KAXE contacted every candidate up to three times using contact information submitted to the Secretary of State's Office to invite them to participate in our Election Guide.
Candidate responses have not been edited and are published as submitted.
As necessary, our news team added contextual information clearly marked with an "editor's note" and in italics. We will make every effort to make note of inaccuracies if they come to our attention.
Please contact our news team at news@kaxe.org with questions or comments or to report any errors.
KAXE's Primary Election Guide only includes races where enough candidates filed to trigger a primary. Visit our full list of who's running for office in Northern Minnesota to see who else will be on the ballot in November.
About these races
Sen. Nathan Wesenberg is running for reelection to the state Senate.
Republican Rep. Ron Kresha is not running for reelection to state House District 10A.
House District 10A includes parts of Aitkin, Crow Wing, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties. Those areas are also included in Senate District 10.
The winner of the Senate District 10 primary will face Democratic candidate Tara Killen in the general election in November, and the winner of the House District 10A primary will face Democratic candidate Melissa Maertens.
Remember: In the primaries, you can only vote for candidates from one political party. If you vote for candidates from more than one party, your vote won't be counted. You decide which party you will vote for, as Minnesota doesn't have political party registration.
Click the tabs below to learn more about the candidates
Website: http://holthausformn.com/
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Website: wesenbergforsenate.com
Party Endorsed
Incumbent
KAXE did not recieve a response from this candidate.
Website: lindquistformn.com
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Party Endorsed
Age on Election Day: 69
Community: Brainerd, MN
Employment: Retired
Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.
B.A Biology and Education. Educator and coach, small business owner in insurance and securities, and sales representative promoting prescription medications.
Why are you running?
The state of Minnesota is at a tipping point with all the corruption and billions of dollars stolen. We need to take our state back from the radicals who do not genuinely uphold the constitution or laws of the United States.
Why should voters choose you to advance to the general election?
I am the endorsed candidate by the delegates to the Republican endorsing convention for house seat 10-A. I have a strong desire to pass on a state to my grandchildren that continues to respect our Christian values and upholds our constitution and supports law enforcement that protects our God given rights.
What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific policy goals.
Equal justice under the law. We need to prosecute and incarcerate the people who were complicit with the theft of thousands, millions, and billions of dollars in government funds regardless of who they are.
The elections need to be secured with voter ID that allows only legal citizens to vote and have one day voting with hand counted ballots. There must be equal
number of election observers from each party represented with transparent validation for those voting.
Removal of all illegal aliens ending all government funds from going to illegals. This should help our medical costs to go down and taxes to be reduced.
Editor’s note: Only U.S. citizens can legally vote. Evidence shows that the number of noncitizens illegally registered to vote is exceedingly small. Voting machines are faster and more accurate than hand counts.
What environment and natural resources policies do you support?
I believe there can be a balance between the growth of industry in harvesting wood products and processing metals and carbon based energy sources while keeping our environment safe and clean. If we rely on other countries like China, the results will include more pollution and less control of the resources we need for national security.
What policies do you support to address concerns of widespread fraud in state-run programs?
Protect and encourage independent journalists like Nick Shirley and remove judges and leaders in government who do not uphold the constitution and our laws. That would be a good start. Support our laws enforcement who are doing their jobs honorably.
What policies would you champion to help alleviate growing property tax burdens on residents at the local government level? What changes, if any, would you support to Local Government Aid?
End the family leave act. Government was never meant to be a nanny state,
Just removing the illegal aliens in our state and country would go a long ways to reduce the fraud and excess spending we are burdened with. Our taxes should be reduced as a result.
How would you ensure constituents who didn’t vote for you still feel represented?
Just laws, benefit all citizens.
Still have questions for the candidates? Contact information for all those who've filed to run for office can be found at candidates.sos.state.mn.us.
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Contributed/Lorie ShaullMonths before the midterms, the Trump administration dismantled a bipartisan federal commission that serves local offices that oversee voting. -
Lorie Shaull/Special to KAXEThe library matched the anonymous matching donation for $30,000 it received in June 2026. A larger fundraising goal is aimed at increasing public hours in 2027. -
Contributed/University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering CenterDue to smoke from Boundary Waters wildfires, the MPCA issued air quality alerts for large parts of Minnesota. The alert lasts until at least Friday, July 16, 2026. -
During the Phenology Report for the week of July 14, 2026 Staff Phenologist John Latimer remarks on blooming basswoods, hawks hunting in harvested fields, and more.
