3 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Lowering costs — housing, childcare, health care and prescription drugs — and modernising the power grid with renewable energy.
Rooting out fraud in state programmes: an Office of Inspector General, surprise audits and inspections, and modernised state technology.
Doubling apprenticeships and workforce training, and expanding college and credential pathways.
Expanding the rural and agricultural economy — new markets and exports, plus rural hospitals, infrastructure and broadband.
Conservation and outdoor recreation, including a commitment to 'protect the Boundary Waters.'
Removing federal immigration enforcement agents from Minnesota.
Streamlining business permitting.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Senator from Minnesota since 2007; Hennepin County attorney 1999-2007.
Candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.
Announced her campaign for governor in January 2026 after Tim Walz declined to run again, citing the assassination of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and federal immigration enforcement in the state.
Won the August 11 2026 DFL primary with about 89.7%.
Requested a $1 million federal earmark for a Somali-American charity; the request was withdrawn and never funded, and no fraud findings or charges have been connected to the group.
Released a state anti-fraud plan during the campaign, including an independent inspector general.
Arguments in favor
'In Minnesota, I want to be a transformative governor. Now is our moment to renew our commitment to the common good' — she is asking Democrats, Republicans and independents to back a cost-of-living agenda on housing, childcare and health care.
— Amy Klobuchar for Governor campaign
She has put out a concrete anti-fraud plan — an independent inspector general, surprise audits, modernised state systems — rather than defending the status quo the scandals came out of.
— Amy Klobuchar for Governor campaign, as reported by the Washington Examiner and MinnPost
Her rural and agricultural plan, built with her running mate, targets exports, rural hospitals and broadband in the parts of the state DFL candidates have been losing.
— Amy Klobuchar for Governor campaign
Arguments against
She 'sat idly by' while fraud engulfed Minnesota's social services programmes during the Walz administration — an estimated $9 billion in schemes — and issued more than 1,000 press releases since 2022 without once mentioning the Feeding Our Future case.
— Lisa Demuth, Republican nominee
She supported a $1 million earmark for a Somali-American charity, which her opponent's first campaign ad raises as an example of her judgement. Klobuchar says she made the calls to withdraw the request and it was never funded, and no fraud has been found in connection with the group.
— Lisa Demuth for Governor advertising campaign
After two decades in Washington she is offering a state executive record she does not have, and would carry the same federal-first approach to a job that is about running state agencies.
— Republican Party of Minnesota
What we couldn’t verify
Whether she would extend Governor Walz's mining moratorium near the Boundary Waters; she has committed only to reviewing it carefully while promising to protect the area.
When she would resign her Senate seat if elected, and who would appoint her successor.
Her campaign finance totals for the general election were not located.
How the Office of Inspector General would be structured relative to the existing Office of the Legislative Auditor.
Transforming state government 'into a fiscal and moral steward of our tax dollars.'
Fraud prevention: stronger internal controls, freezing funds when fraud is credibly suspected, and an independent Office of Inspector General.
Stiffer sentences for repeat offenders and a crackdown on what she calls soft-on-crime policies from judges and county attorneys.
State and local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and investment in first responders.
Opposing abortion; she authored legislation to ban abortion in Minnesota.
Eliminating Minnesota's Paid Family and Medical Leave programme.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives since early 2025; the first Black speaker and the first Republican woman to hold the post.
Member of the Minnesota House representing a central Minnesota district; previously served on a local school board.
Authored a bill to ban abortion in Minnesota with no exceptions for rape or incest and criminal penalties for physicians, and has advocated eliminating Paid Family and Medical Leave.
Endorsed by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life.
Won the August 11 2026 Republican primary with about 43.4%, beating Trump-endorsed Mike Lindell and Kendall Qualls.
Backed in the primary by more than $3.1 million from Restore Sanity, a PAC funded by Richard and Liz Uihlein.
Arguments in favor
She has promised to 'transform Minnesota's state government into a fiscal and moral steward of our tax dollars,' with internal controls, a freeze on funds where fraud is credibly suspected, and an independent inspector general.
— Lisa Demuth for Governor campaign
She would toughen sentencing for repeat offenders and push back on county attorneys and judges she says are letting them out, while funding first responders.
— Lisa Demuth for Governor campaign
She won the nomination against a Trump-endorsed opponent, which her backers present as evidence she is her own candidate rather than a national import.
— Republican Party of Minnesota, as reported by Minnesota Reformer
Arguments against
She 'wrote the bill to ban abortion in Minnesota with no exceptions for rape or incest and enact criminal penalties for doctors providing lifesaving care to their patients,' and has doubled down on it.
— Minnesota DFL
She has not spoken out against federal Medicaid cuts or supported extending the health insurance premium tax credits that expired, leaving Minnesotans with higher costs.
— Minnesota DFL
'I don't think we want a rubber stamp of Donald Trump in the governor's office of Minnesota' — including on tariffs, which have hit Minnesota farmers.
— Amy Klobuchar, DFL nominee
What we couldn’t verify
Her official campaign website could not be verified, so no URL is listed.
Whether she would sign an abortion ban given that Minnesota law and a state Supreme Court ruling currently protect abortion access, which would require more than a governor's signature to change.
Her position on the state budget forecast and which programmes she would cut.
Her general election campaign finance totals were not located.
Independent candidate for governor of Minnesota in 2026, running with Shauna Breyer for lieutenant governor.
Filed by the June 2 2026 deadline and appears on the general election ballot.
Has not previously held statewide office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
His stated policy positions could not be established — the platform pages on his campaign site did not return readable content — so standsFor is left empty rather than guessed at.
His background and career could not be established from a source read directly.
No organised advocacy for his candidacy and no criticism of him by name from an opposing campaign or outlet could be found, so no arguments are listed on either side.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Open seat: DFL Governor Tim Walz is not seeking a third term. Roster established from Wikipedia's race page, Minnesota Reformer, Star Tribune, CBS Minnesota, MPR News and Ballotpedia, cross-checked. In the August 11 2026 primaries, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar won the DFL nomination with about 89.7%, and House Speaker Lisa Demuth won the Republican nomination with about 43.4%, beating Trump-endorsed businessman Mike Lindell and healthcare executive Kendall Qualls. Minnesota elects governor and lieutenant governor as a joint ticket: Klobuchar runs with Ben Schierer, Demuth with Ryan Wilson. One independent, Brad Kohler, running with Shauna Breyer, is on the general election ballot; a second independent, Mike Newcome of the Forward Independence Party, ended his campaign in March 2026. Whichever major-party candidate wins will be Minnesota's first woman governor. Kohler is listed with empty argument sections — no organised advocacy for him and no criticism of him by name from an opposing campaign or outlet could be found.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Minnesota ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Minnesota Secretary of State.