Minnesota governor: Amy Klobuchar wins 2026 election

(FOX 9) - U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, has won the election for Minnesota governor, beating her Republican opponent, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth. 

Klobuchar will make history as the state’s first woman governor.

Minnesota had an open governor’s race for the first time since 2018, after Gov. Tim Walz decided not to seek a third term. 

FULL LIST: Minnesota 2026 election results

Minnesota governor election results 

What will happen to Klobuchar's Senate seat? 

According to state law, either Klobuchar or Gov. Tim Walz will then appoint someone to temporarily fill Klobuchar's place in the U.S. Senate.

The special election will then be held in November 2027, in which Minnesotans will vote for who they want to take Klobuchar's place until the end of her term in January 2031.

READ MORE: What happens to Amy Klobuchar's US Senate seat once she is elected governor?

Who is Amy Klobuchar? 

Klobuchar, 66, is in her fourth Senate term, after being the first woman to represent Minnesota in the position – first running in 2006 after a career as a Hennepin County prosecutor. She briefly ran a presidential campaign in 2020.

Since winning her election in 2006, Klobuchar has held a seat in the U.S. Senate, rising to 14th in the Senate in seniority, and the third Democrat in Senate party leadership. 

She had Gov. Walz’s endorsement and easily won the Democratic primary in August. 

Klobuchar graduated from Wayzata High School and then went on to earn degrees from Yale University and the University of Chicago Law School. She is married to John Bessler, and together they have one daughter, Abigail.

In May, Klobuchar announced that Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer would be her running mate, putting him in the role of lieutenant governor if they win the election.

Who is Lisa Demuth? 

Lisa Demuth has served as speaker of the Minnesota House since 2024 and served as minority leader before that. She was first elected to the House in 2018. She became the first Black lawmakers to serve in the role. Before entering the house she was a small business owner and served on the ROCORI school board. 

Demuth won the Republican nomination for governor as somewhat of a dark-horse candidate, beating out a crowded field including GOP-endorsed candidate Kendall Qualls and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump.

Demuth’s platform centers on reducing taxes and regulations, combating government fraud, strengthening public safety and reshaping education, according to her campaign website. 

Last fall, Demuth announced that attorney and former small business owner Ryan Wilson would join her ticket as lieutenant governor. Wilson ran for state auditor in 2022 and lost to incumbent Julie Blaha. He currently resides in Maple Grove with his wife and four children. 

The Source: Information in this story comes from The Associated Press' election results, campaign websites and previous FOX 9 reporting.