dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə kæmpˈeɪn wˈʌn kˈɑːntɹəvˌɜːsi ɪɹˈʌptᵻd wɛn ɹˈoʊmən kˈæθlɪk bˈɪʃəp vˈɪktɚ hˈɜːmən bˈɔːlk ɛŋkˈɜːɹɪdʒd vˈoʊɾɚz ɪnðə dɪoʊsˈiːz ʌv kɹˈʊkstən tə vˈoʊt fɔːɹ sˈʌlɪvən, hˈuːm hiː dᵻskɹˈaɪbd æz "vˈɛɹi pɹˈoʊtʃˈɜːtʃ," ænd ɐɡˈɛnst stˈændʒɛlənd, hˈuːm hiː dᵻskɹˈaɪbd æz hˌævɪŋ ˈeɪ "vˈɛɹi nˈɛɡətˌɪv" vˈoʊɾɪŋ ɹˈɛkɚd ɪnðə stˈeɪt hˈaʊs.
During the campaign one controversy erupted when Roman Catholic bishop Victor Hermann Balke encouraged voters in the Diocese of Crookston to vote for Sullivan, whom he described as "very pro-church," and against Stangeland, whom he described as having a "very negative" voting record in the state house.