Overview

• The Minneapolis attorney became the third declared candidate, joining State Rep. Cedrick Frazier and prosecutor Hao Nguyen in the contest to succeed Mary Moriarty.
• He labeled Moriarty’s tenure a “disaster,” citing what he called unjustified attacks on law enforcement and lapses in judgment on specific prosecutions.
• Pelikan criticized a policy halting most felony charges stemming from low‑level traffic stops, arguing it has effectively weakened criminal prosecution.
• In his launch statement, he said safety and justice are compatible goals and highlighted partnerships with police, victim advocates, schools and community leaders to prevent violence.
• A longtime DFL figure who won the party’s 2018 endorsement for attorney general, Pelikan enters a field where Frazier has support from Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and AG Keith Ellison, while Nguyen is backed by Sheriff Dawanna Witt and Ramsey County Attorney John Choi.