One week from today, on Tuesday, August 11, Minnesotans will head to the polls for the primary election, which will determine which candidates advance to the General Election ballot in November. With U.S. Senator Tina Smith retiring and all statewide and legislative seats on the ballot, several high-profile primary races will significantly shape the November election and Minnesota’s representation. The key races are outlined below.
Governor (Republican Primary)
The Republican race for governor became highly competitive after Gov. Tim Walz decided not to seek reelection. The candidates are offering different visions centered on experience, party unity, and outsider leadership. The Republican primary winner will face the Democratic nominee, Amy Klobuchar, in the General Election. The latest KSTP poll from last week shows Lindell leading with 35%, followed by Demuth at 26%, Qualls at 11%, and 22% undecided.
- Lisa Demuth: Demuth currently serves as the Speaker of the Minnesota House where she has represented the Cold Spring area since 2019. She highlights her legislative experience and efforts to reduce spending and government fraud.
- Kendall Qualls: Qualls is a former healthcare executive and military veteran. He is the Republican Party’s endorsed candidate for governor. His campaign focuses on economic growth, government reform, and reduced state spending.
- Mike Lindell: Lindell is the founder and CEO of MyPillow and a nationally known political activist. He is running as a political outsider and has focused heavily on election integrity and government accountability. He is endorsed by President Donald Trump.
U.S. Senate (DFL Primary)
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s retirement led to the first open senate seat in Minnesota in two decades. The DFL primary race between Angie Craig and Peggy Flanagan is one of the highest-profile 2026 primaries and will likely be close. The contest has become a proxy battle between the DFL’s progressive and moderate wings. The KSTP poll shows these two are neck-and-neck with Craig and Flanagan both at 40% and 16% undecided.
- Angie Craig: Craig has represented Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District since 2019 and has built a reputation as a pragmatic, business-friendly Democrat. She is running as the moderate candidate and her campaign emphasizes electability, healthcare, agriculture, and economic growth.
- Peggy Flanagan: Flanagan has served as the lieutenant governor since 2019 and previously represented Minneapolis in the Minnesota House. She is running as the progressive candidate and her campaign emphasizes affordability, ending government corruption, and protecting the environment. She earned the DFL endorsement at the state convention and has support from many party activists.
U.S. Senate (Republican Primary)
Republicans view the open senate seat as a rare statewide opportunity after more than two decades without a U.S. Senate victory in Minnesota. The KSTP poll shows Tafoya with a major lead at 41%, White at 10%, Schwarze at 5%, and 28% undecided.
- Adam Schwarze: Schwarze is a former Navy SEAL and the Republican Party’s endorsed candidate. He has centered his campaign on national security, veterans’ issues, and fiscal conservatism.
- Michele Tafoya: Tafoya is a longtime sports broadcaster best known for her NFL coverage and national media presence. She has become a prominent conservative commentator and has emerged as one of the leading candidates in the race.
- Royce White: White is a former professional basketball player and mental health advocate who was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024. He continues to campaign as a populist and anti-establishment conservative voice.
Congressional District 2 (DFL Primary)
The seat is open because Rep. Angie Craig is running for U.S. Senate. As one of Minnesota’s most competitive congressional districts, the race has attracted several well-known DFL elected officials. The DFL primary winner will face Republican Eric Pratt in the General Election, who currently serves in the Minnesota Senate.
- Kaela Berg: Berg is a state representative, flight attendant, and former labor leader. She is running as a progressive candidate focused on affordability, healthcare, and workers’ rights.
- Matt Klein: Klein is a physician and state senator from Mendota Heights. He is generally viewed as the more moderate candidate in the field.
- Matt Little: Little is a former state senator and former mayor of Lakeville. He received the DFL endorsement and is campaigning as a progressive with extensive experience in local and state government.
In the Minnesota House and Senate, 10 incumbent legislators are facing primaries, and more than two dozen primaries are taking place in open seats. The results, particularly in the incumbent races, will continue to shape the atmosphere at the Capitol and highlight the broader tension between establishment candidates and those campaigning for new leadership.
Minnesota House Republican Primaries
House District 9B
This western Minnesota district strongly favors Republicans, making the primary particularly important. Voters will decide between an incumbent legislator, Tom Murphy, and his challenger, Craig Horlocker.
- Tom Murphy (incumbent): Murphy has represented House District 9B since 2023 and is a business owner with a background in agriculture. He works on transportation, human services, health, and energy at the Legislature.
