Senate District 14 Race Becomes Third Most Expensive
Spending in the Minnesota Senate District 14 contest has climbed to rank among the state's costliest races this cycle.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Elections
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The Minnesota Senate District 14 race has become the third most expensive race in the state. Candidates have spent a combined $492,387, while outside groups have added heavy advertising spending against the candidates.
Why it matters
Republicans are seeking to break a possible DFL trifecta in Minnesota and have poured additional money into these races. The spending reflects the high stakes of control over the state's government.
Pro Jobs Majority spent $710,039 on advertisements opposing Aric Putnam, while Renew Minnesota spent $556,137 on ads against the DFL candidate. Filings show the outside spending is reported in campaign finance records, but the source does not address the final result.
The players
Campaign Finance Board
The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board oversees the disclosure of campaign contributions and spending in state elections.
Pro Jobs Majority
Pro Jobs Majority is an outside political group that spent $710,039 on advertisements against Aric Putnam in this race.
Renew Minnesota
Renew Minnesota is an outside political group that spent $556,137 on advertisements against the DFL candidate in this race.
The details
Bernie Perryman spent $274,555.05 and Aric Putnam spent $217,832.23 in the Senate District 14 race. District 14 voted majority for Donald Trump in 2024, and Dan Wolgamott and Bernie Perryman won House District 14A and 14B in the last cycle.
Timeline
October 19, 2026: Campaign finance data cutoff for pre-general reports.
October 26, 2026: Pro Jobs Majority filed its pre-general report.
October 28, 2026: Final pre-general campaign finance reports became available.
Political Context
Outside groups have added substantial advertising spending on top of candidate campaigns, according to filings with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board. Critics of such spending argue that it shifts the balance of influence away from the candidates themselves toward well-funded interest groups.
Minnesota voters in Senate District 14 are seeing heavy outside advertising in their races, which may shape the information they receive before November. The spending figures are publicly available through state campaign finance records for residents who want to review them.
The takeaway
Campaign finance filings give Minnesota voters a direct way to see who is funding candidates and which outside groups are spending to influence races. Reviewing those reports can help clarify the forces behind the advertising that appears before an election.
What happens next
Final campaign finance reports for the 2026 general election will continue to be posted by the Campaign Finance Board as filings are processed.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in the Elections section for context on how races like this one are shaping control of the Minnesota Legislature.
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