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Questions raised about possible ‘deepfake’ image in First District TV ad
A MinnMix report discusses a TV ad in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District from Republican challenger Brad Finstad.
Updated Oct 16, 2026, 2:28 PM ET
Republican · 3 November 2026
Brad Finstad
U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 1st congressional district (since 2022)
Brad Finstad, a Republican who has represented Minnesota's 1st congressional district since 2022 and previously served in the Minnesota House, is running for re-election in 2026 against Democratic-Farmer-Labor nominee Jake Johnson.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
Live TruthIndex™ and prediction market consensus for races contested by Brad Finstad.
Latest coverage
Live News
Recent media coverage for Brad Finstad.
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Minnesota First Congressional District Candidate Forum
Brad Finstad (incumbent) faced challenger Jake Johnson in a Minnesota CD1 (MN-01) congressional candidate forum in Mankato.
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Potential Upset Brewing In Southern Minnesota's US House Race
Brad Finstad (R) faces a tightening race in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District.
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House Republicans brace for midterm blowout
The article discusses how House Republicans are bracing for potential midterm losses and facing tight races in several districts, including Alabama's 04th/05th? (the excerpt mentions Rep.
No story this week names this candidate.
- Born
- May 30, 1976
- Birthplace
- New Ulm, Minnesota
- Education
- University of Minnesota (Bachelor of Science in agricultural education)
Biography & Campaign Analysis
Background
Brad Finstad was born on May 30, 1976, in New Ulm, Minnesota, and grew up on his family's farm in Brown County, which the family has operated for several generations. He earned a Bachelor of Science in agricultural education from the University of Minnesota. After college he joined the human resources department of Christensen Family Farms in Brown County, and he continues to operate a family farm.
Career
Brad Finstad briefly worked as an area director for the Minnesota Farm Bureau and then served as agricultural advisor to Congressman Mark Kennedy.
He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2002 and served from 2003 to 2009, holding the post of assistant minority leader in his final term.
From 2008 to 2017 he was CEO of the Center for Rural Policy and Development in St. Peter, and in November 2017 President Donald Trump appointed him Minnesota state director of USDA Rural Development, a post he held until 2021.
He later served as interim executive director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association.
After the death of Congressman Jim Hagedorn, Finstad won the May 24, 2022, special Republican primary with 38.1% of the vote to state representative Jeremy Munson's 36.9%, then defeated DFL nominee Jeff Ettinger in the August 2022 special election.
He was sworn in on August 12, 2022, defeated Ettinger again that November with 53.9% of the vote, and was re-elected in 2024 with 58.5% against Rachel Bohman.
In the 119th Congress he serves on the Agriculture, Armed Services and Small Business committees and chairs the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.
2026 race
Brad Finstad is seeking re-election in Minnesota's 1st congressional district, which stretches across southern Minnesota from South Dakota to Wisconsin and includes Rochester, Mankato, Winona and Austin.
He won the Republican primary with 90.1% of the vote, defeating Greg Goetzman, a candidate for the seat in 2024, and small business owner Oliver Morlan.
His opponent is Democratic-Farmer-Labor nominee Jake Johnson, a high school teacher who won his primary with 81.7% of the vote over real-estate company owner Alex Eaton. The general election takes place on November 3, 2026.