Grant Hauschild has worked in Washington, his oldest child just started kindergarten, and he says he enjoys his job representing northeastern Minnesota in the State Senate.
Those are three key reasons why the first-term lawmaker said “thanks, but no thanks,” to a Congressional bid in 2026.
Ending speculation among political junkies and insiders, Hauschild announced Tuesday he would not enter the race for Congress in Minnesota’s Eighth District.
While Hauschild said he received encouragement from people across northern Minnesota to run and attempt to unseat Republican incumbent Pete Stauber, the Hermantown Democrat said now was not the time to move forward.
He said that “After thoughtful reflection” his focus remains on serving the people of his district and spending time with his family.
“I was getting asked by a lot of people to consider (running),” Hauschild said Wednesday. “But with a young family, and frankly I think Congress is a mess. I think I can get more done for my district in the State Senate and that is more rewarding.”
But Hauschild conceded he considered a run, adding “frankly there aren’t a lot of candidates who can take on Stauber. I was definitely taking it seriously.”
Hauschild is familiar with Washington and spent time there as an aide to former North Dakota U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp.
He later moved to northeastern Minnesota, was elected to the city council in Hermantown and won election to the State Senate in 2022, narrowly defeating Republican candidate and current Babbitt Mayor Andrea Zupancich.
Hauschild represents Minnesota’s Third Senate District, the state’s largest and most rural district spanning the Iron Range, North Shore, and over half the Canadian border.
In his brief time in St. Paul, Hauschild has often worked across party lines on various issues, including addressing the rural EMS crisis, fighting for state aid for rural communities, and pushing for a better permitting process to keep Minnesota globally competitive.
In a statement released this week he said, “I’ve been grateful for the encouragement to consider a run for Congress in Minnesota’s 8th District. After giving it careful thought, I’ve decided now is not the right time. My focus is on making sure Northern Minnesota has a voice in the Senate Majority and spending as much time as I can with my young family. We’ve accomplished a lot for northern Minnesota, and there’s still important work ahead to keep delivering for our region.”
While he hasn’t yet made an official announcement, all signs point to Hauschild seeking another term in the Senate.
“I’m doing everything I can to prepare to run for re-election,” he said.
Hauschild is Senate Co-Chair of the Minnesota Civility Caucus and is a co-founder of the Senate DFL Blue Dog Coalition, made up of moderate legislators seeking bipartisan solutions to the biggest challenges facing Minnesota.
