Securing a decisive victory in central Minnesota, Somali-American Abdi Daisane wins Democratic primary for Minnesota House seat after capturing more than 62 percent of the vote in District 14A. Official election returns from the Minnesota Secretary of State show that Daisane, a local child care business owner and community organizer, earned 2,262 votes to defeat challenger Paul R. F. Schumacher in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor primary. Carrying the party’s official endorsement into the primary ballot, Daisane’s primary victory establishes a clear path to the general election as he seeks to represent a diverse constituency encompassing parts of St. Cloud, Waite Park, St. Joseph, and St. Augusta.
The August primary victory represents a significant political comeback for the local entrepreneur, who previously ran for the same state legislative seat during the 2024 election cycle. District 14A is currently an open seat following the decision of incumbent Republican Representative Bernie Perryman to seek a seat in the Minnesota State Senate rather than running for re-election to the House. Political observers note that Daisane’s robust primary performance reflects strong grassroots mobilization across St. Cloud’s expanding Somali-American community and broader working-class neighborhoods, where his campaign emphasized small business support, early childhood education access, and public infrastructure investment.
Following the certification of the primary results, Daisane will advance to the November 3 general election, where he is set to face Republican nominee Mike Conway. Conway, who serves as the St. Cloud City Council President, secured the Republican nomination by winning 62.25 percent of the vote in his respective primary contest. The upcoming head-to-head matchup is expected to draw significant regional attention, as both major state parties view District 14A as a competitive legislative battleground capable of influencing the overall balance of power within the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Community leaders and local party representatives praised the primary turnout, highlighting the growing civic participation of immigrant communities within Minnesota’s electoral process. In post-election statements, Daisane reiterated his commitment to building broad coalition support across political lines, emphasizing economic development and public health initiatives for central Minnesota families. As campaign teams shift focus toward the fall general election campaign, voters across District 14A prepare for a highly active debate on regional governance, local economic priorities, and state legislative representation.
