By Mani Souphom – R & J Broadcasting | November 12, 2025

WARROAD, Minn. – Congressional candidate Erik Osberg marked his 100th campaign stop Tuesday in Warroad, attending Warroad High School’s Veterans Day program and hosting a luncheon for constituents at the Phoenix Restaurant.

Osberg, who has no prior political experience, is traveling across all 38 counties in Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District as he seeks the Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) nomination for the 2026 election. He is currently the only DFL candidate in the race and hopes to secure the party’s endorsement during the Feb. 3, 2026 caucus. If endorsed, he would face incumbent Republican Michelle Fischbach, who has served in Minnesota state government since 1996, unseated 30-year DFL Congressional Rep. Collin Peterson in 2020 with 53.8% of the vote, and won re-election with 66.9% in 2022 and 70.5% in 2024. Osberg emphasized his “bottom-up” campaign strategy, saying he wants to move away from career-politicians and focus on principle, empathy and grassroots engagement.

During the Warroad visit, Osberg praised the Veterans Day program and rural communities’ contributions to the U.S. military:

Osberg said that connecting early and consistently with communities is key to building support where past DFL candidates have struggled. Though a self-described moderate, Osberg also saw himself and his wife as “two blue dots in a red district,” working to link pockets of Democratic voters across the sprawling 7th District. He spoke more on his strategy in this campaign:

He shared his campaign priorities during conversations with constituents, emphasizing healthcare, public education, agriculture, and restoring federal representation for rural communities. Osberg framed his approach as principle-driven, stressing empathy, kindness, and hard work. He encouraged bipartisanship and listening to constituents on both sides of the aisle. He clarified the primary tenants of his platform:

Osberg summarized, “Healthcare is our number one concern, that’s at the top of our list. We’re also concerned about Agriculture and public education. There’s a lot of other issues, I don’t want to call them wedge issues – issues that divide us into this camp or that camp. What we’re trying to do as a campaign is work on more uniting issues. We all want healthcare to be accessible and affordable. We all want our farmers to do well. I think we all want our kids to get a good education, not dependent on how wealthy you are, a good public education.”

Osberg’s professional background includes work in Otter Tail County, Edward Jones, Farm Bureau Financial Services, and he ran a marketing company. He holds a B.A. in communications from Hamline University, has served on civic boards and Chambers of Commerce, and coaches junior high football. His wife is a longtime special education educator and principal, while his children work in nursing and education.

During the luncheon, Osberg discussed the SNAP program and federal welfare policies with constituents, noting that federal cuts have shifted more costs to local taxpayers and highlighted the need for oversight to ensure aid reaches those who need it most. He acknowledged that local enforcement and administration of social programs can be imperfect but stressed the federal government’s responsibility to fund and regulate them.

Conversations also touched on foreign policy and federal spending. Constituents raised concerns over Minnesota’s investments in Israel and questioned the ethical allocation of taxpayer dollars. Osberg pledged that his campaign would be free of corporate influence, including AIPAC contributions, and emphasized prioritizing local needs. He closed the luncheon by saying, “My pledge to you as a candidate and as a gesture of good faith, just know that me as a congressional candidate, will not take AIPAC money … I would use whatever influence I have to put us in the right direction.”

Local volunteer Cyndy Renfrow encouraged constituents to engage in the upcoming DFL caucus, highlighting the importance of making informed choices rather than voting for familiar names. Osberg has visited every county in District 7, using these discussions to build grassroots support and understand real-world concerns ahead of the Feb. 3 caucus and the general election.

KQ92 and KRWB will continue to cover developments in Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District and across the state, including candidate updates, caucuses, and the 2026 midterm elections. We’ll keep our audience informed on the key races and issues shaping the upcoming election cycle.