Republican voters in Minnesota selected their incumbent representative, Rep. Brad Finstad, as their nominee for the U.S. House in the state's 1st Congressional District during the primary held on Tuesday. Finstad faced challengers Gregory Goetzman and Oliver Morlan. Goetzman had previously run against Finstad in 2024, receiving 4.26% of the vote compared to Finstad's 90.9%. Morlan, a political outsider, is involved in his family's industrial cleaning business.
The 1st District, which includes areas like Rochester and much of southern Minnesota's agricultural region, is one of four Republican-held congressional seats in the state. Finstad will compete in the November general election against the winner of the Democratic primary, which features Alex Eaton, a math teacher and former teachers-union leader, and Jake Johnson, a small business owner. Eaton is viewed as the more establishment candidate, while Johnson is considered more progressive.
The Cook Political Report has rated the race as 'lean Republican,' a shift from its previous 'solid Republican' designation, reflecting changing political dynamics in Minnesota. Finstad has served in the House since winning a special election in 2022, following the death of former Rep. Jim Hagedorn. The 1st District has a history of electing candidates from both parties, with key issues expected to include agriculture, health care, manufacturing, and the economy as the election approaches.