Jacob Wins Minnesota Senate District 20 Seat
Republican state Rep. Steve Jacob won the seat with 57% of the vote, succeeding Republican Sen. Steve Drazkowski in January.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Elections
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Republican state Rep. Steve Jacob won Minnesota Senate District 20 with 57% of the vote, defeating DFL candidate Jason Lohmann. Jacob will take over the seat held by Republican Sen. Steve Drazkowski and will be sworn in to the Senate in January.
Why it matters
The result moves Jacob from the House of Representatives to the Senate, where he says affordability and fraud will be his priorities. Jacob said bipartisan efforts will still allow his party to move its priorities forward, while Democrats will push on gun control legislation.
Jacob won Senate District 20 with 57% of the vote, defeating DFL candidate Jason Lohmann. The district covers parts of Dakota, Goodhue, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties, and Jacob takes office in January.
The players
Steve Jacob
Steve Jacob is a Republican state representative from Altura, Minnesota, and a farmer who was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2022.
Steve Drazkowski
Steve Drazkowski is a Republican Minnesota state senator whose seat Jacob will take over.
The details
Voters in the district, which spans parts of Dakota, Goodhue, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties, chose Jacob, an Altura farmer first elected to the House in 2022. Jacob said voters most often raised affordability and fraud during his campaign.
Timeline
2022: Jacob first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives.
November 6, 2026: Election held in which Jacob won Senate District 20.
January 2027: Jacob is scheduled to be sworn in to the Senate.
Political Context
Jacob's win keeps Senate District 20 in Republican hands as it passes from Drazkowski to Jacob. His stated priorities of affordability and fraud, alongside Democrats' push on gun control, frame the policy debates he will enter in the Senate.
Residents of Dakota, Goodhue, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties will have a new state senator representing them starting in January. Jacob's stated focus on affordability and fraud signals the issues he is likely to bring to committee and floor debates.
The takeaway
A single state Senate seat changing hands can shift which issues get attention in the chamber. Readers following Minnesota politics should watch how Jacob's affordability and fraud priorities take shape once he is sworn in.
What happens next
Jacob is scheduled to be sworn in to the Senate in January 2027.
Further reading
For broader coverage of state races, see Elections across Minnesota.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KTTC.
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