2026 Catholic Voter Guide

Minnesota

Where the candidates stand on the issues Pope Leo XIV has raised, in their own words and votes. Every position links to its source.

Election Day · Tuesday, Nov. 3
Step 1
Check or update your registration
Register →
Vote by mail
Request or track a mail ballot
Absentee →
On Election Day
Find your polling place
Look it up →
Beat the line
Vote early
Early voting →

Absentee ballots became available 46 days before the election, and the last day to return a mail ballot for the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Minnesota also allows voters to register at the polls on Election Day. Official source ↗

How to use this guide. For each race, open an issue to see what Pope Leo XIV has taught and what each candidate has said or done, side by side. Where a candidate has served in office, we add their recorded votes on the same key bills for everyone in that chamber, linked to the official roll call. We summarize; we do not score or endorse. Candidates are listed alphabetically. Where we could not find a public position, we say so. Click any bracketed source to read it yourself. New to Catholic voting principles? Start with our national guide to Faithful Citizenship.
Minnesota · 2026

U.S. Senate

Open seat (Sen. Tina Smith retiring).

Download printable PDF ↓
Peggy Flanagan
Democratic-Farmer-Labor · Open seat
Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota since 2019 and former Minneapolis School Board member.
Campaign website ↗
Michele Tafoya
Republican · Open seat
Former NFL sideline reporter and sports broadcaster.
Campaign website ↗
War & PeaceIran, Gaza, Ukraine, war powers›
Pope Leo XIVLeo invited citizens of every country involved in the war with Iran to contact their leaders and members of Congress “to work for peace and to reject war and violence.”Remarks at Castel Gandolfo, Apr. 7, 2026 (Vatican News via The Good Newsroom)
Peggy Flanagan
Supports a lasting ceasefire and two-state solution in Gaza, says she would have voted to halt offensive weapons sales to Israel, and supports aiding Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.
[1] Flanagan campaign priorities
Michele Tafoya
No public position found.
AI & the Dignity of WorkAI rules, unions, workers displaced by automation›
Pope Leo XIV“No one can be reduced to productivity, to cognitive performance, or to mere data.”Magnifica Humanitas presentation, May 25, 2026
Peggy Flanagan
Supports the PRO Act to strengthen union organizing and opposes using AI for Medicare prior authorization decisions.
[1] Flanagan campaign priorities
Michele Tafoya
No public position found.
The Poor & the Safety NetMedicaid, SNAP, health care, wages›
Pope Leo XIVThe preferential choice for the poor is “a source of extraordinary renewal both for the Church and for society.”Dilexi Te, Oct. 4, 2025
Peggy Flanagan
Supports Medicare for All, reversing Medicaid and SNAP cuts in the 2025 reconciliation law, an expanded Child Tax Credit, and a minimum wage of at least $17 an hour tied to inflation.
[1] Flanagan campaign priorities
Record in office
Michele Tafoya
Pledges to protect the 2025 “Working Family Tax Cuts” and oppose middle-class tax increases; says she will fight “bureaucrats, middlemen and price-gougers” to cut health and drug costs.
[1] Tafoya campaign issues
Life of the UnbornAbortion, IVF, assisted suicide›
Pope Leo XIVAbortion “cuts short a growing life and refuses to welcome the gift of life.”Address to the Diplomatic Corps, Jan. 9, 2026
Peggy Flanagan
Supports the Women’s Health Protection Act to restore Roe v. Wade protections and nationwide access to abortion, contraception, and prenatal and postnatal care, saying health decisions belong to patients and their providers.
[1] Flanagan campaign priorities
Record in office
Michele Tafoya
Calls herself a pro-choice Republican and supports “reasonable access” to abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
[1] MPR News: Flanagan-Tafoya Senate race
The Death PenaltyCapital punishment›
Pope Leo XIVSomeone who opposes abortion but favors the death penalty “is not really pro-life.”AP via PBS NewsHour, Sept. 30, 2025
Peggy Flanagan
No public position found.
Michele Tafoya
No public position found.
Immigrants & RefugeesDeportations, enforcement, asylum, citizenship›
Pope Leo XIV“Defending human life also includes welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants.”Letter on the 250th Anniversary of the United States, June 25, 2026
Peggy Flanagan
Grounds her view in her Catholic faith; says ICE is “out of control” and should be dismantled and reimagined, supports a path to legal status for long-term undocumented residents, and backs fair asylum processes.
[1] Flanagan campaign priorities
Michele Tafoya
Pledges to deport criminal illegal immigrants, oppose efforts to abolish ICE, and cosponsor a bill to deport immigrants convicted of fraud.
[1] Tafoya campaign issues
Religious Liberty & EducationConscience, school choice, Catholic schools and charities›
Pope Leo XIVReligious freedom is “the right of every person to worship according to conscience.”Letter on the 250th Anniversary of the United States, June 25, 2026
Peggy Flanagan
Supports funding K-12 public education “without a voucher program”; lists the right to worship among rights she says are being eroded.
[1] Flanagan campaign priorities
Michele Tafoya
No public position found.
Care for CreationClimate, energy, environment›
Pope Leo XIV“We cannot love God, whom we cannot see, while despising his creatures.”AP, Oct. 1, 2025
Peggy Flanagan
Supports action on climate change, wind and solar with union jobs, biofuels including sustainable aviation fuel, and opposes the Trump administration’s rollback of clean energy investments.
[1] Flanagan campaign priorities
Record in office
Michele Tafoya
Supports “all-of-the-above” U.S. energy sources to lower utility bills and gas prices “while continuing to protect our environment.”
[1] Tafoya campaign issues
Minnesota · 2026

Governor

Open seat (Gov. Tim Walz withdrew in January 2026 amid a social-services fraud scandal).

Download printable PDF ↓
Lisa Demuth
Republican · Open seat
Speaker of the Minnesota House and former school board member.
Campaign website ↗
Amy Klobuchar
Democratic-Farmer-Labor · Open seat
U.S. Senator since 2007 and former Hennepin County Attorney.
Campaign website ↗
War & PeaceIran, Gaza, Ukraine, war powers›
Pope Leo XIVLeo invited citizens of every country involved in the war with Iran to contact their leaders and members of Congress “to work for peace and to reject war and violence.”Remarks at Castel Gandolfo, Apr. 7, 2026 (Vatican News via The Good Newsroom)
Lisa Demuth
No public position found.
Amy Klobuchar
Linked rising gas prices to the Iran war and said ending it would bring the fastest relief; voted against sending certain weapons to Israel and supports a two-state solution.
[1] FOX 9: final governor debate[2] Klobuchar campaign summary
Voting record
AI & the Dignity of WorkAI rules, unions, workers displaced by automation›
Pope Leo XIV“No one can be reduced to productivity, to cognitive performance, or to mere data.”Magnifica Humanitas presentation, May 25, 2026
Lisa Demuth
Says local communities should decide on data centers, with consumer energy prices protected and transparency in agreements.
[1] FOX 9: final governor debate
Record in office
Amy Klobuchar
Plans to double the number of apprenticeships; says local communities should decide on data centers and residents should not pay their electric costs. Endorsed by the AFL-CIO and other unions.
[1] Klobuchar campaign summary[2] FOX 9: final governor debate[3] Wikipedia: 2026 Minnesota gubernatorial election
The Poor & the Safety NetMedicaid, SNAP, health care, wages›
Pope Leo XIVThe preferential choice for the poor is “a source of extraordinary renewal both for the Church and for society.”Dilexi Te, Oct. 4, 2025
Lisa Demuth
Would require periodic health-program eligibility checks with disenrollment of ineligible enrollees, cut the two lowest income tax brackets, and end state taxes on Social Security.
[1] Demuth campaign priorities[2] Demuth affordability agenda
Amy Klobuchar
Voted against the 2025 reconciliation law; would push to restore its Medicaid cuts, simplify enrollment, and create a state tax credit to lower premiums if federal ACA credits are not extended.
[1] Senate roll call 372 (H.R. 1)[2] Klobuchar health care plan
Voting record
Life of the UnbornAbortion, IVF, assisted suicide›
Pope Leo XIVAbortion “cuts short a growing life and refuses to welcome the gift of life.”Address to the Diplomatic Corps, Jan. 9, 2026
Lisa Demuth
Was chief author of a 2021 Minnesota House bill (HF 262) to prohibit abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, with medical-emergency exceptions.
[1] Minnesota Legislature: HF 262 (2021)
Record in office
Amy Klobuchar
Pledges to “stand up for reproductive freedom” and to “protect the reproductive rights codified in state law by the PRO Act.”
[1] Klobuchar health care plan
Voting record
The Death PenaltyCapital punishment›
Pope Leo XIVSomeone who opposes abortion but favors the death penalty “is not really pro-life.”AP via PBS NewsHour, Sept. 30, 2025
Lisa Demuth
No public position found.
Amy Klobuchar
No public position found.
Immigrants & RefugeesDeportations, enforcement, asylum, citizenship›
Pope Leo XIV“Defending human life also includes welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants.”Letter on the 250th Anniversary of the United States, June 25, 2026
Lisa Demuth
Pledges to “continue to oppose illegal immigrant handouts and magnet legislation the Democrats passed” during their legislative trifecta.
[1] Demuth campaign priorities
Record in office
Amy Klobuchar
Voted against the Laken Riley Act in January 2025 and against confirming Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary.
[1] Senate roll call 7 (S. 5)[2] Senate roll call 17 (Noem nomination)
Voting record
Religious Liberty & EducationConscience, school choice, Catholic schools and charities›
Pope Leo XIVReligious freedom is “the right of every person to worship according to conscience.”Letter on the 250th Anniversary of the United States, June 25, 2026
Lisa Demuth
Pledges to opt Minnesota into the federal $1,700 tax-credit scholarship program on day one, unlocking scholarships for public, charter and private school students.
[1] Demuth education plan
Amy Klobuchar
No campaign statement found. See voting record below.
Voting record
Care for CreationClimate, energy, environment›
Pope Leo XIV“We cannot love God, whom we cannot see, while despising his creatures.”AP, Oct. 1, 2025
Lisa Demuth
Supports an “all-of-the-above” energy approach, repealing Minnesota’s ban on new nuclear plants, and says the executive order barring copper-sulfide mining near the Boundary Waters should never have happened.
[1] Demuth campaign priorities[2] FOX 9: final governor debate
Record in office
Amy Klobuchar
Voted against stripping protections from the Boundary Waters and pledges to oppose shrinking public lands; plan calls for keeping air and water clean and building climate-resilient parks.
[1] Klobuchar conservation plan
Voting record
Minnesota · 2026

