Thursday August 13, 2026
Somali-American candidate Abdi Daisane has secured the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) nomination in Minnesota House District 14A, setting up a November contest for a seat that includes parts of St. Cloud and has long leaned Republican.
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Daisane won 2,262 votes, or 62.52%, in Tuesday’s primary, defeating St. John’s University professor Paul R.F. Schumacher, who received 1,356 votes, or 37.48%, according to unofficial results from all 18 precincts.
The Stearns County Elections Verification Commission is scheduled to review and certify the results Friday.
A local business owner and community advocate, Daisane received the DFL endorsement in February. He also sought the seat in 2024, when Republican incumbent Bernie Perryman defeated him.
In November, Daisane will face Republican Mike Conway, president of the St. Cloud City Council, who won his party’s primary Tuesday.
Daisane called the primary victory especially meaningful given the district’s political history.
“It’s the first seat that a Somali or even a Black person has won. It’s not usually a seat that Democrats win, it’s mostly Republicans,” Daisane said.
He credited the result to a broad coalition of supporters and months spent campaigning door to door.
“I feel like it’s a collective victory that many people were involved in. I became the person with the most votes, and that’s a special joy for me,” he said.
Daisane said shifting political attitudes in Minnesota may create an opening for him in the general election, including among voters who typically support Republicans.
“Minnesota is changing now, even the big states are feeling the heat. It will allow us to be understood and voted for,” he said.
The general election is expected to be challenging. Perryman has represented the district since 2022 and won another term in 2024 with 56.31% of the vote, while Daisane received 43.46%.
Perryman is seeking the Minnesota Senate seat currently held by DFL Sen. Aric Putnam of St. Cloud.
Still, Daisane said the primary win had strengthened his campaign and that the months of organizing had prepared him for a competitive November race.
“I hope that because of what happened in Minnesota, people are tired of the Republican Party, and I believe that the Democratic Party will make a big difference in the politics of this city,” he said.
Daisane and Conway are scheduled to meet in the general election on Nov. 3.
