05/30/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Plechash: Klobuchar Picks Rural Progressive to Repackage Failed DFL Agenda
DULUTH, MN — Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Alex Plechash released the following statement today after Amy Klobuchar announced former Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer as her running mate:
“Amy Klobuchar’s choice of Ben Schierer tells Minnesotans everything they need to know about this campaign. This is not a new direction. It is a rebrand.
“Schierer is being introduced to voters as a small-town moderate who can help Democrats reconnect with Greater Minnesota. But that is not who he really is.
“Ben Schierer describes himself as a rural progressive. He has been tied to national progressive leadership networks. He built his political profile around using local government to advance broader progressive priorities, including climate, sustainability, housing, public spending, and activist government. Even when he ran for State Auditor, he framed the office as more than a taxpayer watchdog and argued it should be used to shape policy far beyond simply following the money.
“That is not accountability. That is activism.
“Amy Klobuchar did not pick Ben Schierer to change the DFL. She picked him to repackage it. His job is to put a rural accent on the same agenda that has made Minnesota more expensive, less accountable, and less trusted.
“And let’s be clear: Democrats are claiming Schierer is their answer for rural Minnesota, but the last time voters in his own area had the chance to promote him, they declined. He lost his most recent race in Otter Tail County. That matters because it shows rural voters are not buying the DFL’s attempt to dress up progressive politics as small-town common sense.
“After years of fraud, tax hikes, rising costs, failing schools, and chaos under Democrat leadership, Minnesotans are not looking for a new spokesperson for the same failed policies. They are looking for a change in direction.
“If Ben Schierer was serious about accountability, he would be demanding answers from the party that broke trust with taxpayers. Instead, he is joining Amy Klobuchar’s ticket to help the DFL pretend they understand Greater Minnesota.
“Minnesota does not need a rural rebrand of failed Democrat leadership. We need Republican leaders who will lower costs, restore accountability, support law enforcement, fix our schools, and deliver results for families across this state.”
Background: Who Ben Schierer Really Is
Schierer calls himself a “rural progressive.” His own campaign website says he served two terms as mayor of Fergus Falls as “a rural progressive twice elected in one of the reddest parts of the state.”
Schierer is not simply a local-government moderate — he has been tied to national progressive networks. The Star Tribune reported that Schierer was selected to join a national network of “pro-growth, progressive leaders.”
Schierer lost his most recent race in his own backyard. In 2024, Schierer ran for Otter Tail County Commissioner District 5 and lost to Sean Sullivan, receiving 48.16% of the vote to Sullivan’s 51.61%.
Schierer has promoted a broader climate and sustainability agenda through local government. He was featured by American Leadership on the Sustainable Development Goals for his work in Fergus Falls, including energy-efficient LED streetlights, solar energy on public buildings, and sustainability efforts.
Schierer’s State Auditor campaign framed the office as more than a taxpayer watchdog. His campaign website said the auditor’s office is “about more than balancing the books” and pointed to policy areas including housing, rural finance, pensions, development, clean energy, and economic growth.
Schierer’s own campaign makes clear why Klobuchar picked him. His website says that if the DFL wants to be a party for the whole state, it needs leaders who can “connect with the whole state.” In other words, Schierer’s role is to help Democrats repackage their agenda for rural Minnesota.
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