7th Congressional District 2026 Primary Election Guide: Democrats

Website: stevecarlsonforussenate2018.com

Age on Election Day: 75 Years old

Community: Capitol Heights in St. Paul, Capitol

Employment: I am retired but hope to sell my books. Writer

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

Professional journalist, 10 years in state government at U of Minnesota. Won several statewide elections and other Congressional primaries. Novelist writing about Minnesota. Write and perform important political music to reflect my values and lead this state and country. Polyglot and use a number of languages to help others.

Why are you running?

I began in politics after returning from Vietnam conflict with a determination and mission to not allow any more Vietnams, which I have written about extensively in my memoir. America's in trouble and we need a new Congress to save the day as my rap Vote for Change explains. As a business consultant in the Vietnamese refugee community on my return I gained knowledge and experience to transform a community. CD7 is not rebounded, it is not revived, serious people are trying to secede to the Dakotas! It is neglected and both my Swedish and Norwegian grandmothers came from Clay County. I intend to turn it around by my work in Congress and leadership and network with both parties. This can be a golden age for CD7.

Why should voters choose you to advance to the general election?

DFL needs to be drastically changed. Indy Party U.S. Nominee in 2014. We need a new party arrangement. Clearly the old DFL is dead, propped by corruption. Few leaders outside the legislature are even from Minnesota. Taken over by haters who've unlawfully taken down our flag to show their disdain. One says Minnesotans are not intellectual enough. I'm a professional linguist fluent in many languages including Swedish and Norwegian, Spanish and Asian languages. Can communicate and lead. Independent voters in CD-7 have voted for me in statewide elections giving me counties in my primary against Steve Simon. I will not follow the party I will lead it. I will challenge Michelle Fischbach to lead the district better, and vote for the SAVE Act. Save CD7 and keep it in Minnesota. My ancestors didn't come to CD7 to see it neglected and undeveloped.

What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific policy goals.

Jobs and economic development; Health care; government Integrity. Leading Rural Restoration of CD7 by creating special Restoration Hub Zones using tax and finance measures (local and state) focusing on areas where housing in inadequate for jobs created. Expanding health facilities and social services in these areas. Using AI to provide educational quality and equity to students using broadband internet including Starlink. Work with state and federal government to stop fraudulent practices. Pass SAVE Act. Citizenship is key to advance Minnesota Restoration. Use food processing to create more local food.

What are your natural resources policy positions?

Work with federal government to prevent forest fires. Keep the ground water unpolluted. Farming is good, will seek Ag Committee seat if elected. By promoting farm land and food processing to create jobs in CD7 we will produce and sell more food locally, instate, rather than seek to compete with Brazil for foreign markets creating over-supply. Promote educational tourism and educational programs about natural resources. .

How would you ensure constituents who didn’t vote for you still feel represented?

This is not a game, it is Minnesota, the free state who create a government of members. Each of us is a member and cannot be deprived of rights and privileges without the law of the land or due process of law. I will represent the unborn, our little members who can't vote but are still going to be respected and represented and protected as a class in future Minnesota law. A woman, beyond health and safety, incest or rape, does not have the choice to "represent" her unborn by reckless abortion. I am a hyperpolyglot, speaking many languages including Swedish, Norwegian, Spanish, Asian languages so I promote real outreach not the strangulation of CRT.

What would you do if what’s best for your district differed from your party’s position on an issue?

I previously ran with the Independence Party. So my goal is to be independent and to be a leader. I will not vote straight party line, but for Minnesota CD7. Our interests do vary from DFL. CD7 Rep is not a piece of a battering ram for Chuck Schumer, Amy Klobuchar or John Thune. I support Donald Trump because he can lead. There were election irregularities in 2020 and we must heal this state's electorate. We did it in passing the contentious 1857 MN Constitution and we must revisit the promises of that contest and restore it. We need to restore the original dream of the farmers and foresters who first realized the American Dream and fought for freedom.

Editor’s note: There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.

Contributed

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Kvidt Creative LLC via Erik Osberg

Website: erikosberg.com

Age on Election Day: 54

Community: Wadena, MN

Employment: I currently work for Otter Tail County as the Rural Rebound Initiative Coordinator.

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

My experience comes from real life. I grew up in rural Minnesota, graduated from Upsala Area Schools, and worked my way through college while playing football at Hamline University.

I’ve worked in finance, owned a small business, worked in the trades, worked alongside farmers, and now serve as the Rural Rebound Initiative Coordinator for Otter Tail County. My work is focused on helping rural communities grow — partnering with employers, schools, nonprofits, and local leaders to support businesses, attract families, and create opportunity.

