SAINT PAUL, Minn – (June 24, 2026) – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association have announced the endorsement of 9 candidates for the Minnesota House, Senate and the Minnesota Secretary of State. These candidates are recognized for their collaboration with nurses and are expected to make continued progress on key issues in labor, nursing, and healthcare.
To be endorsed by nurses, candidates must demonstrate commitment to MNA’s goals, which include supporting safe staffing levels in hospitals, the Minnesota Health Plan, and strengthening labor rights in addition to opposing further corporatization in healthcare, which include threats of Artificial Intelligence (AI), mergers and consolidations plus the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).
MNA Endorsed Champion Candidates
This year three incumbent members of the Minnesota Legislature have been endorsed as “MNA Champions” for their continuous support of MNA issues and partnership with nurses. To be endorsed as an MNA Champion, candidates are recognized for past co-governance with nurses and remain dedicated to pursuing MNA’s goals in labor, nursing and healthcare. The candidates endorsed as MNA Champions are: Zach Stephenson (HD 35A); Jim Abeler (SD 35); and Erin Murphy (SD 64).
- Zack Stephenson, HD 35A: Stephenson is running for a fifth term to represent House District 35A. He was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2019 and is being endorsed as an MNA Champion for his continuous support and partnership with nurses. In 2019, Stephenson authored MNA’s workplace violence prevention legislation and in 2023, he continued advancing MNA priorities with the authorship of the hospital merger legislation to address nurses’ concerns about corporate consolidation in healthcare. Stephenson strongly supports safe staffing and an equitable health system such as the Minnesota Health Plan.
- Jim Abeler, SD 35: Abeler is running for a fifth term to represent Senate District 35. Abeler was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1998 and then went on to serve the Minnesota Senate starting in 2016. Abeler is endorsed as an MNA Champion for his consistent support for MNA’s priorities. He is an advocate and author on MNA’s staffing legislation. He has voiced opposition to both the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) and Right-to-Work. Abeler is also vocal about the impact of hospital acquisitions and the need for greater oversight. Abeler has pushed back against federal Medicaid cuts, worked to stabilize safety-net hospitals in the region and continues to prioritize patients, communities and nurses.
- Erin Murphy, SD 64: Murphy is running for a third term to represent Senate District 64. Murphy, who is endorsed as an MNA Champion, is a registered nurse and former executive director of the Minnesota Nurses Association who has served in the legislature since 2006. As Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate, Murphy deeply supports MNA’s priorities and has led efforts for safe staffing legislation. In 2023, she fought for the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act as Mayo Clinic threatened to pull a $4 billion investment from the state if it passed. Previously, Murphy served as Majority Leader of the Minnesota House and continues to be a crucial partner to advance the priorities of MNA and healthcare workers.
Additional MNA Endorsed Candidates
- Jason Heaser, HD 34A: Heaser is running to represent House District 34A. He has worked as a prosecutor and is a retired military officer. Heaser supports public funding for healthcare and safe staffing in the workplace. Heaser deeply understands the impacts of the corporatization of healthcare and how consolidation eliminates competition and jobs for healthcare workers. Heaser stands with MNA on opposing the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) and the need for more guardrails against Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare settings. Additionally, Heaser supports the MinnesotaHealth Plan, unemployment insurance for striking workers and strengthening labor laws with additional protections locally.
- Jim DeMay, HD 36A: DeMay is running for a first term to represent House District 36A. He has previous experience as a Mounds View Public Schools Board member. DeMay strongly supports safe staffing standards across Minnesota to improve healthcare and looks forward to learning more about nurses‘ experiences inside hospitals. DeMay expressed concerns for the corporatization of healthcare and believes care and business should stay local. Protecting healthcare with guardrails for Artificial Intelligence (AI) is something DeMay says is needed in addition to defending against the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) and strengthening state labor laws.
- Nat Smith, SD 33: Smith is running for a first term to represent Senate District 33. He is an attorney who has spent much of his career focused on combatting fraud. Smith expressed his support for MNA’s safe staffing legislation and is committed to learning more about the harmful Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). Smith supports the Minnesota Health Plan and understands the importance of strengthening labor laws and unemployment insurance for striking workers. Smith expressed concerns for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in hospitals, which could impact patient privacy and skilled healthcare workers’ jobs.
- Heather Gustafson, SD 36: Gustafson is running for a second term to represent Senate District 36. Gustafson supports the Minnesota Health Plan and expressed the need for support from the federal government. She believes elected officials should be proactive to implement legislation that would increase the guardrails against Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare settings—expressing concern over AI being used to solve staffing issues instead of properly staffing working nurses. Gustafson firmly believes in the need to strengthen Minnesota labor laws and stands with MNA in opposition to the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).
- Robyn Gulley, SD 65: Gulley is running for a first term to represent Senate District 65. Gulley has a long history of working in healthcare unions and says that has helped her understand the need for safe staffing and better working conditions. She supports safe staffing, the Minnesota Health Plan, and unemployment insurance for striking workers. She expressed strong willingness to support nurses impacted by the current hospital acquisitions.
- Steve Simon, MN Secretary of State: Simon is running for his fourth term to serve as Minnesota’s Secretary of State. Simon was first elected in 2014, and supports protecting voting rights throughout the state. He is committed to making voting accessible and equitable to ensure all Minnesota voters can participate. Simon shows strong solidarity with MNA nurses—joining them on picket lines and identifying future opportunities to stand with nurses. Simon is recognized for his work in the Minnesota House where he authored the no-excuse absentee voting law and legislation that created online voter registration in Minnesota. Simon continues to implement safeguards for Minnesota elections to protect democracy.
Nurses Care, Nurses Vote
MNA endorsements follow screening sessions where nurses pressed the candidates for their commitment to key issues for nurses and patients. Following screening sessions with candidates, recommendations for endorsement were approved by the MNA Political Committee and Board of Directors, both comprised of elected nurse members.
MNA nurses will encourage fellow nurses and the public to elect endorsed candidates in 2026 through phone and text-banking, door knocking, as well as digital advertisements.
More information on the MNA endorsement process can be found at nursescarenursesvote.com.
