Basketball Player Royce White Wins Republican Senate Primary in Minnesota

White defeated establishment candidate Joe Fraser by a 9.2 percent margin after receiving many top endorsements from populist Republicans

Royce White (L) greets attendees before a rally in St Cloud, Minnesota on July 27, 2024. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS—Royce White, a former professional basketball player and radio host, won the Republican primary on Aug. 13 for Minnesota’s U.S. Senate election in November against Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

White, who has attracted attention for controversial comments about Judaism and Israel, won the primary with 38.5 percent of the vote, according to The Associated Press. He defeated former U.S. Navy intelligence officer Joe Fraser, who secured 29.3 percent of the vote.