Ben Schierer, Fergus Falls mayor, elected Minnesota lieutenant governor

Minnesota voters made history Tuesday night, electing Senator Amy Klobuchar as the state’s first female governor and former Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer as lieutenant governor—marking the first time in more than five decades that someone from Minnesota’s Seventh Congressional District has won statewide office, Fergusnow.com reported.

The win caps a campaign that saw Klobuchar tap Schierer as her running mate, a pairing that LPTV.org noted brought together a veteran senator with a small-business owner from greater Minnesota. Schierer, who was elected mayor of Fergus Falls in 2016 and re-elected in 2020 after serving on the city council, currently works with the West Central Initiative, a regional nonprofit dedicated to economic development. He and his wife Tessa, along with their five children, previously owned and operated Union Pizza & Brewing Co. and TÖAST in downtown Fergus Falls.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Candidate Ben Schierer Visits Bemidji During Campaign Tour | Lakeland News

In a statement posted to the Ben Schierer for Minnesota Facebook page Tuesday night, the lieutenant governor-elect said, Thank you, Minnesota! It’s been an honor to run alongside our next Governor Amy Klobuchar and to earn your trust tonight. Now, we’re ready to move our state forward and to get to work for each and every one of you. Schierer also thanked his wife and children for their love and support.

A Half-Century Break for the Seventh District

Schierer’s election carries particular weight for residents of western Minnesota’s Seventh Congressional District, a vast rural swath that includes Fergus Falls and stretches across the state’s western border. Fergusnow.com reported that Schierer is the first person from the district elected to statewide office in more than 50 years, a drought that had left the region without direct representation in the governor’s office for generations.

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The geographic significance extends beyond symbolism. The Seventh District encompasses agricultural communities, manufacturing towns, and small cities that have often felt distant from St. Paul’s political corridors. By placing a Fergus Falls mayor on the ticket, Klobuchar signaled an intention to bridge that divide, though the practical impact will depend on how the new administration allocates attention and resources to rural economic development—the very mission Schierer pursued at the West Central Initiative.

The Rest of the Statewide Slate

The Klobuchar-Schierer victory was part of a broader Democratic sweep of Minnesota’s statewide offices Tuesday night. Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan defeated Republican Michele Tafoya to win the state’s open U.S. Senate seat, succeeding retiring Democratic Senator Tina Smith. Flanagan’s win makes her the first Native American woman elected to the U.S. Senate, according to Fergusnow.com. Tafoya, a former NBC and NFL sideline reporter, was making her first run for elected office.

ben schierer amy klobuchar thumbnail — Photo: lptv.org

Attorney General Keith Ellison won a third term, defeating Republican challenger Ron Schutz, while Secretary of State Steve Simon secured re-election against Republican Tad Jude. In the state auditor’s race, DFL candidate Zack Filipovich defeated Republican Scott Jensen to succeed retiring Auditor Julie Blaha.

From Pizza Ovens to the State Capitol

Schierer’s path to statewide office traces a trajectory common in Minnesota politics but rare in recent decades for the Seventh District: local service leading to statewide visibility. After winning a city council seat in Fergus Falls, he was elected mayor in 2016 and re-elected in 2020, LPTV.org reported. During his tenure, he and his family ran two downtown restaurants, giving him direct experience with the regulatory and economic pressures facing small businesses.

Amy Klobuchar declares victory in Minnesota governor race | Full speech

That background now positions him to influence policy areas ranging from workforce development to rural broadband, issues central to the West Central Initiative’s work. Whether the candidate can bring regional nonprofit experience to statewide leadership is unclear, but his victory guarantees the Seventh District will finally have a lieutenant governor representative, the first since the early 1970s.

The new administration will take office in January, with Klobuchar and Schierer facing the task of unifying a state that has seen Democrats hold the governor’s office intermittently while Republicans have controlled the legislature at various points. Their immediate challenge will be translating Tuesday’s electoral mandate into legislative priorities that resonate both in the Twin Cities and in communities like Fergus Falls that have waited half a century for statewide representation.