Klobuchar and Demuth hold first governor's debate near Brainerd

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth met Monday, Oct. 19 at Madden's on Gull Lake for their first governor's debate, hosted by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and moderated by KSTP's Tom Hauser. The general election is Nov. 3.

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Why it matters

The next governor will set Minnesota's approach to taxes, state fraud, permitting and data centers. Both candidates described different roles for the state in those areas.

What to watch

Election Day is Nov. 3, 2026; early in-person voting is open now.

How each side sees it

Lisa Demuth (R) saysTaxes are too high, state government needs a "fresh start," and she would fire all state commissioners; she calls data centers "a local control issue."

Amy Klobuchar (DFL) saysShe would not raise taxes, "would have caught" state fraud, and says the state "has to have some involvement" in major data center projects.

Sources

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Published Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Spot an error? Email [email protected]. See our corrections log and standards.