ST. PAUL 鈥� State Sen. Matt Klein, DFL-Mendota Heights, announced on Tuesday, May 6, that he will be running for Minnesota鈥檚 2nd Congressional District in 2026.
The announcement from Klein comes shortly after Democrat on April 29 to run for U.S. Sen. Tina Smith鈥檚 seat in 2026. Klein has led efforts to in Minnesota during recent legislative sessions. Klein enters alongside former who announced a bid on April 30.
ADVERTISEMENT
鈥淢innesotans in my district are really concerned about the cost of their lives,鈥� Klein told Forum News Service on Tuesday morning. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e worried about their finances, their jobs, their health, and even the foundations of our democracy. They deserve leaders who can lead with responsibility and solve problems and work across the aisle. That鈥檚 the way Angie Craig has led, and that鈥檚 the kind of leadership I think I can bring.鈥�
Klein enters a race for a competitively purple congressional district, which covers the south Twin Cities metro area; Scott, Dakota and Le Sueur counties; and parts of Rice County and Washington County. , which had been red since 2001. She was narrowly re-elected in 2020 with and in 2022 with , according to the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Craig won the purple district most comfortably in the 2024 general election, where she defeated Republican Joe Teirab with .
鈥淲hat I鈥檝e shown in my work, not just as a doctor for 30 years, but here at the Legislature, is that I鈥檓 willing to work with people from any party in any background, so that we can deliver results for the people we care for 鈥� I鈥檝e been effective at doing that, and I plan to bring that same sort of leadership forward,鈥� He said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 what the voters of CD 2 have rewarded Angie Craig for doing, and I plan to follow in that line.鈥�
Klein was born and raised in the east metro, attended Mayo Medical 歪歪漫画, and currently works at Mayo Clinic in internal medicine, according to a press release from his campaign. He and his wife, Kristine, have five young adult children and live in Mendota Heights.
The Trust Project
