OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
6:20 PM – Wednesday, August 12, 2026
All four Republican candidates endorsed by President Donald Trump in their primary races for the U.S. House representing Minnesota secured their nominations, advancing to the November general elections.
District 1
Incumbent Representative Brad Finstad (R-Minn.) won 50,483 votes, or about 90%, in the Republican primary election for District 1, according to the Associated Press, with 99% of votes counted on Tuesday.
Finstad surpassed contractor Gregory A. Goetzman, who had about 5.2% of the vote, and small businessman Oliver R. Morlan, who had less than 5% of the vote.
Last November, Trump called Finstad “fantastic” in a Truth Social post showing his support. He explained that the candidate was “working tirelessly” to grow the U.S. economy, cut taxes and regulations, promote U.S. manufacturing, “Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE,” secure U.S. elections, keep the border secure, prevent migrant crime, support the military and veterans and protect the Second Amendment.
“A Fourth Generation Family Farmer, and Member of the House Agriculture Committee, Brad is a strong and effective voice for our amazing Farmers and Ranchers,” Trump said.
The GOP congressman championed H.R. 1, the Working Families Tax Cuts, which secured $1.2 trillion in savings for American taxpayers by making many of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent.
Finstad will face the Democrat nominee, high school math teacher Jake Johnson. Johnson won on Tuesday with 47,211 votes, or 81.7%, over small business owner Alex Eaton’s 18.3%.
The Democrat’s top priority is affordability, which he will address by voting to end tariffs, cutting red tape to build new homes and expand childcare and supporting tax cuts for working families and small businesses by raising taxes for the super wealthy.
Johnson also plans to extend tax credits for health insurance and reverse the cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
District 6
Incumbent Representative Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) also secured the GOP nomination with 80.9% of the vote, the Associated Press called with 99% of votes counted.
Emmer beat engineer and Iraq Marine Corps veteran Mike Foley’s 15.3% of the vote and entrepreneur Chris Corey’s 3.8% of the vote.
Trump hailed Emmer as an “America First Patriot” and a “fantastic Champion” in November.
“As the Majority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives, Tom is doing a tremendous job advancing our America First Agenda,” said the president.
Emmer, who also played a central role in passing H.R. 1, was also endorsed by several conservative organizations such as Americans for Tax Reform, Concerned Women for America, CatholicVote, Faith & Freedom Coalition, Heritage Action for America, the National Rifle Association (NRA), Students for Life Action and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
The GOP nominee will face former attorney and nonprofit executive Doug Chapin, who ran unopposed in the Democrat primary.
Chapin opposes the tax cuts for the wealthy that were included in H.R. 1. To address U.S. healthcare, he promises to fight for a new healthcare policy like “Medicare for All”, to undo Medicare and Medicaid cuts instigated by the president, and to impeach Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
He also vowed to work to “dismantle ICE” (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and its “reign of terror – and literally, death.”
District 7
Incumbent Representative Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.) is the GOP nominee for Minnesota’s 7th District after running uncontested.
Trump wrote about Fischbach in November, “A Proven Leader, Michelle served as the Highly Respected President of the Minnesota Senate, and Lieutenant Governor, prior to becoming a very distinguished U.S. Congresswoman.”
Fischbach serves on the House Committee on Ways & Means, including its trade and oversight subcommittees, and the House Committee on Rules. She is also Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and a member of the Congressional Western Caucus, the Northern Border Caucus and the Congressional Biofuels Caucus.
Meanwhile, small-business owner Erik Osberg’s 65.7% of the Democratic vote defeated Steve Carlson’s 34.3%, making him the Democratic nominee to advance to November.
Osberg intends to restore Affordable Care Act subsidies, protect Medicare and Medicaid and lower the Medicare eligibility age to 55, if elected. He opposes the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and plans to oppose abortion bans, characterizing the procedures as “private medical decisions.”
District 8
Finally, incumbent Representative Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) secured the GOP nomination with 86.5% of the vote compared to hobby farmer Anthony Hamilton’s 13.6% on Tuesday, per the AP.
Trump posted to Truth Social in November, “A Former Police Officer and Professional Hockey Player, Pete is a WINNER who strongly supports our incredible Law Enforcement, Military, and Veterans, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to ensure LAW AND ORDER!”
Having served since 2019, Stauber made critical minerals and mining a signature congressional issue, serving as the chair of the House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. He has repeatedly fought to remove federal restrictions on mining on the Twin Metals copper-nickel mine near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. He also advocates for allowing mineral development near the wilderness area of Boundary Waters.
In the Democrat Primary, retired USCIS International Operations Director Trina Swanson defeated businessman Luke Gulbranson and retired airline employee John Munter. She won 77.2% of the vote, whereas neither of her challengers reached 20% of the vote.
Swanson also supports “mining that works for Minnesota,” though she opposes Stauber’s plan for Boundary Waters. She promises to “fight for universal healthcare.” She also supports secure borders as part of her immigration plan.
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