Former NBA player Royce White wins Minnesota Republican Senate primary

Conservative U.S. Senate candidate and former NBA player Royce White defeated Navy veteran Joe Fraser in the Minnesota primary for the Republican nomination on Tuesday and will challenge Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November.

Former Sacramento Kings forward Royce White received 38% of the vote, compared to 29% for Fraser in Minnesota

After more than three-quarters of the votes were counted Tuesday night, White had received 38% of the vote and Fraser had received 29%, The New York Times reported, via the Associated Press.

“I thank every Minnesotan who voted in the primary tonight,” White wrote on X. “I am deeply honored to have your support during this critical time in our country’s history. For years, Republicans have talked about expanding our tent and focusing on the Twin Cities Metro.

I thank every Minnesotan who voted in the primary tonight. I am deeply honored to have your support during this critical time in our nation’s history.

For years, Republicans have talked about expanding our tent and focusing on the Twin Cities Metro. I am committed to… photo.twitter.com/T6I0E4DoTD

— Royce White 🇺🇸 (@Highway_30) August 14, 2024

“I am committed to growing the base, bringing disenfranchised Democrats into the fold, and uniting all conservatives in Minnesota. By doing so, we will deliver a victory for President Trump in November. Together, we will fight to unseat Amy Klobuchar.”

White, 33, was a first-round pick by the Houston Rockets in the 2012 NBA draft. The 6-foot-8, 260-pounder was a power forward out of Iowa State. He never played for Houston, citing mental health issues and refusing to travel with the team to away games.

Klobuchar won the 2016 election by 24 percentage points

During his rookie season, Royce White revealed he had generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which is primarily caused by a fear of flying. He signed multiple 10-day contracts with the Sacramento Kings in 2013, playing in three games, but was eventually cut before playing a few years overseas.

White also played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Reno Bighorns of the NBA G League. From 2016 to 2018, he played for the London Lightning of the NBL Canada, where he won a championship and an MVP award.

As a player, White was also an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness in sports. Although the Minneapolis native considered a future in mixed martial arts, he lost his only professional fight in 2021.

White ran in the Republican Party primary for a seat in the 2022 House of Representatives and lost. He argues that as a Black candidate, he can broaden the party’s base by appealing to voters of color in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

However, the chances of him beating Klobuchar, who has been a senator since 2007, are now slim. Klobuchar last won the general election in 2016 by 24 percentage points.