Klobuchar Announces Former Fergus Falls Mayor Schierer as Running Mate

Former Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer.

St. Paul, MN – Today, Senator Amy Klobuchar announced that former Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer will be her Lieutenant Governor running mate in this fall’s election.

“I am proud and excited to join the ticket and work with Senator Klobuchar to lead this state with a growth agenda,” Schierer said. “With experience as a small business owner and a father of five, I know the hard work it takes to support a family and run a business. And as a former mayor devoted to rural economic development, I know how important it is to elect a Governor who will focus on expanding our economy and creating good jobs for Minnesotans across this state. Amy Klobuchar gets it – she shows up time and time again, in all 87 counties – and I am ready to partner with her to get things done for our families, our communities, and our state.”

“Ben Schierer hasn’t just talked about how to create opportunities in Minnesota – he’s actually done it,” Klobuchar said. “He knows what it takes to run a small business – he’s run two of them. He knows what it takes to hammer out results by bringing together the private sector, the public sector, and the people – because that’s what he did as mayor. And he knows that transforming our government can’t happen without economic growth. Together, we will bring that approach to our state government.”

Ben Schierer grew up in Fergus Falls and has a long history of serving his community. He was first elected to the Fergus Falls City Council in 2004, and was elected Mayor in 2016 and reelected in 2020. During his tenure, he worked to revitalize the Fergus Falls riverfront and bring local businesses back to downtown. He would be the first person to be elected to statewide office from CD-7 in over 50 years.

A former small business owner, Schierer and his wife, Tessa, along with their five children, owned and operated Union Pizza & Brewing Company and TÖAST in downtown Fergus Falls. He currently works with the West Central Initiative, a regional non-profit dedicated to economic development. He recently wrote a well-received book on Rudy Perpich called Perpich: a Minnesota Original, about how a small-town Iron Range dentist – Rudy Perpich – focused on economic development as Governor, bringing in major projects including the Mall of America.

Story courtesy of Minnesotans for Klobuchar