KAXE contacted each candidate at least twice to invite them to participate in our Election Guide, using contact information submitted to the Secretary of State's Office.
Candidate responses have not been edited and are published exactly as submitted, including typos and formatting.
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 Election Guide includes contested races in communities with at least 100 people. 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 this race
The Minnesota Legislature passes laws and sets the state budget. It is made up of 67 senators and 134 representatives.
State House District 7B includes parts of St. Louis County in the Iron Range, such as the cities of Aurora, Buhl, Chisholm, Eveleth, Gilbert, Kinney, Mckinley, Mountain Iron and Virginia.
Republican Rep. Cal Warwas is running for reelection. He was first elected in 2024.
The winner of the election will begin their two-year term in January.
Click the tabs below to learn more about the candidates
Website: horoshak2026.com
Party: DFL
Age on Election Day: 32
Community: Eveleth MN
Employment: Nelson-williams lining inc. I am a union laboror.
Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.
High school education and leadership born from everyday live living the struggles we all face.
Why are you running?
To unite the Iron Range and make us a powerhouse for jobs and industry and make sure suffering families don't have to worry about food on the table.
Why should voters elect you?
I'm an average guy looking to help my community make a difference and stop all the fighting, I want to work for the people to get this done.
What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific policy goals.
Jobs- I want to work with small business and cut the legislative red tape to help them strengthen our economy, I also want to bring businesses up here like the experimental Iron- air batteries that can be manufactured in our back yard and could be eco friendly and a job creater in our own back yard.
Healthcare - invest in Rural Hospitals and Nursing Homes, I want to make sure funding is provided and support for these two vital areas. I also stand by all nurses and CNAs for better working conditions and pay across the board.
Education- fund schools, educators and students to make it so we are not only investing in the state but also the future.
Name a public leader you admire and explain why.
Paul Wellstone because he put people and his neighbors above party and wanted to make people's lives better.
What natural resources policies do you support?
Focus on balance environmental conservation and economic sustainable use.
What policies do you support to address concerns of widespread fraud in state-run programs?
I support a zero tolerance on fraud and think we need to buckle down and send a clear message it's not allowed in the state of Minnesota nor should this be allowed to happen again and the government failed it's people.
What policies would you champion to help alleviate growing property tax burdens on residents at the local government level?
Stop sending state dollar to the feds to steal our money, stop the outflow for local funds going national home where it belongs and put a pause on raising property taxes across the board especially in no economically rich areas.
What does representative democracy mean to you?
Uniting as friends family and neighbors to get something done in your community, state or country. Putting the Interest of the people and their lives above a political party and raising everyone up.
Incumbent
Website: calwarwas.com
Party: Republican
Age on Election Day: 50
Community: Clinton Township
Employment: I am elected to the MN House of Representatives, as the Rep for district 7B, which is the heart of the Iron Range and the 'mining-est' district in the country. At my other job, I am a career miner at United States Steel, Minntac. I have worked there for over 30 years, and am currently an Ironworker at Central Shops.
Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.
I spent over 4 years as an elected Supervisor in Clinton Township, starting in March of 2020. During that time, I was also a maintenance planner for the Fab Shop at Minntac, and worked with a broad and diverse group of our workforce, management and vendor community.
In 2024, I ran and won a successful campaign to become the Representative for this House district, 7B. I am the first Republican in 96 years to represent the district that includes Virginia, Eveleth, Gilbert and Mountain Iron (the full district is almost 1700 square miles). My time in the legislature so far has reinforced in me the value of relationships in policy-making and constituent services.
Why are you running?
To continue to bring balance to state government. in 2023-2024 we had a DFL trifecta that shut out rural Minnesota - 49% of our state population was without a voice. My election brought the first tied House in 50 years to happen, and we governed much better when both parties had a seat at the table and needed to negotiate every bill to get it to passage.
Why should voters elect you?
Hopefully because they trust me to do the right thing for the Range, and for the state. In the first campaign, they had to get to know me, or at least hear my priorities, knowing we wanted the same thing. Now, they will need to feel I've made good on who I said I was.
What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific policy goals.
Sustain and expand mining in Minnesota
Protect your life, liberty and property. Your second amendment rights should never be up for grabs, for one thing, and we fought hard to protect them this year during the session.
Reduce mandates on counties, cities and schools to drive property taxes down for homeowners
Name a public leader you admire and explain why.
House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Lisa has gained the respect of people across Minnesota by being kind, but driven to succeed, and is a fierce negotiator. She is always classy, and listens to people.
What natural resources policies do you support?
All policies that support:
Non-ferrous mining
Ferrous mining
Any responsible mining, actually
Forest management that includes using wood as biomass in energy production, which also cleans up the forest and that will prevent fires.
What policies do you support to address concerns of widespread fraud in state-run programs?
Our bill to create the Office of Inspector General, which passed this year - this will be sure that fraudsters can be investigated, arrested and prosecuted by the same entity and that the Governor will not have specific control over them - they are meant to be independent.
What policies would you champion to help alleviate growing property tax burdens on residents at the local government level?
Reduce unfunded mandates on counties, cities and schools. The state passes down policy that hurts homeowners by forcing counties and others to pay for their initiatives, and that needs to end.
What does representative democracy mean to you?
An alternative to communism. An opportunity for all voting aged citizens to vote for who they want to be their voice. In America, it is foundational to who we are as a country.
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.
-
Contributed/Book covers—publisher websites; Tracy KampaChildren's librarian Tracy Kampa reviews new books by Sophie Blackall, Chelsea Lin Wallace, Steve Sheinkin and Meaghan McIsaac. -
The retired DNR forester gave a walking tour of his forest property as part of a Cass Soil and Water Conservation District forest management event. -
Plus: Aitkin's 68-year-old water tower is demolished; Demuth, Klobuchar will debate in the Brainerd lakes area; and we're partnered with ICTV to host school board forums.
-
Stella Mayerhoff/KAXE / Report for AmericaRetired DNR forester Gary Anderson gave a walking tour of his forest property as part of a Cass Soil and Water Conservation District habitat management event.
