As Minnesota emerges at the center of both an ICE agent‑involved fatal shooting in Minneapolis and a massive fraud scandal, former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze is seizing the moment to introduce himself as a candidate for U.S. Senate. Appearing on Breitbart News Saturday with Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle, Schwarze framed his campaign as a call to action for Minnesotans and the rest of the nation.
Throughout the broadcast, Schwarze focused on the contrast between his conservative platform and what he described as the extreme leftward trajectory of the Democrat contenders in the race, including Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, Representative Angie Craig, and former State Senate Minority Leader Melissa López Franzen. Schwarze noted that Franzen had dropped out of the race and predicted that Flanagan would be the nominee, asserting that Angie Craig is “too Schumer, too Washington, D.C.” and therefore not aligned with the party’s “socialist base.”
He stated that Flanagan, widely expected to secure the Democrat nomination, is running “as an open socialist,” with endorsements from Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Schwarze contended that the Democrat Party in Minnesota is moving away from traditional representation and toward centralized, party-controlled nominations. He compared this process to how Kamala Harris became Vice President, saying, “I’ve already won more primaries in my entire adult life than Kamala has,” underscoring his claim that Democrats are “anointing a candidate” rather than allowing voters to choose in open primaries.
Schwarze called the ICE shooting a consequence of what he characterized as a collapse of law and order in Minneapolis, saying, “You have this tragedy occur because they are causing an insurrection within Minneapolis right now.” He blamed “failed leadership” by Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing them of “stoking the flames” and “fanning the flames.”
Describing the situation on the ground, Schwarze said, “Within Minneapolis right now, there’s crime, there’s looting, once again, there’s people breaking into private property, the hotels last night.” He contended that local law enforcement had effectively vacated the scene, leaving only ICE as the last line of order. According to Schwarze, this environment—amplified by false narratives and political interference—serves as “a warning to everybody across America” of what happens under poor leadership and inaction. Drawing on his service as a Navy SEAL, he compared Minnesota’s current situation to a red star cluster—a military signal flare meant to alert allies to imminent danger.
Schwarze also touched on the fraud linked to Somali‑run organizations in Minnesota, arguing that the diversion of federal funds should concern voters nationwide. “Those billions of dollars are your listeners’ money, their federal tax dollars that were being stolen by the Walz and Flanagan administration,” he explained. Running to replace Smith, he also claimed, “Tina Smith, although she’s stepping down now, she was with insider trade and fraud herself, so she was not electable. That’s why she stepped down.”
On the campaign front, Schwarze positioned himself as the Republican frontrunner, noting that he was the first statewide candidate to report raising $1 million and suggesting he will likely report more cash on hand than any other GOP contender. “The contrast could not be greater,” he remarked. “You could have me—of ten-year infantry Marine, eleven-year Navy SEAL—running as a constitutional conservative, somebody who’s running on life, liberty, freedom, somebody of faith and character.”
Schwarze’s military service began the day he turned 18, just weeks after the 9/11 attacks. He served in all five phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom, conducted overseas diplomatic security missions, and later became a commissioned SEAL officer. His deployments have included high-stakes missions targeting adversaries such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
He praised former President Trump’s first-term foreign policy, especially the elimination of ISIS and the Abraham Accords, and called for strong national defense leadership in the Senate. “I know what good leadership looks like, and that’s why I’m running,” Schwarze said.
Looking ahead to November, Schwarze expressed confidence that the GOP can win in Minnesota—a state that hasn’t voted Republican in a presidential race since 1972 but where Trump has come close. “Navy SEALs don’t get into fights they’re not going to win,” he told Boyle. “We are 7-for-7 in federal general elections. I will win.”
Breitbart News Saturday airs on SiriusXM Patriot 125 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern.