Jake Johnson: “D.C. politicians like Brad Finstad are jacking up our bills while gutting Social Security and Medicaid. I’m excited to hold a town hall in every county in our district to hear how we can make government work for regular people.”

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Today, lifelong southern Minnesotan and Democrat Jake Johnson — teacher, union leader, husband, and father — announced he is running for Congress in Minnesota’s first district to challenge Congressman Brad Finstad.

Jake is launching this grassroots campaign to hear from and earn the support of people across the first district who have been ignored by politicians in Washington. This comes in response to billionaire-funded efforts to ransack the government at the expense of working people, with Congressman Brad Finstad voting to cut Medicaid, supporting the tariffs that are bankrupting farmers and driving up grocery bills, trying to ban nearly all abortions nationally, and enabling Elon Musk to attack Social Security and funding for the Mayo Clinic.

Jake, on the other hand, having spent his career serving this community, is well equipped to fight for people across the district. Jake has lived the American Dream and wants to ensure fellow Minnesotans can also lead their lives with dignity and opportunity. Jake is running for Congress to make sure every child has access to a quality public education, to ensure every senior has Social Security and Medicare, and to enable every family to afford their everyday needs. 

“Teaching in Rochester Public Schools for the past 19 years has been the joy of my professional life. But seeing the destruction and chaos coming out of Washington has pushed me to do more to make sure my students can thrive in southern Minnesota,” said Jake Johnson about his campaign launch. “Politicians in Washington are enriching themselves and their billionaire friends, while gutting the programs that allow everyday Minnesotans like those in my family to survive and succeed. Brad Finstad is hiding from the people he is harming, and it’s time we hold him accountable.”

Jake Johnson grew up as a poor kid in Stewartville, Minnesota. He remembers going to bed hungry in a drafty house during the harsh Minnesota winter, but through hard work, strong community support, his mother's food stamps and stepfather's veterans' benefits, and a quality public education, Jake was able to elevate himself to the middle class. Because of Pell Grants and Stafford loans from the Department of Education, he was able to attend the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. After he graduated, he wanted to give back to his community and interviewed for just one job: a math teacher position in Rochester Public Schools. For 19 years, Jake has taught students from remedial math to AP Calculus to help every student reach their full potential. Jake is a proud member of his union’s bargaining team, where he negotiates to raise wages and improve working conditions for over 1,000 teachers, nurses, and social workers in the district. Jake has also been active in his community, serving on the board of the financial literacy nonprofit Minnesota Jumpstart Coalition, and organizing for the recent school referendum in Rochester.

Jake and his wife Molly live in Rochester with their four young boys.

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