Controversial State Representative Ousted in Tuesday Primary

(KNSI) — Controversial Minnesota State Representative John Thompson is out of the running for re-election after Tuesday’s primary loss.

DFL challenger Liz Lee defeated him.

Thompson made headlines in 2020 before he was even elected after he went on a violent rampage following the death of George Floyd. Thompson hung and beat effigies of former Minneapolis Police Lieutenant Bob Kroll and his wife in the street outside of their home. He also unleashed a profanity-laced tirade in front of their neighbors – including small children – and threatened to burn down the city where they lived.

Allegations of domestic abuse against Thompson surfaced in 2021. He was named in four domestic abuse cases, including punching and choking women, sometimes in the presence of children.

Thompson also had two notable run-ins with St. Paul police during traffic stops.

The first happened in 2021 when he was pulled over for a license plate issue and was ticketed for a driver’s license violation. He alleged he was stopped because he was being racially profiled. The other happened in April 2022 after his daughter was pulled over for a moving violation. Thompson was accused of interfering with the traffic stop, screaming at the officer who stopped her, and using his position as an elected official to bully the officers at the scene.

His actions prompted his expulsion from the DFL caucus and several Democrats called for him to resign.

Lee will now face Republican candidate Beverly Peterson in the general election on November 8th.

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