Qualls Wins GOP Endorsement for Minnesota Governor; Demuth Stays in Race

Kendall Qualls, an Army veteran and former health care executive, won the Minnesota Republican Party's endorsement for governor at the state convention in Duluth, defeating House Speaker Lisa Demuth after ten rounds of voting. The convention took place in late May 2026, according to the Minnesota Reformer. Despite losing the endorsement, Demuth said she would continue her campaign for governor. She had previously pledged to drop out of the race if she did not receive the party's endorsement, but she reversed that position after the convention result. Demuth filed to run in the state's August primary with Ryan Wilson as her running mate. The race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination remains contested, with both Qualls, as the party-endorsed candidate, and Demuth set to compete in the August primary. It is unresolved how Demuth's reversal on her earlier pledge will affect party dynamics or voter response ahead of the primary.