Tad Jude
Tad Jude (Republican Party) is running for election for Minnesota Secretary of State. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Jude was a judge for Position 3 of the Minnesota Tenth Judicial District. He assumed office on January 3, 2011. He left office on December 31, 2021.
Biography
Tad Jude was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1971 to 1977. Jude earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Saint Thomas in 1972 and a law degree from the William Mitchell College of Law in 1977. His career experience includes working as an attorney, judge, and small business owner. As of 2024, Jude was affiliated with American Legion Post 303, Action for Children, the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association, and the county historical society.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Minnesota Secretary of State election, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for Minnesota Secretary of State
Tad Jude is running in the general election for Minnesota Secretary of State on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
![]() | Tad Jude (R) |
![]() | ||||
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Endorsements
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2024
See also: Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024
Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024 (August 13 Republican primary)
Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024 (August 13 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Minnesota District 3
Kelly Morrison defeated Tad Jude in the general election for U.S. House Minnesota District 3 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Kelly Morrison (D) | 58.4 | 240,209 |
![]() | Tad Jude (R) ![]() | 41.5 | 170,427 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 504 |
Total votes: 411,140 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Kelly Morrison advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Minnesota District 3.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Ron Harris (D)
- Dean Phillips (D)
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Tad Jude advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Minnesota District 3.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Blaize Harty (R)
- Quentin Wittrock (R)
- Brad Kohler (R)
- James Page (R)
Endorsements
To view Jude's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Jude in this election.
Pledges
Jude signed the following pledges.
2022
Hennepin County Attorney
See also: Municipal elections in Hennepin County, Minnesota (2022)
General election
General election for Hennepin County Attorney
Mary Moriarty defeated Martha Holton Dimick in the general election for Hennepin County Attorney on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Mary Moriarty (Nonpartisan) | 57.6 | 254,418 | |
![]() | Martha Holton Dimick (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 41.8 | 184,739 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.6 | 2,589 |
Total votes: 441,746 | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Hennepin County Attorney
The following candidates ran in the primary for Hennepin County Attorney on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Mary Moriarty (Nonpartisan) | 36.4 | 62,336 | |
✔ | ![]() | Martha Holton Dimick (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 17.9 | 30,668 |
Ryan Winkler (Nonpartisan) | 16.3 | 27,924 | ||
![]() | Tad Jude (Nonpartisan) | 10.6 | 18,142 | |
Paul Ostrow (Nonpartisan) | 8.5 | 14,500 | ||
Saraswati Singh (Nonpartisan) | 7.2 | 12,280 | ||
Jarvis Jones (Nonpartisan) | 3.3 | 5,586 |
Total votes: 171,436 | ||||
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Attorney General of Minnesota
See also: Minnesota Attorney General election, 2022
General election
General election for Attorney General of Minnesota
Incumbent Keith Ellison defeated Jim Schultz and Laurice Anderson in the general election for Attorney General of Minnesota on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Keith Ellison (D) | 50.4 | 1,254,371 |
Jim Schultz (R) | 49.5 | 1,233,556 | ||
Laurice Anderson (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 12 | ||
Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 2,362 |
Total votes: 2,490,301 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Minnesota
Incumbent Keith Ellison defeated Bill Dahn in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Minnesota on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Keith Ellison | 89.3 | 378,367 |
Bill Dahn | 10.7 | 45,110 |
Total votes: 423,477 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Attorney General of Minnesota
Jim Schultz defeated Doug Wardlow and Sharon Anderson in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Minnesota on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Jim Schultz | 52.5 | 163,944 | |
![]() | Doug Wardlow ![]() | 34.8 | 108,537 | |
![]() | Sharon Anderson | 12.7 | 39,723 |
Total votes: 312,204 | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Dennis Smith (R)
- Tad Jude (R)
- Lynne Torgerson (R)
2016
Minnesota held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election occurred on August 9, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 31, 2016.[2] Incumbent Tad Jude ran unopposed in the Minnesota 10th District, Position 3 general election.[3]
Minnesota 10th District, Position 3, General Election, 2016 | ||
---|---|---|
Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
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100.00% | 270,181 |
Total Votes | 270,181 | |
Source: Minnesota Secretary of State, "Unofficial Results Tuesday, November 8, 2016: Results for All Judicial Races," accessed November 9, 2016 |
2010
- See also: Minnesota judicial elections, 2010
Jude was one of twenty-four candidates running for the seat. He won with 15.69 percent of the vote.
