Who is running for State House District 51A in Minnesota in 2026?

Frank Pafko (R), Michael Howard (D)

When is the Minnesota 2026 general election?

Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Minnesota › Races › State House District 51A

State House District 51A — Minnesota 2026

2 candidates on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot (official Minnesota Secretary of State files, as of October 29, 2026). Grades reflect each candidate's public record on life, family, religious liberty, the Second Amendment, limited government and fiscal responsibility.

See this race on your own ballot — with your county, city and school races.
Build my ballot →
 Download the iPhone app

Candidates

BFrank PafkoRepublican

Candidate for State Representative, District 51A (Republican).

LifeAFamilyBReligious libertyB2nd AmendmentBLimited gov’tBFiscalB

Non-incumbent Republican; no legislative voting record in the scored roll calls. MCCL questionnaire: 11 pro-life of 11 answered. Party default applied for marriage/gender, religious liberty, Second Amendment, limited government, and fiscal. iVoterGuide rates Conservative.

Life: MCCL 2026 questionnaire: 11 of 11 answered questions given the pro-life answer (all pro-life answers).
Family: No specific position found; Republican; iVoterGuide rates Conservative.
Religious liberty: No specific position found; Republican; iVoterGuide rates Conservative.
2nd Amendment: No specific position found; Republican; iVoterGuide rates Conservative.
Limited gov’t: No specific position found; Republican; iVoterGuide rates Conservative.
Fiscal: No specific position found; Republican; iVoterGuide rates Conservative.

Sources: [1] [2]

Ballotpedia

FMichael HowardDemocratic

Incumbent state representative, House District 51A; DFL.

LifeFFamilyFReligious libertyC2nd AmendmentFLimited gov’tFFiscalF

Incumbent DFL; voted the conservative way on scored roll calls: pro-life 0/3, marriage/gender 0/7, Second Amendment 0/6, limited government 0/2, fiscal 0/2. Did not respond to MCCL's questionnaire; NRA-PVF grade F. Party default applied for religious liberty. iVoterGuide rates Verified Liberal.

Life: Voted the conservative way on 0 of 3 recorded votes (0%). Liberal: voted for the 2023 PRO Act (HF 1) and the 2023 health bill repealing abortion restrictions (SF 2995); against the 2026 motion to take up the preborn right-to-life amendment (HF 5084).
Family: Voted the conservative way on 0 of 7 recorded votes (0%). Liberal: voted for the 2023 trans refuge law (HF 146), the 2023 conversion-therapy ban (HF 16), and the 2024 ERA constitutional amendment (SF 37); against the 2025 girls' sports bill (HF 12), the 2026 motion to take up the girls' sports bill (HF 12), the 2026 motion to take up the women's athletics exemption (HF 1233), and the 2026 motion to take up the biological-sex athletics bill (HF 2685).
Religious liberty: No specific position found; DFL; iVoterGuide rates Verified Liberal.
2nd Amendment: Voted the conservative way on 0 of 6 recorded votes (0%). Liberal: voted for the 2023 public safety bill with red-flag/background-check provisions (SF 2909), the 2024 binary-trigger/straw-purchase bill (HF 2609), the 2024 safe-storage mandate (HF 4300), the 2024 lost/stolen firearm reporting mandate (HF 601), the 2026 motion to advance the assault-weapons ban (HF 3433), and the 2026 motion to take up the assault-weapons/magazine bill (HF 5140).
Limited gov’t: Voted the conservative way on 0 of 2 recorded votes (0%). Liberal: voted for the 2024 ERA constitutional amendment (SF 37) and the 2023 paid-leave mandate (HF 2).
Fiscal: Voted the conservative way on 0 of 2 recorded votes (0%). Liberal: voted for the 2023 omnibus tax bill (HF 1938) and the 2024 tax omnibus (HF 5247).

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Ballotpedia

More Minnesota 2026 races