The latest MN primary results show U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar has won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination for Minnesota governor, defeating six other candidates in Tuesday’s primary election. The win makes her the first woman to secure the DFL nomination for the state’s top office and sets up a high-profile general election matchup this November.
Klobuchar’s victory on August 11, 2026, came as no surprise to political observers. She entered the race in late January, shortly after Gov. Tim Walz announced he would not seek a third term. Her name recognition, statewide fundraising advantage, and decades of electoral success in Minnesota made her the heavy favorite from the moment she filed.
How Klobuchar Won the DFL Primary
Klobuchar dominated the field of seven Democratic candidates on the ballot. Preliminary vote totals showed her capturing roughly 89% of the vote, far outpacing rivals Tom Evanstad, Kobey Layne, Ole Savior, Po Vang, Mohammad Wazwaz, and Bill E. Gates Jr.
None of her challengers mounted a serious statewide campaign, and Klobuchar avoided a competitive primary fight almost entirely. Her late entry into the race did not slow her down, since she was already Minnesota’s best-known statewide officeholder heading into primary day.
The senator addressed a crowd of supporters at Boom Island Brewing in Minnetonka on primary night. She framed her campaign around restoring public trust in state government following a fraud scandal that engulfed several Minnesota social service programs during Walz’s tenure.
“In Minnesota, trust is not given. It’s earned,” Klobuchar told the crowd. She added that voters should expect “results that you can see and feel in your life,” specifically citing affordability, government efficiency, and rooting out fraud as her top priorities.
Why Walz Isn’t Seeking Reelection
Gov. Tim Walz is leaving office after eight years, having chosen not to run for a third term. His decision came in January 2026 amid mounting Republican criticism over how his administration handled a widespread fraud scandal tied to Minnesota’s social services programs.
That scandal has shaped much of the 2026 governor’s race on both sides of the aisle. Klobuchar has worked to distance herself from Walz’s record while still representing the same party, making anti-fraud messaging a central plank of her platform, including a policy plan titled “Make Government Accountable and Root out Fraud.”
Klobuchar’s Running Mate and Political Background
In May 2026, Klobuchar announced Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer as her running mate. If elected, Schierer would serve as lieutenant governor. The DFL formally endorsed the Klobuchar-Schierer ticket that same month.
Klobuchar, 66, was born in Plymouth, Minnesota. She has represented the state in the U.S. Senate since 2006, when she became Minnesota’s first female senator. She has since won all four of her Senate campaigns by double-digit margins and ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.
Notably, Klobuchar has not resigned from the Senate while campaigning for governor. Her current Senate term runs through January 2031, meaning a loss in November would not cost her that seat. If she wins the governor’s race, she would need to resign, and the governor would appoint a temporary replacement until a special election could be held.
Republican Governor Primary: Lisa Demuth Advances
On the Republican side of the MN primary results, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth won the GOP nomination for governor, defeating a crowded field that included former MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and party-endorsed candidate Kendall Qualls.
The Republican primary had been unusually competitive heading into Election Day. Lindell entered the race with a direct endorsement from President Donald Trump, who said Lindell “deserves to be governor of Minnesota,” and he led several polls throughout the summer. Lindell stepped down from his role at MyPillow earlier this month to focus on the campaign full time.
Demuth had lost the state Republican Party’s formal convention endorsement to Qualls in May after a contested, multi-round vote. She initially said she would drop out without the endorsement but reversed course, citing concerns about voting-machine irregularities at the convention. Late polling from SurveyUSA and KSTP showed her narrowing Lindell’s lead to just a few points before Tuesday’s vote, and she ultimately pulled ahead on primary night.
Demuth will now face Klobuchar in the general election on November 3, 2026. Minnesota has not elected a Republican governor since Tim Pawlenty in 2006, making this one of the most closely watched governor’s races in the country this cycle.
Key Governor’s Race Results at a Glance
- DFL nominee: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (with running mate Ben Schierer)
- GOP nominee: House Speaker Lisa Demuth
- Primary date: August 11, 2026
- General election date: November 3, 2026
- Outgoing governor: Tim Walz (not seeking reelection)
Other Statewide Races on the Same Ballot
Tuesday’s primary also decided Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat, following Sen. Tina Smith’s decision to retire. On the Republican side, former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya won the GOP nomination, defeating Adam Schwarze and several other candidates by a wide margin.
The Democratic Senate primary between U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan was far tighter. Craig, who ran as a moderate with backing from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, faced Flanagan, a progressive endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Tina Smith herself. Late polling showed the race narrowing to within a few points heading into Tuesday, reflecting a broader moderate-versus-progressive divide playing out in Democratic primaries nationwide this cycle.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison also won his Democratic primary and is expected to face Republican nominee Ron Schutz in November.
What Happens Next
With the primary field now set in the governor’s race, Klobuchar and Demuth will spend the next several months campaigning ahead of the November 3 general election. Fraud in state government, affordability, and public trust are expected to remain the dominant themes of the race.
Klobuchar enters the general election as the clear frontrunner given her statewide popularity, though her campaign has acknowledged that her margins in past races have not fully translated to enthusiasm in early polling for this contest. Demuth, meanwhile, becomes the first woman to lead a major-party gubernatorial ticket in Minnesota from the Republican side, giving the state an all-female matchup for governor for the first time in its history.
Stay tuned for continued coverage as Minnesota’s general election campaign heats up, and share your thoughts on the primary results in the comments below.