DISTRICT 7
Erik Osberg (D), District 7
Occupation & Background: Small-business owner and working-class Minnesotan from Wadena. Osberg grew up in rural Minnesota and graduated from Upsala Area Schools in 1991. His career has included work in construction, the financial sector, public service, media, and small business. He describes himself as a rural candidate focused on representing the communities of western Minnesota. Age: 53 on Election Day 2026. Accomplishments: Built a career spanning private business, public service, finance, media, and the trades. During his congressional campaign, Osberg completed a six-month tour of all 38 counties in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District, meeting with farmers, small-business owners, community leaders, and residents. His campaign has emphasized direct engagement with rural communities and constituent accessibility. Economic Justice: Supports policies aimed at lowering everyday costs for working families and strengthening rural economies. Advocates protecting Social Security and Medicare, supporting family farms and small businesses, investing in rural communities, strengthening public education, and creating economic opportunities that allow families to remain in Greater Minnesota. Climate: Supports protecting Minnesota's land, water, and natural resources while recognizing agriculture as an important part of environmental solutions. His campaign emphasizes environmental stewardship alongside maintaining strong farms and rural economies. Healthcare: Supports making healthcare more affordable and accessible, particularly in rural Minnesota. Advocates protecting Medicare and Medicaid, lowering healthcare and prescription-drug costs, and ensuring rural hospitals and healthcare providers remain available to communities throughout western Minnesota. Housing: Identifies affordability and the ability of families to remain in rural communities as important economic concerns. His campaign's publicly available materials focus broadly on lowering costs and investing in rural communities; a detailed federal housing or homeownership proposal is not currently a major part of his published platform. Criminal Justice / Policing: Supports safe communities while emphasizing accountable government and practical solutions tailored to rural Minnesota. His campaign's published priorities focus more heavily on affordability, agriculture, healthcare, education, Social Security, veterans, and rural economic development than on a detailed federal policing platform. Immigration: N/A
Michelle Fischbach (R), District 7
Occupation & Background: U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 7th Congressional District (2021–present). Former Minnesota Lieutenant Governor (2018–2019), President of the Minnesota Senate, and Minnesota State Senator (1996–2018). Attorney and longtime public servant. Earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science from St. Cloud State University and a Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law. Age: 60. Accomplishments: Serving her third term in Congress and is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and House Rules Committee. Previously became the first woman to serve as President of the Minnesota Senate and later served as Minnesota's 49th Lieutenant Governor. Has focused on agriculture, tax policy, rural healthcare, and support for western Minnesota communities. Economic Justice: Supports reducing taxes, limiting federal spending, balancing the federal budget, and reducing regulations on businesses and agriculture. Advocates making the 2017 federal tax cuts permanent, strengthening family farms, expanding domestic manufacturing, promoting free-market policies, and negotiating trade agreements that benefit American agriculture. Climate: Supports conservation efforts led by farmers and private landowners while opposing federal climate regulations she believes increase costs for agriculture and consumers. Favors an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy that includes oil, natural gas, biofuels, and nuclear energy while supporting innovation in renewable energy through the private sector. Healthcare: Supports market-based healthcare reforms that increase competition, improve price transparency, and expand patient choice. Opposes government-run healthcare systems and advocates protecting access to rural healthcare providers while lowering healthcare costs through private-sector solutions. Housing: Supports reducing federal regulations that increase housing costs, encouraging private-sector housing development, and strengthening the economy to improve housing affordability and expand homeownership opportunities. Has also supported legislation addressing workforce housing needs in rural communities. Criminal Justice / Policing: Strong supporter of law enforcement and public safety. Supports increased funding for police, stronger penalties for violent crime, combating drug trafficking, and providing law enforcement with the resources needed to protect communities. Opposes efforts to defund police departments. Immigration: Supports securing the southern border through stronger enforcement, increased funding for border security and ICE, and stricter enforcement of immigration laws. Favors legal immigration while prioritizing national security and preventing illegal immigration.
2026 Race for Minnesota
U.S. House of Representatives