Paul Ference

Paul Ference

Democratic Party

Candidate, Governor of Minnesota

Elections and appointments

Next election

August 11, 2026

Education

High school

Burnsville High School

Personal

Profession

Manufacturing

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign YouTube

Paul Ference (Democratic Party) is running for election for Governor of Minnesota. Ference declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on August 11, 2026.

Ference completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Paul Ference earned a high school diploma from Burnsville High School. Ference's career experience includes working in manufacturing.

Elections

2026

See also: Minnesota gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on August 11, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for Governor of Minnesota

Brad Kohler (Independent) and Mike Newcome (Independent) are running in the general election for Governor of Minnesota on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Brad Kohler (Independent)
		Mike Newcome (Independent)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary

Democratic primary for Governor of Minnesota

Rick DeVoe (D), Paul Ference (D), Amy Klobuchar (D), Kobey Layne (D), and Christopher Seymore (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 11, 2026.

		Candidate
		Rick DeVoe
	Submit photo	Paul Ference
		Amy Klobuchar
		Kobey Layne
		Christopher Seymore

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Tim Walz (D)

Republican primary

Republican primary for Governor of Minnesota

The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 11, 2026.

		Candidate
		Peggy Bennett
		Lisa Demuth
		Thomas Evenstad
		Patrick Knight
		John Krhin
		Mike Lindell
		Phillip Parrish
		Kendall Qualls
		Kristin Robbins

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Scott Jensen (R)
• Jeff Johnson (R)
• Chris Madel (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Paul Ference completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ference's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in Dakota County, where I graduated from Burnsville High School. I’ve worked service jobs, where I’ve supported people directly and worked with the community in those roles. I left that world to go into business for myself and find a way to directly impact my community with my values. With dedication and time I became the only cookie manufacturer in Minnesota that sources several Minnesota grown ingredients. I’ve worked with farms across Minnesota, from Canby, to Taylors Falls, to Clearbrook. I believe in the importance of making our state self-sufficient, and in supporting the businesses that allow us to thrive. I hired my first contractor at a livable wage, and as the work has become more efficient and the time involved less onerous I have kept their expected total pay the same, so they can also profit from their efficiencies. We all have the capacity within us to be the change we want to see in the world. I’ve seen the generosity of strangers up close. In 2008 I began running online fundraisers and during that time connected with like- minded people that used the simple kindness of a cookie to raise money for those in need. That group, as of today, has raised more than $2 million dollars in its lifetime entirely driven and managed by volunteers. I am proud of my efforts in organizing fundraisers, as well as participating on the Board of Directors as both President and currently as Treasurer.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Returning Our Neighbors The depraved, inhuman, and illegal actions of the DHS against our neighbors, especially their coordinated campaign of terror and fear against our neighbors in minority communities can never be forgotten, or forgiven. Our neighbors must be fully accounted for by federal authorities and returned from wherever they have been sent to by the DHS. I will work with the State Attorney General to sue the government officials in charge of the operation to cover the devastating economic, social and emotional costs that Minnesotans have been forced to bear.
• Abolishing ICE Donald Trump’s flagrant disregard for the Constitution and the founding principals of our country have been felt acutely in Minnesota. From the porch of an average citizen the federal government has become less of a support system and more like an illegal occupying force. We have moved beyond simple policy disagreements and into a reality where federal overreach means American citizens, such as Renee Good and Alex Pretti have been murdered by ICE agents during aggressive, warrantless and constitutionally invalid operations. It was never about immigration, it is a federal government that has bypassed the 10th amendment, and violated our 1st, 2nd, and 4th amendments in an effort to sow division and terror.
• Protecting Our Tax Dollars A lawless president and a complacent majority in our federal government has resulted in the repeated refusal to disperse funds allocated to our state in a timely manner. This action has impacted every part of life in Minnesota. From the collapse of companies and state organizations and through the pain felt by our fellow Minnesotans who rely on those funds they have rightly earned. I will direct the state legislature to create a yearly escrow fund for federal taxes to be deposited into, so that if funds our state has been allocated by congress are interrupted, it can be pulled from the escrow fund instead.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

It is important for me as a member of the DFL to make sure that our farms and labor are actively supported and present in the political decisions made at our capital.

Additionally, while most of the DFL engine is focused on the large work that needs to be done to bring leaders to the capital, we have neglected the small work that needs to be done in our communities. All the OUs of the DFL need an Action Agenda Officer, whose responsibility it is to arrange at least one activity a month progressing our Action Agenda through social volunteer work in their communities.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

There's a few folks I look up to, but I will always take the time to promote Yi Soon Sin, who in Korea's darkest hour, defended his nation against the Japanese invasion by winning battles of improbable odds with superior knowledge and tactics.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A Governor is a manager. They do not need to know everything, but they need to have the trust in their staff to be excellent at their specifics and support them with what they best need to succeed.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to be an example to others to stand up when your neighbor needs help.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a clerk at a Super America from '96 to '98.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I struggle to take care of myself. I heard someone else once put it best as: "When I've cleaned my house, all I've done is clean my house. But when I've helped you clean your house, I've helped you." and that really resonates with me.

Governors have many responsibilities, which vary from state to state. Which of those do you personally consider the most important in your state?

I believe the most important responsibility of a Governor is to properly manage the various departments that work below them and put them in the best place to succeed.

Under what circumstances should the governor of your state be able to use emergency powers?

In emergencies and disasters where human lives are in the balance.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

Watching the challenger explosion in school.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.

See also

2026 Elections

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Candidate

Governor of Minnesota

Website

YouTube

Footnotes

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