U.S. House, Minnesota 1st Congressional District · November 3, 2026
Who should I vote for in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District?
Brad Finstad has the strongest record in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. Brad Finstad scores 71 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Jake Johnson at 63, as of October 5, 2026. Brad Finstad's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jake Johnson's highest marks are roots in the constituency and accountability. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Brad Finstad
71 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 85
- Performance
- 75
DFL
Jake Johnson
63 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 50
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Brad Finstad
- On the record2026-05
Asked in 2026 why he will not hold a town hall meeting, he said such events let agitators have a "hissy fit"; he later told the Post Bulletin he did not regret the remark.
- On the record2025-11-22
The Star Tribune reported in November 2025 that his chief of staff was reimbursed more than $125,000 for travel from office funds since 2023; his office said the travel was for official purposes.
Source: Star Tribune, Nov. 22, 2025
- On the record2024-12
In December 2024 he called on Minnesota State University, Mankato to demand a professor's resignation over a Facebook comment about the UnitedHealthcare shooting; the professor said he had no plans to resign.
Source: Post Bulletin (Mankato Free Press report), Dec. 13, 2024
- Credit2026-05-27
At a May 27, 2026 public event, Rochester Mayor Kim Norton, a Democrat, said he had been accessible each time she visited Washington or called him about the city's needs.
Source: Post Bulletin, June 2, 2026
- Credit2025
MinnPost reported in February 2026 that his FARMER Act, a crop insurance measure, was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.
Source: MinnPost, Feb. 26, 2026
- Credit2025-08
He and Rep. Kelly Morrison, a Democrat, proposed the bipartisan Pathways to Policing Act in August 2025, and he co-founded a bipartisan Congressional Soil Caucus with a California Democrat.
Jake Johnson
- On the record2026-10-02
An Oct. 2, 2026 Star Tribune ad check found his $20,000 contribution claim supported by records, his farmland vote claim incomplete, and his $2 billion a day war cost above the latest CBO estimate.
- Credit2026-07-16
Former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson endorsed him on July 16, 2026, and Gerald Woodley, described by the Star Tribune as a longtime Republican operative, endorsed him on Aug. 17, 2026.
- Credit2026-09
KTTC reported in September 2026 that he had held in-person town halls in each of the 21 counties in the district.
Source: KTTC, Sept. 2, 2026
- Credit2024-01
He served on the Rochester Education Association negotiating team during the 2023 to 2024 teacher contract talks with Rochester Public Schools.
- Credit2024-11
He helped organize the 2024 campaign for a $19.4 million Rochester Public Schools referendum and led an Oct. 27, 2024 march of supporters; the Post Bulletin reported the measure passed.
Sources: Post Bulletin, Oct. 27, 2024, Post Bulletin, May 30, 2026
- Credit2016-02
The Post Bulletin named him its Teacher of the Month for February 2016, when he taught math and calculus at John Marshall High School in Rochester and coached its Math League team.
Source: Post Bulletin, Feb. 27, 2016
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Brad Finstad. Annual House financial disclosure reports are on file for 2023, 2024 and 2025. A search of the House Ethics Committee site returns no matter naming him, and the FEC administrative fine search returns no results.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure index, 2025 (zip of index files), House Committee on Ethics search, FEC administrative fines search
Jake Johnson. House candidate financial disclosure reports were filed on 8/13/2025 and 8/13/2026, and FEC campaign reports are on file. The FEC administrative fine search returns no results for his committee.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure index, 2026 (zip of index files), FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Brad Finstad. Recorded votes against bills backed by his party's House leadership include the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act, the March 2024 appropriations package, the April 2024 Ukraine supplemental and the September 2024 continuing resolution.
Sources: House Clerk roll call 243, May 31, 2023 (H.R. 3746), House Clerk roll call 102, March 22, 2024 (H.Res. 1102), House Clerk roll call 151, April 20, 2024 (H.R. 8035), House Clerk roll call 450, Sept. 25, 2024 (H.R. 9747)
Jake Johnson. He told the Star Tribune he has pressed Gov. Tim Walz, a fellow DFLer, to do more on fraud. He completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Sources: Star Tribune, Sept. 24, 2026, Ballotpedia
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Brad Finstad. Took part in the Aug. 4, 2026 Farmfest forum and agreed to an Oct. 8 televised forum. KTTC reported seven telephone town halls this Congress and no announced in-person town hall.
Sources: KTTC, Sept. 2, 2026, KTTC, Aug. 13, 2025, Mankato Free Press via Post Bulletin, March 2025, Post Bulletin and Agweek, Farmfest forum, KTTC, Sept. 17, 2026
Jake Johnson. KTTC reported he held in-person town halls in all 21 counties of the district. He took part in the Aug. 4, 2026 Farmfest forum and agreed to an Oct. 8 televised forum.