- Craig Horlocker: Horlocker works in the construction trades. His campaign focuses on new leadership, stopping fraud, and lowering taxes.
House District 6B
District 6B is a reliably Republican district in north-central Minnesota.
- Josh Heintzeman (incumbent): Heintzeman has served in the Minnesota House since 2015 and is well known in the district. He has focused on natural resources, outdoor recreation, and rural economic issues. He currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Environment committee.
- Matthew Zinda: Zinda is running on a message of conservative leadership and fresh representation. He also ran against Heintzeman in the 2024 Republican primary and lost by more than 80 points.
Minnesota House DFL Primaries
House District 60B
This Minneapolis district is one of the safest DFL seats in Minnesota. As a result, the primary will determine who will represent the district in the legislature.
- Mohamud Noor (incumbent): Noor has served in the Minnesota House since 2018 and has focused on housing, education, and support for immigrant communities. He is the Co-Chair of the Human Services committee.
- Abdurrahman Mahmud: Mahmud is a small business owner and community organizer. He is running as a progressive candidate.
House District 38A
- Huldah Momanyi-Hiltsley (incumbent): Momanyi-Hiltsley is a first-term state representative from Brooklyn Park who was elected in 2024, becoming the first Kenyan-born legislator elected to the Minnesota Legislature. She has focused on homelessness prevention and renter protections.
- Wynfred Russell: Wynfred Russell, a former Brooklyn Park City Council member, is challenging Momanyi-Hiltsley in the 2026 DFL primary after narrowly losing to her by just 50 votes in the 2024 primary contest. Russell’s rematch campaign emphasizes “real leadership, real results” and seeks to unseat the incumbent in the strongly Democratic district.
Minnesota Senate Republican Primaries
Senate District 5
This race pits two sitting Republican legislators against one another in one of the more notable legislative primaries of the cycle. The contest reflects broader debates within the Republican Party over experience versus new leadership.
- Paul Utke (incumbent): Utke has represented the district in the Minnesota Senate since 2016. He is emphasizing his legislative experience and record on behalf of rural communities.
- Mike Wiener: Wiener currently serves in the Minnesota House and has represented District 5B since 2023. He is running as a more conservative alternative and secured the Republican endorsement at his district convention.
Senate District 10
District 10 is a Republican-leaning district in central Minnesota.
- Nathan Wesenberg (incumbent): Wesenberg is a wildlife biologist and the incumbent senator. He has built a profile around conservative policy positions.
- Deb Holtaus: Holtaus is a small business owner, farmer, and active community member of Morrison County. She is offering voters a different approach to representing the district.
Senate District 19
The district is located in southern Minnesota and has traditionally favored Republicans.
- John Jasinski (incumbent): Jasinski has served in the Minnesota Senate since 2017 and is also the former mayor of Faribault. He is known for his work on economic development, transportation, and local government issues.
- Crystal Alan: Alan is a wife and mother and is running on biblical values and the freedom to practice your faith.
Minnesota Senate DFL Primaries
Senate District 38
District 38 is a heavily Democratic seat in the northwest metro. Neither candidate got the DFL endorsement at the district convention this past spring.
- Susan Pha (incumbent): Pha has represented the district in the Senate since 2023. She is a small business owner and previously served on the Brooklyn Park City Council. Her legislative priorities include education, workforce development, and immigrant community issues.
- Nehemiah Garley: Garley is the founder and leader of a nonprofit and supports fiscal responsibility, public safety, and economic opportunity.
Senate District 46
This western suburban district has been represented for years by one of the Senate’s most experienced members. Neither candidate got the DFL endorsement at the district convention this past spring.
- Ron Latz (incumbent): Latz has a long history of public service. He served on the St. Louis Park City Council for nine years, he served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for four years, and is currently in his 19th year of service at the Minnesota Senate. He chairs the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.
- Lynette Dumalag: Dumalag is challenging Latz in the DFL primary. She is a commercial real estate broker and former St. Louis Park City Councilwoman. Her campaign reflects interest among some voters in generational and political change, including a desire for a fresh perspective at the Legislature and a more progressive candidate for the current district.
Senate District 62
- Omar Fateh (incumbent): Fateh is the incumbent senator and a prominent progressive elected official. He has focused on housing affordability, labor issues, transit, and economic justice at the legislature.
- Brenda Short: Short is a small business owner in Minneapolis. She is emphasizing community-focused representation and local engagement.
- Jeanelle Austin: Austin is a community activist best known for her leadership role at George Floyd Square. Her campaign focuses on racial justice, community investment, and grassroots organizing.
