, who currently serves as the Speaker of the Minnesota House, recently secured the Republican nomination for governor, defeating notable candidates including MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, a staunch Trump supporter, and healthcare executive Kendall Qualls. Shelisa, a strategic communications executive and survivor of a 2003 school shooting, has previously criticized her mother’s conservative policies, particularly regarding gun control. In January, she took issue with Lisa’s condemnation of protesters who disrupted a church service to protest Trump’s immigration policies, asserting, "Injustice to anyone is injustice to everyone. You should be outraged."

In May, Shelisa publicly denounced her mother’s decision to defer a gun control bill that would regulate the sale of semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines, which had recently passed in the Minnesota Senate. She tweeted, "Imagine being the first House Speaker in state history who is also the mother of two school shooting victims and conveniently deferring a gun control bill to the next legislative session." Shelisa corrected herself in a follow-up post, clarifying that she and her sister were survivors, not victims.

The Common Sense Test

In a May 20 op-ed for The Minnesota Star Tribune, she elaborated on her concerns, stating, "Professionally, my mother prides herself on being fair. She is now running for governor, an office that will require her to bring opponents to the table to negotiate the tough issues, not avoid them. The session she just closed will be her legacy as speaker." Shelisa emphasized that the question of gun control transcends party lines, affecting every parent who sends their child to school and every community member attending vigils for victims.

This familial rift highlights the broader ideological divides within the Republican Party and raises questions about the direction of Minnesota's political landscape as the gubernatorial race heats up. The tension between Lisa Demuth’s conservative platform and her daughter’s progressive critiques illustrates the complexities of modern political identity, especially within families. As the campaign progresses, it remains to be seen how these personal and political dynamics will influence voter perceptions and the overall election outcome.