Education Minnesota endorses 99 candidates for Legislature
For more information, contact:
CHRIS WILLIAMS
651-292-4816 (work)
651-247-5539 (cell)
ST. PAUL, Minnesota. July 16, 2026 – Education Minnesota announced that its political action committee has endorsed 99 candidates for the state Legislature, including nine current or retired professional educators who are members of the union.
Educators Dan R. Rogers (Senate 2); Kari Dorry (Senate 12); L.S. “Rusty” Nelson (House 21A); Jon Wilson (House 21B); Angie Hanson (Senate 23); Christoph Dundas (House 23B); Chris Swanson (11A); Josiah Hill (House 33B); and Mary Frances Clardy (House 53A) all earned the endorsement of the state’s largest labor union of educators.
The full list of candidates is below. This is the first in a series of endorsement announcements by Education Minnesota, with additional endorsements expected in the next six weeks. A complete and updated list of endorsed candidates, including candidates for federal office, is available on the union’s campaign website.
House
1A: Leanna Sandahl
1B: Jennifer Compeau
2A: Reed J. Olson
2B: Emily Thabes
3A: Aaron Kania
4A: Erika Yoney
4B: Thaddeus Laugisch
6B: Nicky Hardy
7A: Erin McCabe Ningen
7B: Dan Horoshak
8A: Peter Johnson
8B: Liish Kozlowski
10B: Jeff Larson
11A: Chris Swanson
11B: Jack L’Heureux
14A: Abdi Daisane
14B: Zachary “Zach” Dorholt
15B: Lydell Sik
16A: David J Torgelson
16B: Julie Henslin
18A: Leah Hanson
18B: Luke Frederick
21A: L.S. “Rusty” Nelson
21B: Jon Wilson
22A: Sonja L. Denn
22B: Mary Nesgoda
23B: Christoph Dundas
31A: Brian Walker
31B: Jen Bloomquist
32B: Matt Norris
33B: Josiah Hill
35A: Zack Stephenson
35B: Kari Rehrauer
36A: Jim DeMay
39A: Aaron Klemz
40A: Aisha Elmquist
40B: David Gottfried
41A: Cole Birkeland
41B: Jen Fox
44A: Peter M Fischer
45A: Tracey Breazeale
45B: Patty Acomb
46A: Larry Kraft
46B: Cheryl Youakim
48A: Joe Brothers
48B: Lucille “Lucy” Rehm
49A: Alex Falconer
49B: Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn
50A: Julie Greene
50B: Steve Elkins
51A: Michael Howard
51B: Nathan Coulter
52A: Christos Roy Jensen
52B: Bianca Virnig
53A: Mary Frances Clardy
53B: Rick Hansen
54A: Brad Tabke
55A: Jessica Hanson
55B: Hunter Cantrell
56A: Robert Bierman
56B: John Huot
57A: JD Delgado
57B: Brian Cohn
59B: Esther Agbaje
60A: Sydney Jordan
60B: Mohamud Noor
61A: Katie Jones
62A: Aisha Gomez
62B: Anquam Mahamoud
63A: Samantha Sencer-Mura
Senate
1: Bjorn Solberg
2: Dan R. Rogers
3: Grant Hauschild
4: Rob Kupec
7: Kim (Kotonias) McLaughlin
8: Jen McEwen
11: Mary Carlson
12: Kari Dorry
14: Aric Putnam
16: Kathy Jorgenson
18: Nick Frentz
22: Marisa Ulmen
23: Angie Hanson
34: John Hoffman
35: Angela Nelson
39: Mary K Kunesh
44: Sam Rosemark
45: Ann Johnson Stewart
48: Dan Kessler
49: Krish Subrahmanian
51: Simon Trautmann Cordova
52: Liz Reyer
53: Paul Cumings
56: Erin Maye Quade
57: Steven Schroer
59: Bobby Joe Champion
60: Doron Clark
61: Scott Dibble
62: Omar Fateh
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
