House District 5A 2026 Election Guide

Incumbent

Party: Republican

KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.

Contributed

Party: DFL

Age on Election Day: 57

Community: Pequot Lakes/Cass County

Employment: Retired USAF veteran and Cyber Security professional

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

As a 20-year retired veteran, cyber security professional, father, husband, former business owner, and a proud rural Minnesotan who has traveled the world for almost 30 years (with the intention of always coming back), I bring a unique skillset and perspective that is sorely needed in St. Paul. Because I was raised on the lakes, forests and in the fields of central Minnesota, I understand the challenges of our rural way of life. With this experience we can bring real solutions to St. Paul that will strengthen people and communities.

Why are you running?

I chose to run, because the current political climate has left the people of greater Minnesota without true representation. Greater Minnesota is currently represented by individuals who would rather serve the interests of corporations and millionaires. The people of this area need to witness what it really looks like to serve the people. Deregulation for corporations in the name of “jobs” Is not serving the people. Giving incentives, exemptions and even financial support to businesses while cutting SNAP benefits, gutting rural healthcare, complaining about free lunches for children, holding wages down is legislating greed. Minnesota deserves better.

Why should voters elect you?

I will help strengthen people and communities. Simply bringing solutions that are aimed at the middle-class Minnesotans strengthens everyone. This includes Affordable housing initiatives, obsessively finding economic development grants, state tax credited universal savings accounts, invest in our schools, increase availability to quality affordable childcare, and help expand rural healthcare are just a few examples.

I will defend our rural way of life. Small family farms are being priced out of the market and/or being gobbled by corporate farms. This needs to stop. Getting local farms to produce our local food again is a great investment in people and communities. Also, protecting our water, trees and forests not only preserve resources, it maintains the longevity and viability of the multibillion-dollar tourism industry, protects hunting lands, ensures safe drinking water for future generations and so much more.

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

1. Tackle affordability- Housing, childcare, medical, food prices, utility costs are all issues that can be addressed with various tools at the state level .

2. Protect family farms- District 5a has farming in blood and corporations are pushing small family farms out of the market. Our connection to this land runs through farmers and the food they bring to the community. We must incentivize family farm and food-table operations and reclaim our local food supply while also building stronger communities

3. Accessible healthcare- Life saving care is getting further out of reach for many rural Minnesotans. Not only in cost but in distance. Facilities are closing and costs are rising, this must stop. Intervention is a must.

Name a public leader you admire and explain why.

Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky. He is a Democratic Governor in a deeply Republican state. He has somehow managed to get his constituency to understand that aiming policies at the middle class have a much greater return than incentivizing corporation and billionaires. This is still free market capitalism that benefits everyone to a greater degree and is the foundation of my political ideology.

What natural resources policies do you support?

I support protecting water at all costs. There are far too many examples where drought, poor agricultural practices, corporate pollution, and mining have devastated local water supplies. In most cases there is no going back. Clean water is essential for our local food supply, the pillar of our tourism industry, and if we protect it, the source of safe drinking water for many generations.

What policies do you support to address concerns of widespread fraud in state-run programs?

Unfortunately, fraud has been a part of almost every social program in every state in the US. Certainly, tightening control and oversight of federal and state funds is always a concern and must evolve to meet the need. It should not ever get to millions of dollars before it is detected, so supporting real time auditing and monitoring seems like a prudent response.

What policies would you champion to help alleviate growing property tax burdens on residents at the local government level? 

In an area that has many million dollar “2nd homes” and investment homes, I would certainly support lowering taxes on homesteaded properties while increasing taxes on non-homesteaded properties over a proposed cap.

What does representative democracy mean to you?

It means that our representatives should be accountable and be required to stand before their constituents to answer for the work they do in St. Paul or DC. Not everyone will agree with you, but they deserve to ask why and hear you defend your voting record. I believe strongly in this ideal. We have too many politicians chasing fringe ideas, trying to implement policies that serve the needs of only those they agree with and then never stand up to take responsibility. If you truly serve all people, you will have courage to stand and look them in the eye to hear their complaints, challenges, and struggles.