Former Minnesota state senator and Republican Party of Minnesota chairman David Hann announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate on Thursday, launching a campaign he said is focused on restoring affordability, accountability, and public safety as Democrats move “further into their ideological cul-de-sac.”
The race is considered competitive after Democratic Sen. Tina Smith announced she will not seek reelection, opening a seat that Republicans view as one of their best pickup opportunities in 2026. With no incumbent on the ballot, GOP leaders say the contest will hinge on economic concerns, public safety, and growing frustration with state and federal governance.
In his announcement, Hann sharply criticized the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, arguing it has drifted far from its traditional roots.
“This is not the DFL of our parents and grandparents,” Hann said. “Today’s Democratic Party is dominated by radical Socialist activists who are more interested in ideology than results. While families struggle to afford groceries, gas, and housing, Democrats defend bureaucracies and fraudsters — and Minnesotans are left paying the price.”
Hann tied Minnesota’s affordability challenges directly to recent revelations of widespread fraud in state-administered welfare programs, citing the Feeding Our Future scandal as emblematic of deeper problems in oversight and accountability. The case, one of the largest pandemic-era fraud schemes in the nation, involved the alleged theft of hundreds of millions of dollars intended to feed low-income children.
“When hundreds of millions of dollars meant to feed hungry children are stolen, and politicians look the other way, that’s not just corruption — that’s money coming straight out of the pockets of Minnesota families,” Hann said, adding that fraud, waste, and abuse drive higher taxes and inflation.
Hann also emphasized border security as both a public safety and economic issue, pointing to fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration as failures of Democratic leadership.
“President Trump’s border policies work, and I will partner with him to continue securing the border, stopping the flow of fentanyl, and ensuring our immigration system is legal, orderly, and puts safety first,” Hann said.
A veteran and longtime public servant, Hann previously served in the Minnesota Senate, including as Senate Minority Leader, and has held leadership roles on the Eden Prairie School Board, with the Minnesota Association of Townships, and as chairman of the state Republican Party. He has also worked in business across the Midwest.
Throughout his career, Hann said, his focus has been on “practical solutions to the issues that the majority of Minnesotans face.”
“My campaign is about restoring affordability, accountability, and safety in the face of a radical, far-left DFL that does not reflect the majority of Minnesotans,” he said. “I am the only candidate who can win this race and represent the values we as Minnesotans share in Washington.”
Hann enters a field that could grow crowded. Former television anchor Michele Tafoya has publicly said she is considering a run for the seat, though her potential candidacy has drawn mixed reactions within Republican circles. Some party activists remain wary because of Tafoya’s past public criticisms of former President Donald Trump.
In previous comments, Tafoya said, “We need a break. We need a break from Biden… and from you,” referring to Trump. She has also characterized the former president with a series of sharply negative descriptions, calling him “abnormal,” “chaotic,” an “election denier,” “exhausting,” “mayhemous,” “disruptive,” “indecent,” a “divider,” “uncivil,” “insane,” and “too old.”
Those remarks continue to circulate among Republican voters as the party weighs its options in a race expected to draw national attention. With Smith stepping aside and concerns over fraud, affordability, and public safety dominating headlines, Minnesota’s open Senate seat is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests of the next election cycle.
By: DNU staff