Minnesota Senate, District 50
TLDR: Two candidates are running for the open seat: Owen Michaelson (Republican) and Karla Hult (DFL). Sen. Alice Mann (DFL) is not running again. The winner serves a 4-year term, and it's on the ballot only for Bloomington voters in House District 50A and 50B (find yours in the voter guide).
Owen MichaelsonRepublican- Work
- Computer programmer; former owner of GopherData, Inc.
- Lives in
- Edina
- Background
- Owned GopherData, Inc. for 18 years; more than 30 years of information-management experience (per campaign) owen4senate.com
- Edina School Board, 2018–2021: Policy Committee chair; founded the Legislative Action Committee hometownsource.com
- B.A., political science, and M.A., human resources, University of Minnesota owen4senate.com
- Eagle Scout; Cubmaster for eight years, assistant Scoutmaster for 12 and Sunday school teacher for 16 (per campaign) owen4senate.com
- 27-year Edina resident; married (wife Bethany), four children who graduated from Edina Public Schools owen4senate.com
- 2024 Republican nominee for Minnesota House 50A: 35.28% (9,161 votes) to Julie Greene's 64.57% electionresultsfiles.sos.mn.gov
- Raised
- $6,321, $6,129 on hand cfb.mn.gov
Karla HultDemocratic-Farmer-Labor- Work
- Former KARE 11 journalist; founder of So Many Goodbyes (dementia education) and host of the "Hello Alzheimer's" podcast
- Background
- Longtime journalist; her campaign says she worked in eight newsrooms around the country and won Emmy, Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite awards karlahultforsenate.com
- KARE 11 journalist when she launched her campaign on social media on Jan. 30, 2026 hometownsource.com
- B.A., political science and English, St. Olaf College; master of international affairs (economic and political development), Columbia University hometownsource.com
- Founded So Many Goodbyes in 2021 after her father's death from Alzheimer's; hosts and produces the weekly "Hello Alzheimer's" podcast karlahultforsenate.com
- Advocate and consultant for Alight (formerly the American Refugee Committee); advocate for People Serving People hometownsource.com
- Married (husband Gary), two daughters who attend Edina schools karlahultforsenate.com
- Won the Aug. 11, 2026 DFL primary with 9,472 votes (58.88%) over Nelly Korman, John McClellan and Amal Ibrahim electionresultsfiles.sos.mn.gov
- Raised
- $59,649, $37,618 on hand cfb.mn.gov
Q: Where do they stand on taxes, spending and fraud?
Michaelson: Says state government should "minimize taxpayer burden" while delivering essential services. Favors refunding budget surpluses to taxpayers, restraint in future spending, "adequate oversight to avoid misappropriation of funds," and bringing back a statewide "rainy day" fund. owen4senate.com
Hult: Says she will be "a careful steward of the taxpayer dollars" and work across the aisle to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse. Supports closing tax loopholes that favor large corporations and "ensuring that the wealthiest Minnesotans are paying their fair share." karlahultforsenate.com
Q: Where do they stand on health care?
Michaelson: At the forum he proposed market-based steps: stricter eligibility rules, easing the hospital-bed moratorium, faster prior authorization, more direct primary care, interstate insurance competition and price transparency. youtube.com
Hult: At the Sept. 16 forum she named federal Medicaid cuts as the biggest health-care challenge and said she would like to see a universal health care system and bring private insurers to the table. youtube.com
Q: Where do they stand on schools?
Michaelson: Wants to fully fund and implement the READ Act for literacy, more local and parental control over curriculum, and respect for parents who choose charter schools or home schooling. owen4senate.com
Hult: Would "fully fund our public schools, reduce class sizes, expand mental health supports" and fix teacher pension problems. karlahultforsenate.com
Q: Where do they stand on guns and public safety?
Michaelson: At the Sept. 16 forum he said gun violence is real, but argued that the Second Amendment exists to protect citizens from their government, and questioned calls to do away with guns. youtube.com
Hult: Supports safe-storage laws, limits on high-capacity magazines and a ban on assault-style weapons; says this "is not about taking guns away from hunters" or responsible owners. karlahultforsenate.com
Q: Where do they stand on abortion?
Michaelson: Says he is pro-life; supports parental notification when minors seek an abortion and would like to work toward third-trimester restrictions. Answered "no" on the state Equal Rights Amendment at the forum. youtube.com
Hult: Supports the 2023 PRO Act protecting abortion access and continued support for providers such as Planned Parenthood; supports passing a state Equal Rights Amendment. karlahultforsenate.com
Q: Where do they stand on immigration enforcement?
Michaelson: At the forum he said federal immigration policy is broken and needs reform, and that he would vote to repeal sanctuary-city laws. youtube.com
Hult: At the forum she supported passing the North STAR Act, which she described as keeping local police from assisting federal immigration enforcement and keeping enforcement out of hospitals and schools, and funding immigrant-rights groups to explain people's constitutional rights. youtube.com
