Know your candidates: Minnesota Legislature

Despite being two months away from the official candidate filing period for state and local offices, this election year is already ramping up.

Every one of the seats in Minnesota’s legislature is up for election this year. In the Minnesota House of Representatives, terms are always two years. In the state Senate, the term varies. In years ending in zero, Senators are elected for a two-year term, but in years ending in two and six, they win the seat for a four-year term.

House of Representatives District 3A

Rep. Roger Skraba

Incumbent Roger Skraba has announced that he will seek another term. Skraba, a Republican, is currently in his second term. Before his time in the legislature, he served as the mayor of Ely, a position to which he was elected four times.

This session Skraba sits on several committees. He serves on the Housing Finance and Policy Committee, the Capital Investment Committee, and the Transportation Finance and Policy Committee. He is also the vice-chair of the Legacy Finance Committee.

Skraba has been outspoken in his support of the mining industry, support for rural health services, and Second Amendment Rights. At this time, his campaign website does not have specific priorities listed, beyond reflecting the priorities of District 3A constituents.

Aaron Kania

At this time, only one challenger has announced their candidacy. Aaron Kania announced in January that he would seek the Democratic-Farmer-Laborer (DFL) party nomination for the seat. Kania has a background in law enforcement, and most recently worked for the National Forest Service as a District Ranger. He spent five years at the Kawishiwi District in Ely.

According to his campaign website, Kania has identified three priorities that he would work for if elected. He would prioritize coalition building within the district, economic development and growth, and addressing affordability and the cost of living for rural communities.

Kania has visited Cook County several times in recent days.

Senate District 3

Sen. Grant Hauschild

Incumbent Grant Hauschild is running for a second term. DLF-er Hauschild is in his first four-year term. Before his time as a state senator, he worked for the Essential Health Foundation, and in economic development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

He currently serves on the Education Policy Committee and the Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee. He is the vice-chair of both the Labor Committee and the Taxes Committee.

Hauschild told WTIP at the beginning of the current legislative session that his priorities include continuing to support rural health services, school funding through property taxes, increasing 1854 Treaty payments to the tribal nations in his district, and addressing federal overreach. While he has supported mining as an economic driver in Northern Minnesota, he has also expressed his belief that the state should have more power to provide oversight and enforce standards.

Andrea Zupancich

Hauschild is also challenged by only one candidate, so far. Babbitt Mayor Andrea Zupancich announced that she would run for the District 3 Senate seat as a Republican. She has served as mayor of the city of 1,300 for ten terms. She challenged Hauschild in the 2022 race, which Hauschild won by 1.6% of the vote.

According to her campaign website, Zupancich supports mining, protecting Second Amendment Rights, strengthening local governments, limiting the emergency power of the governor’s office, addressing fraud in the state, and supporting law enforcement.

Though these candidates have all announced their intention to run, there is still time for them to withdraw, or for other candidates to step forward. The official candidate filing period begins on May 19. Candidates will have until June 2 to file paperwork with the Secretary of State.

Kirsten Wisniewski March 19, 2026