By Conrad Lange Zbikowski
Monday’s morning news was hard to take. I expressed in these pages before my analysis that Gov. Tim Walz was in my view the best qualified and politically-positioned candidate to run for Minnesota governor in 2026. As I mentioned in my commentary, there are several leading candidates that are currently spinning up their campaigns to launch in the coming days (if not already when this commentary is published).
We also have a spirited contest for the U.S. Senate, with the retirement of U.S. Senator Tina Smith at the end of her term. The leading candidates are Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan and Congresswoman Angie Craig. Both have been campaigning across Minnesota for many months.
Voters of both parties have the opportunity to make their voices heard in the party endorsement process. In Minnesota, we have three stages to most elections. There are local party caucuses that elect delegates who vote for endorsements. Then there are government-administered primaries in August for registered voters. These choose the “nominees” of each party who appear on the general election ballot. And finally the general election in November of this year.
These early endorsements at in-person conventions in the spring and early summer direct party enthusiasm and resources to candidates that the grassroots caucus attendees support. Thousands of Minneapolis residents have either attended their local precinct caucus or voted as a delegate at a convention.
I will be the first to admit I find many faults with caucuses and conventions. That’s why I have worked with other Democrats to make them more inclusive and improve transparency during my years in party leadership. At the same time, attending your local precinct caucus, becoming a delegate, and voting for candidates and policy ideas you support is a very effective way to influence what Democrats and Republicans lead on in 2026.
If you have ever said at the kitchen table, “they should do it this way,” then you should attend your local precinct caucus and support the reforms you want to see in government and your preferred party.
Caucus night across the state of Minnesota — set by state law — is on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. Meetings start at 7:00 pm, but you should arrive to register no later than 6:30 pm. Locations and more information can be found at mnvotes.gov.
Conrad Lange Zbikowski lives in Minneapolis and is a former chair of the Minneapolis DFL Party
