Overview
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced Ben Schierer as her running mate on May 29, 2026, and the DFL convention that day was set to consider endorsing her ticket.
- Schierer, a two-term Fergus Falls mayor and longserving city council member, has run small businesses and now works with the West Central Initiative on rural economic development.
- Schierer immediately ended his campaign for state auditor after the announcement, changing the makeup and dynamics of the DFL auditor contest.
- The campaign frames the pick as a move to strengthen Klobuchar's reach outside the Twin Cities by highlighting Schierer's local government experience and ties to greater Minnesota communities.
- If elected, Schierer would be the first person from Minnesota's 7th Congressional District to hold statewide office in more than 50 years, a point the campaign has emphasized as part of its regional message.