Shawn Tweten steps up to challenge Finstad in primary

District 1 Congressman Brad Finstad has a challenger in the upcoming election.

Shawn Tweten,  PhD, a licensed marriage and family therapist, has announced his candidacy to run against Finstad as a Republican challenger in the Aug. 13 primary.

Tweten works with Minnesota jails to provide mental health care and officer wellness, as well as working as a substitute teacher in both of the New Ulm and Mankato school districts.

In a press release this week, Tweten said he was running based on his therapist ideals.

“I want to be the member that promotes conflict resolution,” he said in the release. “When a couple or family … are in conflict, they might see a therapist. Now the country is in conflict, it needs a therapist.”

Finstad is currently in his first full term as Congressman, defeating former Hormel Foods CEO Jeff Ettinger in 2022 after serving out the remainder of Jim Hagedorn’s term.

Hagedorn died of cancer in February of 2022.

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