Johnson Leads Race for Senate District 26
Republican Cherie Johnson holds a lead over Jack Hedin in the unofficial tally for Minnesota's District 26 state Senate seat.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Republican Cherie Johnson leads Jack Hedin in the Minnesota Senate District 26 race, with 20,629 votes to Hedin's 19,509 in unofficial results published November 4. The open seat follows the decision of Jeremy Miller not to seek reelection after 16 years as District 26 state senator.
Why it matters
Johnson's apparent win would change the representative for the district that Miller has held for 16 years. The result depends on canvassing and certification, so the outcome is not final until those steps are completed.
Johnson received 20,629 unofficial votes against 19,509 for Hedin, a 1,120-vote gap. The figures are provisional until the Minnesota Secretary of State completes canvassing and certification.
The players
Cherie Johnson
Johnson is a Republican candidate who teaches English at Hope Lutheran High School and currently leads the District 26 Senate race.
Jack Hedin
Hedin is the founder and owner of Featherstone Farms and a member of the Winona Area Public Schools Board of Education who trails in the District 26 race.
Jeremy Miller
Miller served 16 years as Minnesota Senate District 26 state senator before deciding not to seek reelection.
The details
Johnson, a Republican who teaches English at Hope Lutheran High School, leads Hedin, founder and owner of Featherstone Farms who also serves on the Winona Area Public Schools Board of Education. The results reflect unofficial data and may change during the canvass process.
Timeline
November 4, 2026: Unofficial results show Johnson leading Hedin in the District 26 race.
Political Context
The open seat ends the 16-year tenure of Jeremy Miller, who did not seek reelection in District 26. Johnson's lead would put a new Republican in a seat held for well over a decade by its previous senator.
Minnesota Senate District 26 voters will be represented by whoever is certified as the winner, so the canvass results determine the district's state senator. Until certification, the unofficial lead does not confirm who will hold the seat.
The takeaway
Unofficial results can shift during canvassing, so readers should wait for certification from the Minnesota Secretary of State before treating the outcome as final.
Further reading
Explore more Minnesota Elections coverage for context on the state's races.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Winona Daily News.
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