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
Judges of the Minnesota District Courts are all chosen in nonpartisan elections to serve six-year terms. Candidates compete in primaries, from which the top two contestants advance to the general election. Sitting judges must run for re-election if they wish to serve additional terms. While party affiliation is not designated on the ballot, incumbency is. Sitting judges who reach the age of 70 while in office are allowed to serve until the last day of their birthday month.[4]
The chief judge of each district court is selected by peer vote for a two-year term.[4]
Judges of all courts are required to be "learned in the law" and under 70 years old.[4][5]
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
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2024
Tad Jude completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Jude's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Collapse all
|Maple Lake as the oldest of 11 children. Often I would accompany my father on his delivery route supplying small businesses throughout central Minnesota, including most of the 3rd District. I was elected to a nonpartisan seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives and served 10 years before being elected to serve 6 years as a DFLer in the Minnesota Senate. The district included much of Northern and Western Hennepin County. After that I was elected to serve a 4 year term on the nonpartisan Hennepin County Board of Commissioners. In 1992 I became a Republican. I served 11 years as nonpartisan 10th District Court Judge presiding over both civil and criminal matters. During the course of this public service I have door knocked over 100,000 doors. My education includes graduating from the University of St. Thomas and a JD from the Wm. Mitchell College of Law. I served in the 523rd Army Security Agency and am currently Commander of Post 303 American Legion. I have been instrumental in founding three small businesses currently in operation. I have been active on the boards of a number of community organizations ranging from Catholic Charities to the NW Suburban YMCA. My family consists of wife Jacelyn, 3 sons, an extended family of 6 children and am a grandparent. In my spare time I enjoy Minnesota canoeing, biking and cross country
skiing.- Our economy needs to be fixed. The cost of housing has gone up at least 30% in the past 4 years making it difficult for young
people to get a start. Food and gas prices are also growing a rate way beyond the raises we get at our jobs. Out of control government spending contributes to the high taxes we all pay. Locally we have seen huge fraud in the Feeding our Future program which was supposed to feed children in need, fraud in the Hero Pay program intended to reward those who served us during the pandemic, and a SW Light Rail fiasco which is 9 years delayed and massively over budget. Yet the Federal Government continues to run endless budget deficits contributing to inflation. Congress needs to fix this mess. I will be
accountable. - Our border needs to be secure. Fentanyl is taking over 100,000 American lives each year. I have seen unaccompanied minor children in my courtroom who have been trafficked over the border with no family to care for them. The asylum process has to be workable for our country and communities. The southern border should have an effective wall, the northern border needs state of the art surveillance, and enhanced ports of entry installed. Those from other countries who earn advanced education should be welcomed and employment needs should be recognized in green/work permit programs. Those who have a felony conviction and are here illegally should be expelled. Our immigration system should recognize the USA as a unique country full of promise.
- Protect our community and support law enforcement. As a district court Judge for 11 years it has become painfully obvious that we have a serious problem in the Hennepin County criminal justice system. Our county attorney needs to do her job in an impartial, nonpolitical manner. The Ryan Londregan case earlier this year was a failure of the system. This case involved a Minnesota trooper, doing his job as trained. The case should never have been charged. Law enforcement needs to be welcomed in our homes, schools and community. Those in Congress and legislature who call for defunding the police should be thrown out. Criminal Justice should be based upon the facts, law and constitutional rights. I will fight for integrity and justice.
clean air, water and land; and preserving Social Security/Medicare. Education has been drifting away from teacher and parent
involvement at the cost of reading, writing and STEM achievement of our children. Funding should go with the student into the
classroom. Our family enjoys the beautiful parks, lakes and trails we are blessed with and they need to be properly maintained.
Our Seniors and work force need to be secure in having Social Security and Medicare available when needed. Plans to "beat
Former US Senator Hubert H. Humphrey has been quoted as saying: The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.
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 website
Jude’s campaign website stated the following:
“ |
TAD ON THE ISSUES Together, we can make life more affordable & restore economic security Together, we can keep our communities safe and strong WORKING TOGETHER ECONOMY: Make Minnesota Affordable Again Rising costs have made life unaffordable for too many Minnesotans. In Congress, my top priority will be creating an economy that works for all Minnesotans. My priorities: IMMIGRATION: Safe and Strong Communities Our immigration system must put the safety and welfare of American families first. Under the current open-border policies, human trafficking is flourishing, fentanyl is killing young adults, and public institutions like hospitals, schools, and shelters are stressed and strained. My priorities: SOCIAL SECURITY & MEDICARE: Protect our Seniors These tough economic times are particularly challenging for seniors and people living on fixed incomes. Seniors must know they can rely on Social Security and access high-quality health care through Medicare. My priorities: The Third District has many beautiful lakes and green spaces that should be enjoyed and preserved. I have a long history of protecting the environment as a legislator and Hennepin County Commissioner. My priorities: CRIME: Support Law Enforcement & Create Safer Neighborhoods Minnesota, particularly the Twin Cities, has paid an enormous price for the anti-police rhetoric that has plagued our cities in recent years. One of the best investments we can make in our communities is to give our police the support and respect they need along with a fair and impartial criminal justice system. My priorities: VETERANS: Support Our Heroes As a veteran, I understand and will advocate for the best interests of those who serve our country. Keeping our promises to our veterans will always be a top priority. My priorities: HEALTHCARE: High-Quality Care, Affordable Coverage The United States has some of the world's highest healthcare costs, yet the nation's health lags behind that of many Western countries. It is time to modernize our system and make it more affordable for all Americans. My priorities: EDUCATION: Invest in our Future Excellence in education is the ultimate goal, with focus on core curriculum. We need greater student success, better options for kids and parents, and increased support for teachers and staff. My priorities: ISRAEL: Support Our Allies Israel has been the United States reliable strategic partner for over half a century. Sadly, the October 7th attack on Israel significantly increased tensions in the Middle East, and we are seeing those tensions spill over into the United States. I stand against antisemitism and support Israel’s right to defend itself. My priorities: |
” |
—Tad Jude’s campaign website (2024)[7] |
2022
Hennepin County Attorney
Tad Jude did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Attorney General of Minnesota
Tad Jude did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 3, 2024
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2016 Election Dates," accessed December 7, 2015
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2016 State General Election Candidate Filings: Judicial Offices," accessed June 1, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Minnesota," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Office of the Revisor of Statutes, "2006 Minnesota Statutes," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Jude for Congress, “Priorities,” accessed September 26, 2024