GOP Gives Its Toughest Battles to Its Horniest Reply Guys

Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily digest of important, overlooked, and/or interesting Minnesota news stories.

New MN GOP Finance Chair Is Awooooooga for Ivanka

I was not familiar with John Tschohl before today, when Minnesota Republicans announced that the “customer service guru” was joining the party as its new finance chair. According to his website, “For over 45 years, John Tschohl has been solely focused on helping organizations drive a service culture through his technology built on practicality, simplicity, and common sense.”

Well, I wouldn’t say he’s been solely focused on that. Following the announcement, former Crystal City Council Member Jeff Kolb scoured Tschohl’s Twitter account and turned up an excited (and since deleted) reply to the trailer for a short film called Trophy Wife Ditches Hubby For Pool Boy, starring Piper Press and Dan Damage and available on the website Milfy. Tschohl’s verdict: “Incredible very hot.” (As of now, Racket can neither confirm nor deny that assessment.) 

Now, I have no desire to shame Tschohl for his (relatively age-appropriate) taste in naked ladies or possibly pool boys. Still, an adult user of the internet in 2025—especially one who touts his "common sense"—should know that we can all see this stuff.

More embarrassing, I think, are repeated horny replies to accounts like “Ivanka Trump 🇺🇲 🦅 News” as though they are in fact run by the president’s daughter. Tschohl seems very eager to meet Ms. Trump. Simping for a stan account? That places you a rung or two below the kind of guy who posts "you are a very attractive and blessed woman my dear ❤️❤️❤️" on Paige Spiranac's Insta.

Oh also, Tschohl thinks the 2020 election was stolen and federal judges who rule against the president should be investigated by the FBI. But you probaby guessed that.

While I was over on Twitter, I thought I’d check in with another notable Minnesota Republican to see what's on his mind.

But wait, before you think White has gone totally off the deep end here, the former NBA player/aspiring politician soon clarified this tweet.

I swear, if I’m asked to choose between Royce White and Angie Craig in next year’s U.S. Senate race I’m gonna throw myself in front of an E-Scooter. #Godspeed, indeed.

Can a British Guy Successfully Rebrand a Minor League Baseball Team?

That’s the question everyone (or at least everyone who makes a living generating Minnesota-specific online content) is asking. John Oliver is known for his harsh and accurate criticisms of right-wing political extremists, but on the last episode of his Max show, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, the host turned his attention to a new target: minor league baseball.

According to this noted Person-From-England, several of the teams "aren't really pulling their weight" when it comes to cool team names and self-promotion, and that includes our own St. Paul Saints. (Oh yeah, well I think cricket takes too damn long, buddy.) Oliver offered his services in rebranding one lucky team, provided they agreed to implement whatever changes he suggests, no questions asked.

As for the Saints, they are all too eager to hear Oliver out. "We have sent a message to the email provided on the show and told them why they should choose us," the team said on social media. "While our name may be 'plain' our fans know that Saints games are the exact opposite." While the Saints have made some missteps in the past, I'm trepidatious about this whole process. What if Oliver says no more pig???

Tornado Nostalgia?

Sixty years ago today, five tornadoes descended upon the Twin Cities metro area, and another struck just west of here. The worst in local history, the tornadoes killed 13 people and injured 683 others. In total, 37 tornadoes hit the Upper Midwest that week.

Thanks to WCCO’s internet archives, you can hear overnight coverage from the station's news team as the tornados were hitting, and it's gripping stuff. Also informative is coverage of the aftermath the following day, complete with period-appropriate cigarette commercials. Hat tip to @alleysofmpls.bsky.social for sharing this, and also to @vincempls.bsky.social for this grim photo. Not to get political here, but I'd really like to continue having a National Weather Service to keep track of future tornadoes.

Congrats on Your Pulitzer Nod, Danez Smith

Like almost every human on Earth, I don’t read enough contemporary poetry. But earlier this year I felt obliged to make time for Danez Smith’s latest volume, Bluff—Smith is the leading literary figure to spring from these parts, after all. But this was hardly just homework; Bluff is a remarkable collection. Modern poetry can be too gnomic or, conversely, didactic, but Smith expresses complex states of mind in powerful, direct language.

But don't take my inexpert word for it: Yesterday Smith was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for poetry—great news for both the poet and their publisher, local house Graywolf Press. Pillsbury House + Theater will present Smith's new play, 2015, in August. For more on Danez Smith, revisit Racket’s Q&A with the St. Paul poet.