Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar won Minnesota’s DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) primary for governor Tuesday, beating six other candidates by a wide margin. She will face Republican Lisa Demuth, the Minnesota House Speaker, in the general election this fall.
Key facts
- Amy Klobuchar, U.S. senator since 2007, won Minnesota’s DFL primary for governor with roughly 89% of the Democratic vote.
- She defeated six other Democratic candidates, including Kobey J. Layne and Mohammad Wazwaz.
- The result is not yet official — Minnesota’s State Canvassing Board still has to certify the primary.
- She will face Republican Lisa Demuth, the Minnesota House Speaker, in the November general election.
- Demuth won the Republican primary with about 44% of the vote, ahead of Mike Lindell (about 32%) and Kendall Qualls (about 22%).
- Kendall Qualls received the state Republican Party’s formal convention endorsement on May 30 after 10 rounds of voting, coming from behind to beat Lisa Demuth, who had led through the fourth ballot, once Mike Lindell’s delegates shifted to Qualls. Party leaders later said candidates were not bound by pledges to honor the endorsement, and Demuth went on to challenge — and beat — Qualls in the August primary.
- This is a race for governor, not Klobuchar’s Senate seat; Minnesota is not a “resign-to-run” state, so she stays senator while she campaigns.
- Gov. Tim Walz announced on January 5, 2026 that he would not seek a third term, which is why the governor’s office is open.
- Klobuchar’s running mate for lieutenant governor is Ben Schierer, the former mayor of Fergus Falls.
A lopsided win, still being counted
Multiple outlets, including CBS Minnesota and Fox 9, put Klobuchar’s share of the Democratic vote at roughly 89% as ballots were tallied through primary night. The exact figure moved from one count update to the next — an early snapshot with about 15% of precincts counted had her at 87.4%, while a later Associated Press tally with 96.69% of precincts reporting put her at 89.62%. None of it is official yet — Minnesota’s State Canvassing Board still has to certify the primary before it’s final.
This is the governor’s race, not her Senate seat
Klobuchar has represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate since 2007 and won a fourth term there in 2024 — a term that was not up for election this year. Tuesday’s primary was for a different office entirely: governor of Minnesota. Minnesota is not a “resign-to-run” state, so she remains a sitting senator while she campaigns for the state’s top job.
Why the governor’s office is open
Gov. Tim Walz announced on January 5, 2026 that he would not seek a third term. In his statement, he said he was glad “to turn the page on 2025,” calling it “an extraordinarily difficult year for our state,” and added: “I can’t give a political campaign my all. Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota.” His decision came against the backdrop of a fraud scandal in Minnesota’s state welfare and childcare assistance programs, with allegations dating back to 2020. Federal prosecutors have brought cases in that scandal, and CNN and KSL report that at least 56 people have pleaded guilty. Walz himself has not been accused of wrongdoing in that matter.
Klobuchar addressed the scandal directly when she laid out her platform in May, telling voters, according to Fox News: “You are right to be angry about the fraud. It is unacceptable and it must end,” and pledging a “top-to-bottom audit” of state government if she’s elected.
Her opponent in November
Lisa Demuth, the Minnesota House Speaker, won the Republican primary the same night, defeating MyPillow founder Mike Lindell — who had President Donald Trump’s endorsement — and businessman and Army veteran Kendall Qualls. Unofficial night-of tallies put Demuth at roughly 44% of the Republican vote, ahead of Lindell at about 32% and Qualls at about 22%. The party had already made its own formal endorsement at a convention on May 30. Demuth led through the fourth ballot, but Qualls came from behind to win the endorsement after 10 rounds of voting, 60.4% to Demuth’s 37.2%, once Mike Lindell dropped out and directed his delegates to Qualls. Demuth’s campaign challenged the reliability of the convention’s electronic voting process; party leaders reviewed the results, stood by the outcome, but also said candidates should not be considered bound by pledges to honor the endorsement — clearing the way for Demuth and Lindell to run in the August primary anyway. Trump’s endorsement did go to Lindell, and a convention endorsement is separate from the primary election — which is why the same three contenders were still on the August ballot.
Demuth has framed the race as a referendum on the current administration. As reported by MinnPost, TIME and Valley News Live, she said after the primary: “The Walz/Klobuchar status quo simply isn’t working. The Minnesota we all know and love is slipping away.” Asked what distinguishes her from Klobuchar, she pointed to “my ability to work across party lines.”
What Klobuchar said
Speaking to supporters after the race was called, Klobuchar told CBS Minnesota: “You expect leaders to deliver results, not excuses, and you are rightfully tired of this partisan theater and the punchlines. I will deliver those results. I’ve done it as senator and I will do it as your governor.”
Her running mate
Klobuchar’s pick for lieutenant governor is Ben Schierer, the former mayor of Fergus Falls. The DFL endorsed the Klobuchar-Schierer ticket at the party’s state convention in Rochester in late May.
What’s next
Voters will decide between the two this November: Klobuchar has pledged a “top-to-bottom audit” of state government, while Demuth is campaigning against what she calls “the Walz/Klobuchar status quo.” Whoever wins, Minnesota will elect its first female governor — both major-party nominees are women.