Lisa Demuth Picks Ryan Wilson As Her Lieutenant Governor Choice

ST. PAUL (WJON News) -- Republican Lisa Demuth of Cold Spring has announced her running mate in the race for governor. Ryan Wilson is her pick to be her lieutenant governor for the 2026 gubernatorial race.

Wilson ran for state auditor in 2022, losing in a tight race to the incumbent Julie Blaha.

Fluence Media Political Analyst Blois Olson says it's early for Demuth to announce a running mate. Still, he says she's trying to capitalize on her momentum since she announced her campaign a week ago.

He allows the campaign to have a surrogate while she's dealing with legislative issues.  So, there are some advantages.  But it does feel early.  It could create a situation where, rather than build the anticipation of who is going to be the running mate, you let it all out of the gate now.

The Demuth-Wilson ticket will embark on a statewide tour later this week. Wilson is an attorney and a former small business owner. He lives in Maple Grove.