I’m not a career politician, and I don’t pretend to be. I’m someone who knows the value of hard work because I’ve lived it, just like my neighbors across Western Minnesota.
This campaign is about people, place, and making sure rural communities have a stronger voice. We can do better.

Why are you running?

I’m running for Congress because I believe we can do better.

I’ve lived in rural Minnesota most of my life, and I know what it feels like when people in Washington talk about places like ours but don’t really listen.

Working families are stretched thin. Farmers and small businesses are being squeezed. People are driving too far for healthcare, worrying about bills, and wondering if their voices matter. That’s not right.

I’m a working-class Minnesotan, a husband, a dad, a small business owner, and someone who believes leadership starts with showing up.

This campaign is about people, not politics. It’s about honesty, accountability, restoring checks and balances, and bringing some decency and empathy back to public service.

Western Minnesota needs someone who listens, tells the truth, and fights for working families, family farms, strong schools, healthcare access, and rural communities.

Why should voters choose you to advance to the general election?

I believe trust is earned by showing up.

Since we launched this campaign, I’ve put over 31,000 miles on the road, visited communities in all 38 counties in Western Minnesota, and had thousands of face-to-face conversations. As of mid-June we’ve made over 200 campaign stops, and we’re not slowing down.

That matters because you can’t represent people you don’t take the time to listen to. You can’t understand what families, farmers, small businesses, teachers, healthcare workers, and rural communities are facing if you’re only talking at them from a distance.

This campaign is built around what I hear every day: strengthening rural communities, supporting family farms, improving schools, expanding healthcare access, and helping working families.

People here don’t need more political theater. They need someone who will show up, listen, be honest, and get to work. That’s why I’m running.

What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific policy goals.

My priorities come from the conversations I’ve had with people across Western Minnesota. Government should work for people, and right now too many feel like it doesn’t.

1. Defend the Constitution and restore accountability.
The Constitution is the foundation of our democracy. I’ll protect our freedoms, defend fair elections, respect the rule of law, and make sure elected officials answer to the people — not special interests.

2. Get big money out of politics.
Your voice should matter more than any corporation’s. I support ending the influence of Citizens United, increasing transparency, and reducing the role of corporate money in our elections. My campaign doesn’t accept corporate PAC money because trust starts with accountability.

3. Make healthcare more affordable and accessible.
I’ll fight to protect rural hospitals and clinics, lower prescription costs, and make sure families can get care closer to home.

We can do better.

What are your natural resources policy positions?

I know our natural resources aren’t just something we talk about, they’re part of our way of life.

Our lakes, rivers, farmland, forests, and outdoor traditions are worth protecting. Whether you farm, hunt, fish, or just enjoy being outside, we all have a responsibility to be good stewards of the land and water we depend on.

I believe we can protect our environment while also supporting the farmers, workers, and communities who rely on these resources. That means protecting clean water, supporting conservation efforts, investing in sustainable agriculture, and making sure decisions include the people who actually live and work on the land.

Too often, these issues get turned into political fights. They shouldn’t be.

Taking care of the land isn’t a partisan issue — it’s about respecting what we’ve been given and making sure future generations can enjoy the same Minnesota we do.

How would you ensure constituents who didn’t vote for you still feel represented?

I believe representation doesn’t only belong to the people who voted for you.

If I’m elected, my job will be to represent everyone in Western Minnesota — Democrats, Republicans, independents, and people who don’t think much about politics at all.

That starts with showing up. Throughout this campaign, I’ve traveled across the district, listened to people from all backgrounds, and had conversations with folks who don’t always agree with me. I think that’s how leadership should work.

We may not see every issue the same way, but everyone should be treated with honesty and respect, and everyone should have a representative who listens.

I’ll keep holding conversations across the district, with farmers, small business owners, workers, parents, seniors, and communities that feel forgotten.

At the end of the day, this seat doesn’t belong to a political party. It belongs to the people of Western Minnesota. My responsibility is to them.

What would you do if what’s best for your district differed from your party’s position on an issue?

My job is to represent the people of Western Minnesota. That responsibility comes before anything else.

Political parties matter because they bring people together around shared ideas and goals, but no party gets every issue right every time. If something isn’t right for the people I represent, I have a responsibility to speak up.

I’ll listen to people in this district, look at the facts, and make decisions based on what will actually help our communities, not what's easiest politically.

That’s how leadership should work.

I’m running because we need more honesty and accountability in Washington — people willing to work together, ask hard questions, and solve problems instead of just winning political fights.

I won’t agree with my party on every issue, and not everyone will agree with me every time. But I’ll be honest, explain my decisions, and put Western Minnesota first.