The Minnesota 1st Congressional District election remained too close to call on Wednesday morning, with Republican incumbent Brad Finstad holding a narrow lead over DFL challenger Jake Johnson as nearly all precincts reported.
Unofficial figures from the Minnesota Secretary of State showed Finstad on 50.15 per cent of the vote, with 160,266 ballots, compared with 49.73 per cent for Johnson, who had 158,929 votes. The gap was 1,337 votes, with 99.73 per cent of precincts reporting at 1.48am local time on Wednesday, November 4. ([electionresults.sos.mn.gov](https://electionresults.sos.mn.gov/Results/Index?ersElectionId=201&scenario=USRepresentative))
The result is not yet certified, and the race has not been formally called. Minnesota election authorities describe the figures as unofficial until the state canvassing process is complete. ([electionresults.sos.mn.gov](https://electionresults.sos.mn.gov/?utm_source=openai))
Minnesota 1st Congressional District election results
Finstad, a Republican from the New Ulm area, has represented the district since 2022, when he succeeded the late Jim Hagedorn. He is seeking a third full term in a district that has traditionally favoured Republicans but has attracted close scrutiny during this election.
A fourth-generation farmer, Finstad previously served as Minnesota’s state director for the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development programme. He and his wife, Jackie, run an agricultural business and family farm near New Ulm.
Johnson, the DFL challenger, is a high-school maths teacher who has spent two decades in the classroom. He grew up in Stewartville and has represented fellow teachers in union negotiations.
The father of four campaigned on his background as a working family member, saying he mowed lawns and relied on Pell Grants to attend the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He has also served on the board of the Minnesota Jump$tart Coalition, which promotes financial literacy among children and young adults.
Johnson won the Democratic primary in August with about 81 per cent of the vote, while Finstad secured the Republican nomination with more than 90 per cent. The general election was held on Tuesday, November 3. ([ballotpedia.org](https://ballotpedia.org/Minnesota%27s_1st_Congressional_District_election%2C_2026))
With the contest separated by less than one percentage point, the outcome could depend on the final outstanding returns and the subsequent canvassing of the vote.
