House District 5B 2026 Election Guide

Contributed

Website: claussenforhouse.org

Party: Republican

Age on Election Day: 56

Community: Staples, MN

Employment: President goFam Ministries, Retired Family Physician

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

Family Physician, President goFam Ministries, Author, Podcaster

Why are you running?

I’m running for the Minnesota House because I feel called to serve and that I sincerely believe I can leave my children and grandchildren a healthier culture. Our state, and our country, was built on principles inspired by God: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I want to protect those principles and honor the values that make families and communities strong.

Why should voters elect you?

I’ll stand for the unborn, defend our God-given freedoms, and promote policies that support families, faith, and personal responsibility. My goal is to take the heart and values of District 5B to St. Paul and represent you with honor and purpose.

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

1. Affordability- starts with controlling spending and reducing the tax burden on families.

2. Fraud- government works best when there is real accountability and oversight to ensure taxpayers money is protected.

3. Sanctity of Life- I believe life begin at conception to natural death. I will be an advocate for the unborn and look change the current extreme abortion policies.

Name a public leader you admire and explain why.

Ronald Reagan- He was a brilliant communicator which allowed his policies to heard and understood. He fostered national pride and unity.

What natural resources policies do you support?

I support an "all of the above" policy when it come to energy production. I believe this can be done in an environmentally responsible way, while promoting business growth, decreased regulations and allow local communities to prosper.

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

Create an independent Office of Inspector General to investigate waste, fraud and abuse.

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

Repeal or greatly reduce the Paid Family & Medical Leave program. Unfunded mandates are rolled into the local property tax and kills small business profitability.

What does representative democracy mean to you?

Citizens vote for people who will debate and pass laws for them, however, this is only effective if the representative engages, dialogues and obtains feedback.

Contributed

Party: DFL

Age on Election Day: (field left blank)

Community: Burtrum, MN

Employment: Self employed/ independent contractor, Outpatient Psychotherapist

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

I’ve spent my whole adult life showing up for the communities I’ve lived, volunteering, organizing, and stepping in wherever people needed support. That’s simply how I’m built. I don’t sit on the sidelines when something needs doing.

My education in psychology and clinical social work shaped how I understand people and the systems around them. I’ve spent years listening to individuals, families, and organizations, helping them navigate complicated situations, and working across schools, clinics, the justice system, and community agencies. That work teaches patience, perspective, and how to get to the heart of a problem without losing sight of the human beings involved.

Those experiences, community work, clinical practice, and helping people through tough moments, have prepared me for a role where understanding people, collaborating effectively, and thinking critically and practically truly matter.

Why are you running?

I’m running for the Minnesota House because I’ve spent my life working with people from every walk of life — every economic class, age, and stage of development — and I know how essential it is to have leaders who respect and represent everyone in the district. I’ve also seen the real world barriers that keep families from working and supporting themselves, from childcare shortages to gaps in technology, housing, and access to affordable healthcare. My years of community involvement and clinical practice have shown me how these shortfalls ripple through households, schools, and workplaces, and how fixing them strengthens the entire district.

Why should voters elect you?

Voters should select me because I’ve spent my life working directly with people from every walk of life, and I understand how policies land in real households. I’ve seen the strength Minnesotans carry and the barriers that hold families back, childcare gaps, transportation challenges, housing shortages, and limited local services.

I believe in equality for all, in protecting women’s right to privacy in healthcare decisions, and in leadership that shows up for everyone in 5B, rural and town, working families and retirees. I understand that we do better when we all do better, and that strong communities are built on respect, stability, and opportunity. I bring practical problem‑solving, real‑world experience, and a commitment to helping people thrive, not just get by.

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

Affordable, Accessible Healthcare My plan is to keep care local, keep it affordable, and protect the full range of healthcare people need. That means supporting rural hospitals and EMS, expanding affordable options including telehealth, and defending privacy in reproductive healthcare so women aren’t left without safe, legal care.

Farming & Local Markets Small farms and hobby farms are part of this district, but they’re boxed out by a lack of places to sell what they produce. I want to expand local markets, strengthen co ops, and make it easier for producers to get their goods into the hands of local families.

Economy, Childcare, and Good Paying Jobs I’ll strengthen the rural economy by expanding childcare, supporting job training that leads to real wages, and giving small businesses the tools they need to grow and keep people rooted here.

Name a public leader you admire and explain why.

Pope Leo. He leads with humility, assertiveness, and demonstrates that loving your neighbor as yourself is actually pretty easy to do.

What natural resources policies do you support?

Outdoor Schools for All

"This year’s environment budget provides $848,000 in one-time funding for grants to accredited learning centers that provide multiday, overnight educational experiences for students in grades 4-12. This grant funding will be used to provide more opportunities for students to directly experience nature and participate in hands-on learning opportunities, with a focus on expanding accessibility to outdoor education for underserved communities and students with disabilities."

Reduced game and fish license fees for disabled veterans

Beginning in 2027, veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 50% or higher will be eligible to purchase game and fish licenses for $5.

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

Safeguarding Confidence in Services for Children, Families, and Vulnerable Minnesotans

Two new financial integrity staffers in the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to prevent fraud through enhanced process controls, monitoring, and data analytics

Stronger Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) oversight, with new licensure requirements for providers, fraud and maltreatment investigative authority for DHS, claim verification processes, and the ability for DHS to temporarily pause on new licenses when the number of applicants exceeds the need for service

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

Senior Citizen Property Tax Deferral

Property Tax Refund

(Homestead Credit Refund)

What does representative democracy mean to you?

Representative democracy means that constituents of a district have entrusted a person to legislate on their behalf