Demuth, Robbins, and the Thin History of Women Running for Minnesota’s GOP Gubernatorial Nomination

The 2026 field has the most electoral experience among Republican women of any cycle in state history

Minnesota State House Speaker Lisa Demuth (pictured) joined a packed field of more than half-dozen 2026 Republican Party gubernatorial hopefuls this weekend in a bid to for the nomination to unseat two-term incumbent Tim Walz.

Demuth, a four-term State Representative who also served more than a decade on the Rockville, Cold Spring, and Richmond School Board, is the second woman from the state House to enter the race for the office this cycle, with four-term Rep. Kristin Robbins launching her campaign in August.

It remains to be seen whether or not the campaigns of Demuth and Robbins last until the state convention or the primary, but never before has a Minnesota Republican gubernatorial field had two women candidates with as much previous experience in elected office.

For starters, only six women in Minnesota history have appeared on a Republican gubernatorial primary ballot – none of whom have come within 75 percentage points of winning the nomination.

In 1952, Sigrid (Mrs. Peder) Schmidt placed fourth out of six candidates with 0.8 percent as Governor C. Elmer Anderson cruised to the nomination.

Schmidt, a 51 year-old homemaker from Brooklyn Center, was the first Republican woman to appear on a primary or general Minnesota gubernatorial ballot and second woman overall.

During her 1952 gubernatorial bid, Schmidt campaigned against fluoridation of water. Schmidt was also a member of the Washington Saucer Intelligence group and during her subsequent 1958 U.S. Senate campaign stated, “I know many who have traveled in space ships or had interplanetary contacts.”

In 1966, 48 year-old Chanhassen homemaker Lorna Tarnowski was the lone challenger to South St. Paul attorney Harold LeVander and won just 2.1 percent.

Tarnowski would also run for the GOP nomination in 1970 and placed fourth out of four candidates with 1.6 percent in a race won by Attorney General Douglas Head.

In 1986, Lake Saint Croix Beach nurse Beatrice Mooney placed fifth out of five candidates with 1.9 percent as former State Rep. Cal Ludeman won the primary. Mooney had twice before run for governor – in 1974 and 1982 – but dropped out after the GOP convention each time. In 1974, Mooney nominated herself at the convention and received 30 votes on the first ballot.

Mooney also ran for the U.S. House (8th CD, 1974; 1st CD, 1978; 6th CD, 1994), U.S. Senate (1978), and President (1992, 2000).

Mooney was a candidate again for governor in the 1990 Republican primary along with another perennial candidate, St. Paul writer and retired school teacher Mary Jane Rachner. Rachner finished in fourth out of six candidates with 0.9 percent while Mooney was last with 0.5 percent.

The 1990 cycle is the only one to date in which two women appeared on a Republican gubernatorial primary ballot.

Rachner’s various failed campaigns over the decades included bids for the State House (1972, District 63B), U.S. Senate (1982), U.S. House (4th CD, 1984, 1992, 2000; 8th CD, 1988), Secretary of State (1986), and President (1992). However, in 1996, she was elected to the Ramsey County Soil and Water Conservation Board Commission’s 4th District where she served four years.

Fun fact: Rachner legally changed her name to Mary Jane Reagan in the 1990s to honor President Ronald Reagan.

In 2006, restaurant owner and New Brighton resident Sue Jeffers was the lone primary challenger to Governor Tim Pawlenty and won 11.1 percent.

Finally, in 2022, Ashby resident Joyce Lynne Lacey won 6.6 percent in second place out of three candidates at the GOP primary won by former State Senator Scott Jensen. Lacey ran a write-in campaign that November and won 11 votes.

In addition to these primary candidacies, three other Republican women have launched bids for governor – but all dropped out before the primary.

In 1998, Lieutenant Governor Joanne Benson sought the party endorsement at the state convention against St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman and former State Rep. Allen Quist but was eliminated after the third ballot.

Former State Auditor Pat Anderson ended her 2010 gubernatorial bid in January of that year, opting instead to run for her former post in a rematch against incumbent Rebecca Otto who unseated her in 2006. [Anderson lost again, narrowly, by 1.3 points].

In 2018, Woodbury Mayor Mary Giuliani Stephens dropped out after the first ballot at the GOP convention with former State Rep. Jeff Johnson winning the party’s endorsement.

There are currently seven candidates in the Republican race. The most candidates ever to appear on a GOP primary ballot for the office is six – a field size reached in 1912, 1920, 1924, 1930, 1948, 1952, and 1990.

The DFL has also never nominated a woman for governor, although five candidates have received at least 20 percent of the primary vote over the last 50 years.

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