Editor in Chief- Grace LaTourelle

Staff Writer- Kyera Eustice

The 2026 midterm elections took place on Nov. 3rd. Voters across the country went to the polls to elect representatives at the federal, state, and local levels. The results will help shape the political landscape for the remainder of the current presidential term. The recent midterms will go down in history bringing many new firsts to America. States that typically swing red, such as Texas and Kansas, flipped blue in the midterms. In Kansas, Pastor Adam Hamilton, a Democrat, broke the state’s 94 year republican streak in U.S. Senate elections.

“…I would argue that this election is not like any other midterm we’ve seen in the past. We are looking at an absolutely historic election in so many different ways. States that have not been blue have turned and Democrats have won seats they haven’t won in many decades,” Co-President of the Political Science Club and Senior Maria Myhre said. “America has spoken, Democrats, Republicans, and many in between are done with the Trump era and ready for something new.”

According to the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, 2.8 million Minnesotans participated in the 2026 midterm elections, and Minnesota may have had the highest voter participation rate in the nation. Democrat Amy Klobuchar will become Minnesota’s first female governor, winning 55.46% of votes against Republican Lisa Demuth. Klobuchar, who currently serves in the U.S. Senate, alongside Senator Tina Smith, will likely appoint a replacement to serve with newly elected Democrat Peggy Flanagan, who won her race against Republican Michele Tafoya. 

St. Peter is part of District 18 for the Minnesota State Senate and District 18A for the Minnesota House. District 18 was won by incumbent Senator Nick Frentz, who is a part of the Democratic Farmer Labor (DFL) party in Minnesota. Frentz was elected by the DFL caucus to serve as Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate for the upcoming legislative session starting January 2027. 

Frentz visited Gustavus a couple times prior to the election, which he said allowed him to meet students and ask about their interests and priorities. Among these, Frentz mentioned the Minnesota state grant program for higher education, climate change, and the cost of living and tuition, which he said are not just important to Gustavus students, but also to the Mankato State University campus. 

“We have come through a difficult six years in Minnesota for a lot of reasons: Covid comes to mind, Annunciation, George Floyd— we have a lot to gain by just delivering stable, predictable government, and then trying to keep the cost of things down, not just for college students, but for people who own homes, who run businesses,” Frentz said. 

Democrat Leah Hanson beat incumbent Republican Erica Schwartz in the District 18A House election. Hanson campaigned largely on affordability, including lower housing and healthcare expenses. 

“All of us are facing an affordability crisis,” Hanson said. “Healthcare is out of reach for many.”

Hanson said that while she would love to see Minnesota Care available to everyone, it is not necessarily a realistic outcome for the next year. Hanson’s priority is for healthcare to be affordable for more Minnesotans, including looking into healthcare for educators. She also emphasized stabilizing housing costs and building more housing throughout the state, as well as investing in high quality education across all levels. 

Like Frentz, Hanson visited campus in order to engage with students on key issues. She noted that the recurring issues she heard from students were protection of the environment, especially in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and reining in AI and data centers. 

“I really appreciate the students sharing those things with me: ‘yes this is what’s important to me’ and being able to be a part of that…shared vision and values of what we think our state and community should look like,” Hanson stated. 

St. Peter is an area that can swing either way during elections and many suggested that Gustavus students voting may have had an impact in electing politicians such as Frentz and Hanson. Frentz explained that nationwide, the midterms saw increased voter turnout from the 18-29 year old age class. 

In the election for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional district in the United States House, Democrat Jake Johnson defeated incumbent Republican Brad Finstad. Johnson’s victory was narrow, receiving 163,054 votes to Finstad’s 162,733, according to The Associated Press. 

“The race for Congressional District 1 came down to around 300 votes. Gustavus may be the reason this congressional seat flipped from Republican to Democrat. This is a huge deal that a seat that hasn’t been blue since 2016 was flipped possibly just because of Gustavus students voting,” Co-President of the Campus Democrats, Recruitment Chair of the Poli Sci Club, and Sophomore Sam Paulsen explained. 

Prior to the election, organizations and clubs on campus, such as the Voter Engagement Team, Campus Democrats, and the Political Science Club, tabled and held events to help students register to vote and encourage them to vote in the midterm elections. 

“You should always vote where it will matter the most. Students should vote at Gustavus because we live here for the majority of the year. If you live at a place for 8 months you should want to have a say in how it is governed or run,” Paulsen said. “The district we live in is very close and it only comes down to a few hundred votes which means Gustavus students could flip a whole election. To put it simply, your vote matters a lot here and you should want to use it.”

Frentz expressed his gratitude for student participation in the elections.

“So, Gustavus students deserve a ‘thank you’ for participating, but also a question: they are a bigger voice than ever, where do they want to take that voice?” Frentz said.  

Paulsen explained that “the job is not finished” and there is now greater work to be done following the elections. Students are encouraged to understand and vocalize their priorities and key issues with their elected officials. Frentz shared that email is typically the most effective way to reach him. Frentz also noted the impact of Day at the Capitol, an event that takes place in the spring semester, where students can visit the Minnesota State Capitol and meet with elected officials. 

“I hope Gustavus students, who are obviously a gifted and motivated group of Minnesotans, find their path…and I’m sure you will,” Frentz said.