Kendall Qualls’ lieutenant governor pick is a political outsider

By: Michelle Griffith

Outlets: Minnesota Reformer

Published: March 3, 2026

Words: 562

Last Updated: 4 days, 23 hours ago

Body Text Preview

Kendall Qualls — the Army veteran and former health care executive running for the Republican nomination for Minnesota governor — announced Tuesday that Brian Nicholson will be his running mate, though he offered scant biographical details about the man who would be a heartbeat from the governor’s office.

Qualls finished second in the precinct caucus straw poll last month to his chief rival, House Speaker Lisa Demuth.

Neither Qualls nor Nicholson, a self-described businessman, …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us