Former state Sen. Scott Jensen maneuvered his way through a crowded governor’s race field to gain the Republican Party’s backing in 2022. Now, he’s hoping to do it again.

Jensen, a family physician, won the Minnesota Republican Party endorsement in 2022 but lost in November to Gov. Tim Walz by more than 7 percentage points. He says he’s running again to “restore the values, safety and opportunity that once made Minnesota a national model for prosperity and fairness,” he said in July as he announced his latest candidacy.

MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talked with Jensen about his new campaign.

Then, it’s harvest time. But this season has a lot of Minnesota farmers on edge. Their crop yields are generally strong, but their markets are in question because of global trade tensions.  

We’re joined by two MPR News reporters to detail how farmers are coping with trade barriers with China during the tariffs fight.

Guests:

• Scott Jensen is a former state senator and family physician and is pursuing the Republican endorsement for Minnesota’s 2026 governor’s race.
• Chris Farrell is a senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace.  
• Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval is an MPR News reporter based in the Fargo-Moorhead area. He covers the region with a focus on agriculture.