U.S. House, District 1

Incumbent Brad Finstad seeking a third term; won by 17 points in 2024.

Download printable PDF ↓
Brad Finstad
Republican · Incumbent
U.S. Representative since 2022, farmer, and former state legislator.
Jake Johnson
Democratic-Farmer-Labor · Challenger
Mayo High School math teacher in Rochester.
Campaign website ↗
War & PeaceIran, Gaza, Ukraine, war powers›
Pope Leo XIVLeo invited citizens of every country involved in the war with Iran to contact their leaders and members of Congress “to work for peace and to reject war and violence.”Remarks at Castel Gandolfo, Apr. 7, 2026 (Vatican News via The Good Newsroom)
Brad Finstad
Voted against a House war powers resolution to end U.S. hostilities with Iran and against the Ukraine Support Act in 2026.
[1] House roll call 199 (H.Con.Res. 86, June 2026)[2] House roll call 207 (Ukraine Support Act)
Voting record
Jake Johnson
Says “we cannot afford another endless war in the Middle East” and urged Congress to pass a War Powers Resolution on Iran, while saying Iran “must never obtain a nuclear weapon.”
[1] Johnson campaign: statement on Iran[2] Johnson campaign priorities
AI & the Dignity of WorkAI rules, unions, workers displaced by automation›
Pope Leo XIV“No one can be reduced to productivity, to cognitive performance, or to mere data.”Magnifica Humanitas presentation, May 25, 2026
Brad Finstad
Voted against the Faster Labor Contracts Act in June 2026.
[1] House roll call 216 (H.R. 5408)
Voting record
Jake Johnson
Supports a moratorium on new data centers until protections on electric rates, land and water, and local economic benefit are guaranteed; endorsed by several labor unions.
[1] Johnson data center plan[2] Johnson campaign priorities
The Poor & the Safety NetMedicaid, SNAP, health care, wages›
Pope Leo XIVThe preferential choice for the poor is “a source of extraordinary renewal both for the Church and for society.”Dilexi Te, Oct. 4, 2025
Brad Finstad
Voted for the 2025 reconciliation law (H.R. 1).
[1] House roll call 190 (H.R. 1, July 2025)
Voting record
Jake Johnson
Would undo recent Medicaid and SNAP cuts, extend health insurance tax credits, and protect Social Security and Medicare; supports working-family tax cuts paid for by higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
[1] Johnson campaign priorities
Life of the UnbornAbortion, IVF, assisted suicide›
Pope Leo XIVAbortion “cuts short a growing life and refuses to welcome the gift of life.”Address to the Diplomatic Corps, Jan. 9, 2026
Brad Finstad
Voted for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act in 2025.
[1] House roll call 27 (H.R. 21)
Voting record
Jake Johnson
Says, “I believe we should restore the protections guaranteed under Roe v. Wade.”
[1] Johnson campaign: Reproductive Freedom for All endorsement
The Death PenaltyCapital punishment›
Pope Leo XIVSomeone who opposes abortion but favors the death penalty “is not really pro-life.”AP via PBS NewsHour, Sept. 30, 2025
Brad Finstad
No public position found.
Jake Johnson
No public position found.
Immigrants & RefugeesDeportations, enforcement, asylum, citizenship›
Pope Leo XIV“Defending human life also includes welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants.”Letter on the 250th Anniversary of the United States, June 25, 2026
Brad Finstad
Voted for the Laken Riley Act in 2025 and for the House Homeland Security appropriations bill in March 2026.
[1] House roll call 23 (Laken Riley Act)[2] House roll call 87 (H.R. 7744)
Voting record
Jake Johnson
After an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis in January 2026, said such actions “are not making anyone in our communities feel safer.”
[1] Johnson campaign: statement on Renee Good
Religious Liberty & EducationConscience, school choice, Catholic schools and charities›
Pope Leo XIVReligious freedom is “the right of every person to worship according to conscience.”Letter on the 250th Anniversary of the United States, June 25, 2026
Brad Finstad
No campaign statement found. See voting record below.
Voting record
Jake Johnson
No public position found.
Care for CreationClimate, energy, environment›
Pope Leo XIV“We cannot love God, whom we cannot see, while despising his creatures.”AP, Oct. 1, 2025
Brad Finstad
Backs an energy mix of nuclear, oil, gas, renewables, biofuels and mining; voted in January 2026 to overturn the federal mineral withdrawal near the Boundary Waters.
[1] Finstad: energy[2] House roll call 38 (H.J.Res. 140)
Voting record
Jake Johnson
Supports investing in clean water and says data center development must protect farmland, groundwater and air quality.
[1] Johnson campaign priorities[2] Johnson data center plan
Minnesota · 2026

