Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth is running for governor in 2026.

Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, has announced that she's launching a gubernatorial campaign, pledging to "restore sanity to our state budget by fighting back against wasteful spending" and "root out fraud."

She said in a statement on Monday that "Minnesota is at a crossroads and desperately needs new leadership after two terms" under Gov. Tim Walz.

Demuth criticized the Walz administration for multiple ongoing investigations into provider fraud in public programs, as well as the decline in reading and math standards in Minnesota since the COVID pandemic.

Demuth joins a crowded field of Republican candidates who want to prevent Walz from securing a third term, including fellow state Rep. Kristin Robbins, who ins

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