Team Owners Give Heavily to Klobuchar Campaign
Majority owners of Minnesota's Wild, Twins, and Vikings have donated at least $71,000 to Amy Klobuchar's gubernatorial bid or supporting groups while seeking public funding for their venues.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Philanthropy
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The majority owners of the Minnesota Wild, Twins, and Vikings donated at least $71,000 to Amy Klobuchar's gubernatorial campaign or groups supporting her, and gave nothing to her Republican opponent, Lisa Demuth. The donations come as the three franchises seek public money from state lawmakers for arena and stadium projects.
Why it matters
Political donations can give team owners access to elected officials who influence franchise decisions through regulatory choices and tax determinations on facilities. Owners' giving is also spread across both parties, with at least $138,000 to Democratic state candidates and groups and $107,000 to Republican ones outside the governor's race this cycle.
Minnesota campaign finance filings show at least $71,000 from the majority owners of the Wild, Twins, and Vikings went to Klobuchar's campaign or allied groups, while the same owners gave at least $245,000 across other state candidates and groups this cycle. It is unclear from the filings how much of the total came from each individual owner.
The players
Amy Klobuchar
Amy Klobuchar is a U.S. senator from Minnesota who is running for governor and received donations from the majority owners of the state's major sports franchises.
Lisa Demuth
Lisa Demuth is a Minnesota Republican state legislator and the party's candidate for governor who received no donations from the sports owners and a $4,000 contribution from the Taylors.
Glen Taylor
Glen Taylor is the former owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves who sold the franchise in June 2025 and, with his wife Becky, donated to Republican candidate Lisa Demuth.
The details
The Vikings and Twins are asking lawmakers for millions of dollars for stadium upkeep, and the Wild are seeking hundreds of millions for arena renovations. Glen and Becky Taylor each contributed $4,000 to Demuth in December 2025, and the Timberwolves' CEO has said the team will seek public money for a new arena.
Timeline
December 2025: Glen and Becky Taylor each donated $4,000 to Lisa Demuth.
June 2025: Glen Taylor sold the Timberwolves.
August: Marc Lore sold his majority stake in the Timberwolves to Marc Stad.
Season Trajectory
Minnesota's major sports franchises are pursuing new public financing for their venues, and the owners' donations in state filings place their lobbying in a bipartisan context. The Timberwolves' plans for a new arena indicate that the state's sports facility funding debate is likely to continue beyond the current election cycle.
Public funding decisions for the teams' arenas and stadiums would shape the costs and facilities local fans rely on. Residents who follow state budgeting may see these requests weighed against other priorities.
The takeaway
Campaign finance filings give a public record of how sports owners spend on politics, which can be useful when tracking how public money is allocated to their venues. Readers can check state disclosures directly to see which candidates and groups receive donations.
Further reading
Explore more on Philanthropy for context on how owners direct political and charitable giving.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Star Tribune.
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