The former public servant narrows gap with historic support, while Republican favorability falls below 50%
October 27, 2026 (Hermantown MN) – A new poll conducted this week by Public Policy Polling shows Trina Swanson, the DFL endorsed candidate for CD-8, just 6-points behind incumbent Pete Stauber in a district he carried by double digits in each of his last three elections. The results highlight a competitive race as Swanson, a former federal public servant, continues to show strong momentum in the final stretch of the campaign. The poll has a margin of error of four percentage points.
Stauber won by 19 points in 2020, 15 points in 2022 and 16 points in 2024. This polling reflects a major shift away from the current representative as he has closely aligned himself with President Trump and MAGA Republicans in recent years. Swanson decisively won the August DFL primary with 77.2% of the vote and the strongest Democratic congressional primary turnout in Minnesota in 36 years. Together, her commanding primary victory and new polling underscore her campaign’s strength heading into Election Day.
The poll, which sampled voters across the political spectrum in CD-8, also found that after nearly 8 years in office, Pete Stauber’s favorability has fallen below 50%, with 42% of voters stating they have an unfavorable opinion of the Congressman.
“This poll confirms what we’ve been hearing across all 21 counties in my district. People are tired of representation that caters to the Trump administration over Minnesota families, and they are ready for real change in our communities,” said Trina Swanson. “Families want to be able to pay their bills, get the healthcare they need, and afford childcare. They want leaders who will support our industries and protect our natural resources. In Congress, I’ll fight to deliver on those priorities.”
The new poll also found that more voters in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District favor protecting the Boundary Waters, a notable finding in a district where mining is a major source of jobs. Pete Stauber recently made headlines for sponsoring legislation to reverse the federal mining ban in the Boundary Waters watershed, highlighting the strength of Swanson’s “pro-mining and pro-environmental protection” platform. The results align with a recent statewide Star Tribune/KARE 11 poll showing that 67 percent of Minnesotans oppose mining near the Boundary Waters watershed.
This week’s polling follows a quarter of strong fundraising, over 1,000 volunteers deployed throughout the district focused on voter contact efforts, and dozens of notable endorsements, including the National Farmers Union PAC, the Alliance for Retired Americans, the Minnesota State Council of Machinists, the American Federation of Government Employees, EMILYs List, the Minnesota AFL-CIO, the Committee to Protect Health Care, Rep. Kelly Morrison, the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, Education Minnesota, and other community leaders across the region.
“This campaign is about showing up, listening and earning people’s trust,” said Swanson. “We’re building support one conversation at a time, and we’ll keep working to earn every vote.”