U.S. House, District 2

Open seat (Rep. Angie Craig ran for U.S. Senate).

Download printable PDF ↓
Matt Little
Democratic-Farmer-Labor · Open seat
Former state senator, two-term Lakeville mayor, and personal injury lawyer.
Eric Pratt
Republican · Open seat
Fourth-term state senator and top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.
War & PeaceIran, Gaza, Ukraine, war powers›
Pope Leo XIVLeo invited citizens of every country involved in the war with Iran to contact their leaders and members of Congress “to work for peace and to reject war and violence.”Remarks at Castel Gandolfo, Apr. 7, 2026 (Vatican News via The Good Newsroom)
Matt Little
No public position found.
Eric Pratt
Calls Iran’s nuclear program a “clear and present danger” and says of the conflict, “we have to finish this”; supports Israel as an ally and is open to a negotiated two-state solution.
[1] Jewish Insider: Pratt interview
AI & the Dignity of WorkAI rules, unions, workers displaced by automation›
Pope Leo XIV“No one can be reduced to productivity, to cognitive performance, or to mere data.”Magnifica Humanitas presentation, May 25, 2026
Matt Little
No campaign statement found. See voting record below.
Record in office
Eric Pratt
No campaign statement found. See voting record below.
Record in office
The Poor & the Safety NetMedicaid, SNAP, health care, wages›
Pope Leo XIVThe preferential choice for the poor is “a source of extraordinary renewal both for the Church and for society.”Dilexi Te, Oct. 4, 2025
Matt Little
No campaign statement found. See voting record below.
Record in office
Eric Pratt
Supported the 2025 reconciliation law, saying it averted a “tremendous tax increase,” and backs Medicaid work or volunteer requirements for able-bodied adults without children.
[1] KSTP: Pratt launches campaign
Record in office
Life of the UnbornAbortion, IVF, assisted suicide›
Pope Leo XIVAbortion “cuts short a growing life and refuses to welcome the gift of life.”Address to the Diplomatic Corps, Jan. 9, 2026
Matt Little
No campaign statement found. See voting record below.
Record in office
Eric Pratt
No campaign statement found. See voting record below.
Record in office
The Death PenaltyCapital punishment›
Pope Leo XIVSomeone who opposes abortion but favors the death penalty “is not really pro-life.”AP via PBS NewsHour, Sept. 30, 2025
Matt Little
No public position found.
Eric Pratt
No public position found.
Immigrants & RefugeesDeportations, enforcement, asylum, citizenship›
Pope Leo XIV“Defending human life also includes welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants.”Letter on the 250th Anniversary of the United States, June 25, 2026
Matt Little
Would immediately reduce ICE funding to pre-Trump levels and replace it with “a federal immigration agency that Americans can trust and that obeys the law and Constitution.”
[1] Minnesota Reformer: Little wins DFL primary
Eric Pratt
Pledges to “support law enforcement, including ICE,” and to “crack down on fraud, abuse and the people who exploit the system.”
[1] Minnesota Reformer: Little wins DFL primary
Religious Liberty & EducationConscience, school choice, Catholic schools and charities›
Pope Leo XIVReligious freedom is “the right of every person to worship according to conscience.”Letter on the 250th Anniversary of the United States, June 25, 2026
Matt Little
No public position found.
Eric Pratt
No public position found.
Care for CreationClimate, energy, environment›
Pope Leo XIV“We cannot love God, whom we cannot see, while despising his creatures.”AP, Oct. 1, 2025
Matt Little
No campaign statement found. See voting record below.
Record in office
Eric Pratt
No campaign statement found. See voting record below.
Record in office
Free or Paid · Direct to Your Inbox

Follow the election with Letters from Leo

The most-read Substack on Pope Leo XIV and American politics. Subscribe here without leaving the page.

← All state voter guides