Klobuchar picks former Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer as running mate in Minnesota governor race

MINNEAPOLIS - Amy Klobuchar tapped former Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer to be her running mate on Friday, filling out her governor ticket with a Democrat who has a record of winning in a red part of the state.

Schierer, who had been running for state auditor, could help reinforce Klobuchar's appeal in greater Minnesota communities where Democrats have lost ground in recent years. Klobuchar and Schierer are expected to appear together publicly for the first time at the state DFL convention in Rochester on Friday.

"Ben Schierer hasn't just talked about how to create opportunities in Minnesota - he's actually done it," Klobuchar said in a statement Friday morning. "He knows what it takes to run a small business - he's run two of them. He knows what it takes to hammer out results by bringing together the private sector, the public sector, and the people - because that's what he did as mayor."

Schierer is a longtime local government official, first elected to the Fergus Falls City Council in 2004 and then as mayor in 2016 and 2020. Klobuchar's campaign said Schierer would be the first person from western Minnesota's Seventh District in Congress to be elected to statewide office in more than 50 years.

He lives in Fergus Falls with his wife, Tessa, and their five children.

Schierer said in a statement that "as a former mayor devoted to rural economic development, I know how important it is to elect a Governor who will focus on expanding our economy and creating good jobs for Minnesotans across this state."

"Amy Klobuchar gets it - she shows up time and time again, in all 87 counties - and I am ready to partner with her to get things done for our families, our communities, and our state," he said.

Klobuchar's selection puts an end to speculation about who would be her running mate. Several names had been floated among DFLers in recent months, including state Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen, Brooklyn Park Mayor Hollies Winston and Stillwater Mayor Ted Kozlowski.

Klobuchar has a clear path to the DFL nomination for governor with no prominent primary challengers. She still could face some resistance at the convention from progressive delegates who want to shape her positions on certain issues, but she is expected to easily win the endorsement on Friday.

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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 1:45 PM.