Minnesota doctor targeted by state board over COVID treatment gets Ron Johnson backing for governor

Dr. Scott Jensen, the Minnesota physician who has faced several state medical board investigations — including for prescribing Ivermectin for COVID-19 patients — has gotten a key endorsement in his gubernatorial bid from Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson. 

The Jensen campaign said Tuesday in announcing the endorsement that Johnson has been a leading figure investigating the business dealings of President Biden's son Hunter Biden as well as "fighting for health freedom and holding the establishment accountable."

Johnson has called Jensen a "health freedom hero" and is encouraging Minnesotans to get behind the doctor's gubernatorial run, the campaign said. 

Jensen told Just the News in January that he has faced five licensing investigations in 17 months and that the most recent one regarding information about his Ivermectin patients was "crossing a line" by invading their medical privacy.

Jensen said at the time he thought the board inquiries were political and that constant disputes spurred him to run as a Republican candidate for governor.

"I think what's happening is the Board of Medical Practice has been weaponized for political purposes by people who don't agree with my positions politically," he said.

The winner of the GOP’s Aug. 8 primary will face Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Gov. Tim Walz, who is running unopposed within his party in his bid for a second term.

Waltz has a significant fundraising advantage over his GOP rivals. 

He had roughly $1 million in first quarter contributions and $4.1 million on hand, according to local TV station Fox 9.

The news outlet said the amount in his campaign bank account is three times as much money as his seven Republican challengers have combined.

Jensen led the GOP field in first quarter fundraising with $774,393 on hand and $256,391 in contributions.

He is also a former state senator and in February won the statewide GOP caucus night straw poll. Jensen is the only GOP gubernatorial primary candidate to name a running mate, former NFL offensive lineman Matt Birk, according to Fox 9.