Sources: KTTC, Sept. 2, 2026, Post Bulletin and Agweek, Farmfest forum, KTTC, Sept. 17, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Brad Finstad. Six years in the Minnesota House, a term as USDA Rural Development state director and four years in Congress. A search of the House Ethics Committee site returns no matter naming him.
Sources: Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, House Committee on Ethics search
Jake Johnson. KTTC reported in April 2025 that he had taught in the Rochester school district for 19 years and served on his union's bargaining team. No formal conduct finding was found.
Source: KTTC, April 17, 2025
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Brad Finstad. Took the oath as a state representative and as a U.S. representative, with no official finding of misuse of office found. He entered Congress in August 2022 and has cast no vote on certifying a presidential election.
Sources: Official House site, House Committee on Ethics search
Jake Johnson. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Brad Finstad. U.S. representative for this district since August 2022. Earlier served three terms in the Minnesota House and as Minnesota state director of USDA Rural Development.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, Official House site
Jake Johnson. About 20 years as a high school math teacher in Rochester, with service on his union's bargaining team. No prior government office.
Sources: KTTC, April 17, 2025, Ballotpedia
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Brad Finstad. Chairs the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture and sits on Armed Services and Small Business. His campaign site names specific bills he introduced or backs.
Sources: GovTrack, Official House site, committees, Campaign site, issues
Jake Johnson. His campaign site publishes a seven-point plan of specific votes and bills within the powers of Congress, including debt ceiling votes, a stock trading ban and tax code changes.
Sources: Campaign site, Taxpayer Protection Pledge, Campaign site, priorities
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Brad Finstad. Holds telephone town halls (seven this Congress per KTTC), offers a constituent newsletter, publishes issue pages and took part in the Farmfest forum. He has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Sources: KTTC, Sept. 2, 2026, Post Bulletin and Agweek, Farmfest forum, Ballotpedia
Jake Johnson. He completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, held in-person town halls in all 21 counties, took part in the Farmfest forum and publishes issue pages.
Sources: Ballotpedia, KTTC, Sept. 2, 2026, Post Bulletin and Agweek, Farmfest forum
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Brad Finstad. New Ulm resident since at least his first election in 2002. Minnesota donors gave $689,854 of $988,049 in FEC state-coded individual contributions through July 22, 2026, a 69.8 percent in-state share.
Sources: Minnesota Legislative Reference Library (lists New Ulm), MinnPost, Aug. 3, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Jake Johnson. Grew up in Stewartville and lives in Rochester, both in the district. Minnesota donors gave $870,652 of $1,149,702 in FEC state-coded individual contributions through July 22, 2026, a 75.7 percent in-state share.
Sources: KTTC, April 17, 2025, Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Brad Finstad. Each original FEC quarterly, year-end and pre-primary report this cycle was received by its deadline. The latest report shows no debt, and the FEC administrative fine search returns no results.
Sources: FEC committee filings, Finstad for Congress, FEC administrative fines search
Jake Johnson. Each original FEC quarterly, year-end and pre-primary report since July 2025 was received by its deadline. The latest report shows no debt, and the FEC administrative fine search returns no results.
Sources: FEC committee filings, Jake Johnson for Congress, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Brad Finstad. Center for Effective Lawmaking rated him below expectations for the 118th Congress (0.668 against a benchmark of 1.460). MinnPost reported his FARMER Act crop insurance measure was included in the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House data file (row: Finstad, Brad, Congress 118, value 1), MinnPost, Feb. 26, 2026
Jake Johnson. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Brad Finstad. Missed 18 of 2,049 roll call votes, 0.9 percent, from August 2022 to September 2026 (GovTrack lifetime). In the 118th Congress he missed 9 of 1,241 votes, 0.7 percent.
Jake Johnson. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Brad Finstad. Two district offices, in Rochester and New Ulm, offer casework with federal agencies. KTTC documented seven telephone town halls this Congress. No casework totals are published.
Sources: Official House site, help with a federal agency, Official House site, offices, KTTC, Sept. 2, 2026
Jake Johnson. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Brad Finstad. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index, 2023 (first session of the 118th Congress, the latest House scores posted): score 0.08457, rank 116 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center, 2023 House scores
Jake Johnson. Endorsed by former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson in July 2026 and by Gerald Woodley, described by the Star Tribune as a longtime Republican operative, in August 2026.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Brad Finstad. No public record found.
Jake Johnson. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 5, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District?
Brad Finstad has the strongest record in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. Brad Finstad scores 71 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Jake Johnson at 63, as of October 5, 2026. Brad Finstad's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jake Johnson's highest marks are roots in the constituency and accountability. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District in 2026?
Brad Finstad (Republican, incumbent), Jake Johnson (DFL). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Brad Finstad a good candidate for Congress?
Brad Finstad scores 71 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 85 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Jake Johnson a good candidate for Congress?
Jake Johnson scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Minnesota race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Minnesota 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.