Minnesota's governor primary race: Here's what to know
The Minnesota 2026 gubernatorial primary, scheduled for Aug. 11, is an open race after Gov. Tim Walz unexpectedly pulled his reelection campaign at the start of the year amid a fraud crisis in the state.
The primary election will determine candidates for each political party in the November general election and will feature candidates for both partisan and nonpartisan races. Early voting is already underway.
The primary race is especially competitive on the Republican side, with GOP-endorsed businessman Kendall Qualls, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell seen as the main front-runners. All are vying for President Trump's endorsement ahead of the primary.
The presumptive favorite on the DFL side is U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who received her party's endorsement and holds a huge lead in fundraising over all the candidates.
Take a closer look at the main candidates in each party below. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.
PRIMARY CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR
DFL
Amy Klobuchar
Amy Klobuchar's existing record of statewide wins is formidable. She won her Senate races every six years by double-digit margins, starting in 2006 by 20 points, in 2012 by 35 points, in 2018 by 24 points and in 2024 by 16 points.
In a rollout on campaign issues, Klobuchar put the state fraud crisis front and center, saying she plans an immediate top-to-bottom audit of state agencies, a ban on convicted fraudsters getting state grants, unannounced site visits and stronger penalties.
Kobey Layne
A former Capitol staffer and community organizer, Kobey Layne was the only major challenger to Klobuchar at the DFL convention.
Layne's mission statement pushes for affordability amid rising costs and a clean, accountable government.
GOP
Lisa Demuth
As Minnesota House speaker, Lisa Demuth is one of the highest-ranking Republicans in state government and is seen as a major contender in the race due to her legislative experience.
Demuth touts her ability to work across party lines. She worked with Walz and DFL leaders in the Legislature to find a compromise and pass a two-year state budget last year. She decided to remain in the race despite losing the GOP endorsement to Kendall Qualls.
Demuth says affordability and handling the state government's fraud scandal are among her most important issues.
Mike Lindell
MyPillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell, a noted ally of President Trump, gained national attention for his debunked claims that the 2020 election was rigged.
Though not an official endorsement, Trump did voice support for Lindell late last year, saying he "deserves to be governor of Minnesota."
Minnesota has a history of political outsiders overperforming in statewide races, most notably former Gov. Jesse Ventura's surprising win in 1998. But Republicans have not won a statewide race in two decades.
Lindell listed his main campaign priorities as including stopping fraud, fixing "failing school systems," stopping "exploding property taxes" and "send(ing) illegal immigrants back."
Kendall Qualls
Kendall Qualls, a businessman and Army veteran, won the state Minnesota GOP's endorsement, upsetting Demuth.
In 2021, Qualls founded the conservative advocacy group TakeCharge Minnesota. He made a gubernatorial run in 2022 but lost the GOP nomination to Scott Jensen.
On his campaign website, Qualls says the state needs a "business leader from outside St. Paul politics" and says his goal is to "transform Minnesota into a high-octane economy with strong business growth, job creation, and the opportunity for generational wealth for Minnesotans across the state."