MINNEAPOLIS — Three Minnesota congressmen and one U.S. Senate candidate who flew on Air Force One with President Donald Trump shortly before he tested positive for the coronavirus moved quickly to get tested Friday, as did other political figures who came close to the president during his visit to Minnesota this week.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem also crossed paths with Trump on Wednesday when she attended a Minneapolis-area fundraiser. Spokesman Ian Fury said Noem was "not a close contact" of Trump or anyone else who tested positive.
Republican U.S. Reps. Tom Emmer, Jim Hagedorn and Pete Stauber flew with the president to and from his rally in Duluth on Wednesday night. Hagedorn, who is being treated for kidney cancer, posted a photo of the three of them on his Facebook page.
GOP Senate candidate Jason Lewis, a former congressman, was part of the greeting committee at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport when Trump arrived Wednesday afternoon, along with Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, his wife Maralee and House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt. Lewis also accompanied Trump to Duluth on Air Force One. They all stood near Trump on the tarmac as they spoke and posed for pictures for about five minutes, but did not shake hands, according to Daudt.
None of them wore masks at the time, video of the arrival showed. All four of them got tested Tuesday in preparation for Trump's visit and came out negative.
Lewis spokeswoman Christine Snell said his campaign "isn't missing a beat" and that he had a packed day of virtual events Friday, including a debate with incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith.
"The Congressman is feeling fine and displaying no symptoms, but out of an abundance of caution he has already begun the self quarantine process and will be getting COVID tested as soon as possible," Snell said in a news release.
Emmer, who chairs the House GOP campaign arm, said in a statement that he was not experiencing symptoms but had gotten tested and expected to get the results within 24 hours. Emmer told KSTP-TV that he did not attend the president's fundraiser in Shorewood, and that he stayed on Air Force One with Stauber and Hagedorn watching baseball before flying to Duluth. He said they were kept separate from the crowd at the rally as a precaution.
Hagedorn's office said in a statement that he expected got get his test results back later Friday, and that he had spoken directly with Dr. Brian Monahan, the congressional attending physician.
"Because Congressman Hagedorn's interactions with the president and others who tested positive did not meet the criteria of close contact — within a distance of six feet for a duration of more than 15 minutes — Dr. Monahan advised the congressman to continue his official duties, such as voting on the House floor, wear a mask, and delay air travel until the results of his COVID-19 test are confirmed as 'negative,'" the statement said,
Stauber also said he contacted the attending physician and was following his recommendations, including getting retested Friday.
Daudt said in a statement that he was not experiencing any symptoms, but that he was getting retested Friday and would remain in self-quarantine until results come back. He did not attend the fundraiser in Shorewood, which was at the home of Martin Davis, a prominent GOP donor whose businesses include Cambria USA, a quartz countertop maker.
Davis did not immediately respond to a request for comment placed through his company.
Gazelka's spokeswoman said he was feeling fine Friday morning, but following state and federal health guidelines and advice from his doctor would get tested and begin quarantining at home. He told WCCO Radio that both he and his wife were in close contact with Trump, and that the would self-quarantine for two weeks.
The chairwoman of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Jennifer Carnahan, who is married to Hagedorn, issued a statement saying she was not at any of the events involving Trump in Minnesota due to a busy campaign schedule that took her elsewhere. She abruptly canceled a news conference she had scheduled for Friday to react to the news about the president.
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October 02, 2020 at 11:22PM
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Minnesota politicians who got close to Trump seek testing - Minneapolis Star Tribune
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