Minnesota has been a safely Democratic state since 2010 with Democrats controlling the governorship since 2011, but the 2026 race is highly competitive due to ongoing fraud scandals, immigration enforcement crackdown, and political violence. The state's historical trajectory as a bellwether and Democrats' narrow legislative margins make this race significant for national GOP strategy and Democrats' ability to hold purple/blue states.
Lisa Demuth is the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives (2025-present) and the state's highest-ranking Republican. She was first elected to the House in 2018 and became GOP minority leader in 2022 after Republicans failed to flip the chamber. On February 6, 2025, Demuth became the first Black person to serve as Speaker of the Minnesota House. She announced her gubernatorial campaign on November 2, 2025, and won the Republican straw poll at the February 2026 caucus with 32% of the vote. She selected attorney Ryan Wilson as her running mate.
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Demuth is 'the corporate candidate' who will 'cut taxes for massive corporations while cutting funding for schools and seniors' and will 'protect tax loopholes for her donors while opposing relief for workers and middle-class families.'
Statement in response to Demuth's gubernatorial campaign announcement