Minnesota’s August 11 primary election sets up the state’s first all-woman major-party race for governor, with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar winning the Democratic nomination and Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth capturing the Republican primary. The two will face off on November 3, 2026, and the winner will become Minnesota’s first female governor.
Klobuchar dominated the Democratic primary, securing roughly 90% of the vote, according to unofficial results. Demuth won the Republican primary with approximately 45% of the vote, defeating Trump-endorsed MyPillow founder Mike Lindell and other challengers. Demuth’s victory marked a significant moment for Minnesota Republicans: she became the first woman to win the GOP nomination for governor in the state’s history.
Demuth’s achievement carries additional historic weight. She is the first Black woman to be nominated for governor by either major party in Minnesota. Earlier in her career, Demuth became the first Black person and first female Republican to be elected House speaker in Minnesota, according to Ballotpedia.
Klobuchar entered the race in May 2026 after incumbent Governor Tim Walz announced he would not seek reelection. Her entry into the gubernatorial contest was a shift from her role as a U.S. senator representing Minnesota since 2007. With her primary win, she advances to a general election where barring an unforeseen outcome, Minnesota will elect its first female governor.
Minnesota is not alone in setting up an all-woman governor’s race this cycle. Tennessee held its primary on August 6, 2026, with Republican U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Jerri Green both winning their nominations. That race also guarantees Tennessee will elect its first female governor in November, according to NBC News and the Nashville Banner.
The 2026 election cycle has seen record numbers of women candidates running for governor nationwide. According to reporting from June 2026, 72 women filed papers to run for governor across the country, the largest number of female candidates ever to seek the office. By July, that number had grown to 85 women major-party candidates running across 36 states, significantly exceeding previous records.
Sources
- NPR — Lisa Demuth’s Republican primary victory and confirmation of all-woman general election matchup
- Washington Post — Amy Klobuchar’s Democratic primary win and Demuth’s GOP nomination
- Star Tribune — First all-woman major-party race for governor in Minnesota history
- Wikipedia (2026 Minnesota gubernatorial election) — Primary date and general election date confirmation
- Ballotpedia — Lisa Demuth’s historic firsts as first woman and first Black person to be elected House speaker
- Nashville Banner — Tennessee all-woman governor race between Blackburn and Green
- NBC News — Tennessee primary results and first female governor guarantee
- Pluribus News — Record 72 women filing for governor in 2026
- News from the States — 85 women major-party candidates running for governor across 36 states
