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Candidates › MN-04 race › 2025–2026
Paul Wikstrom
R Republican nominee for U.S. House, MN-04
Has not served in Congress
- On the ballot
- On the general election ballotNov 3, 2026 · Minnesota US House 4
- Where to vote
- Find your polling place (opens in a new tab) · More ways to vote
- Top priorities
- THE WIKSTROM VISION
- Priority #1 - we need to make Minnesota an affordable place to live.
- Priority #2: we need to reduce crime rates and improve community safety.
- Priority #3 - fix our public educational system.
- STOP THE FRAUD
- Money
- $65K raised, $36.1K spent, $18.5K cash on hand (through Oct 14, 2026). Where it comes from
- Who gives
- 24% of individual money from donors at $200 or less · 100% from Minnesota · largest committee giver CD4-RPM, REPUBLICAN PARTY OF MINNESOTA, $10K
- Outside groups
- $286 supporting Wikstrom
- Backed by
- Minnesota Republican Party · OAK PAC · Freedom Club. As the campaign lists them
7 priorities from wikstromforcongress.com, in the order they are listed there. Every heading and the text under it is copied exactly, as one passage for each page it is from, and links to that place on the page; hover a source to see which passage it opens.
An efficient Federal government that spends wisely and is fair to taxpayers.
A competitive economy that provides a future for our children.
A Congress that will enact laws to further strengthen our country and our borders.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · wikstromforcongress.com
Heading as listed on wikstromforcongress.com ↗ (opens wikstromforcongress.com at this heading)
In 2023 the DFL-controlled House and Senate passed a nearly 40% budget INCREASE for the two year budget
cycle.
The 2024 budget increase included the $18B surplus and an ADDITIONAL $10B in taxes.
That surplus could have been $3,000 per individual, or $12,000 for a family of four!
Across the board, district residents are suffering under heavy taxes. A resident said that his property tax has risen from $700 to $4,000 in 20 years!
One young couple with a combined income of $100,000 is struggling to buy a home - childcare is $3,600/month! Minnesotans are hurting financially. Any returned surplus would have helped to buy their gas and groceries.
The state of Minnesota has mismanaged spending and ignored fraudulent handling of taxpayer funds. This includes Feeding our Future: $250M of fraud! Pandemic over-compensation: >$400M as identified by the Office of Legislative Auditor (OLA.)
The OLA has documented a systemic pattern of noncompliance and lack of oversight of multiple grants to non-profit organizations and state programs.
When elected, I will work tirelessly to stop the runaway spending, and to bring transparency and apply COMMON SENSE to our budgeting and spending processes through: audits, proper planning, and TRANSPARENT legislation. I will propose legislation to create a fraud crime stopper hotline.
I will help YOU keep YOUR money in YOUR wallet!
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · wikstromforcongress.com/issues
Heading as listed on wikstromforcongress.com/issues ↗ (opens wikstromforcongress.com/issues at this heading) · “PRIORITIES” on wikstromforcongress.com ↗ (opens wikstromforcongress.com at this heading)
When it comes to crime, Minnesotans do not feel safe. Minnesota’s crime rate, historically below the national crime rate, is now crossing above the national crime rate!
Shoplifting is up by 24%; carjacking was not even a crime category 10 yrs ago in Minneapolis. Minnesota has the 3rd lowest incarceration rate for serious Part 1 crimes.
The City of Roseville, sandwiched between the crime-ridden cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, has highest city crime rate of nearby cities behind Minneapolis and St. Paul!
A resident told me that she went into a local drug store to buy lipstick and the shelves were bare! The manager told her that the shoplifters walk in and grab the merchandise. This cost is being passed on to you!
Across Minnesota, 25% of 10,000 statewide law enforcement officers will retire soon. Their ranks are thinning because of the failed, adversarial leadership that is hostile to law enforcement.
A Roseville resident told me his son is a St. Paul officer who CAN’T WAIT to retire. Used to love his job but now he is in an environment that is hostile to law enforcement officers.
I want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to the law enforcement community. The State of Minnesota, and the larger urban cities have LET YOU DOWN! When elected I WILL HAVE YOUR BACK! I will work to make sure that law enforcement and supporting resources are fully funded.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · wikstromforcongress.com/issues
Since 2019, under Governor Walz:
Reading Proficiency is down 16%.
Math Proficiency is down 17%.
Science Proficiency is down 23%.
In state rankings, Minnesota has moved from #5 in 2018 DOWN to #17 in CNBC state ranking. This while Mississippi has moved UP from #43 to #22 in state rankings.
Minnesota spends $16,000 per K-12 student; Mississippi spends $10,400 per K-12 student.
Mississippi’s fourth graders are at a higher level of reading proficiency than Minnesota’s fourth graders!
Where is some of the money in education going? Since 2000, school district administrative costs have grown by 132%, while teaching expenditures have only risen by 5%. Education is the largest outlay in the state general fund yet it doesn’t seem that the money is making it to the classroom!
I recently spoke to a resident who told me that his daughter, who is a senior in the Roseville Area High School, has not brought home homework in the past four years! I have spoken to teachers who are burdened with the administrative overhead and do not have time to assign or grade homework. Is THIS why the academic proficiencies are falling while the costs are increasing?
We don’t have a funding problem. We have an allocation problem!
We need to make sure that school districts are provided with full and flexible budgets, and to allow the school districts to make their own decisions. We need to return important learning tools to the classroom like phonics! We need to bring back reading specialists. We need to examine why school district administrative costs have skyrocketed and the effects of increased administration in the schools.
There IS hope - we can fix this! When elected my priorities will be to:
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · wikstromforcongress.com/issues
Heading as listed on wikstromforcongress.com/issues ↗ (opens wikstromforcongress.com/issues at this heading) · “PRIORITIES” on wikstromforcongress.com ↗ (opens wikstromforcongress.com at this heading)
Mandatory audits for all major federal spending.
No appropriation without controls – require fraud-prevention measures as a condition of funding.
Demand Accountability – fraud will not stop until perpetrators in both the public and private sector are held accountable.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · wikstromforcongress.com
Restore integrity to the government. My 7-point solution for stopping the widespread swindle of taxpayer money.
- 1. EXTEND THE CLOCK:
Support extending statutes of limitations for prosecution of fraud.
- 2. VERIFY BEFORE YOU PAY:
Require real-time eligibility verification before any payment is made.
- 3. STRENGTHEN INSPECTORS GENERAL:
Protect and empower independent watchdogs.
- 4. REWARD WHISTLEBLOWERS:
Incentivize fraud reporting with meaningful rewards.
- 5. USE TECHNOLOGY SMARTLY:
Deploy AI and data analytics to catch fraud early.
- 6. MAKE REFORMS PERMANENT LAW:
Codify protections for future administrations.
- 7. HOLD STATES ACCOUNTABLE:
End sanctuary for fraud in state-administered programs.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · wikstromforcongress.com/solutions
Put more money in your pocket.
Protect and Expand Tax Cuts – eliminate tax on tips, no tax on overtime, expand child tax credits and eliminate the death tax to protect farms and small businesses.
Unleash American Production – increase American energy, food and housing supply by reducing regulation and improving investment climate.
Bring Back Competition in Healthcare – increase price transparency, allow purchase of insurance across state lines, stop drug companies from blocking access to generics and imported drugs.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · wikstromforcongress.com
Heading as listed on wikstromforcongress.com ↗ (opens wikstromforcongress.com at this heading)
Build an economy that works for families.
Invest in America and Minnesota FIRST starting with domestic manufacturing and energy independence.
Fix the Education System – prepare our children to succeed by focusing on academics, not political agendas, and expanding vocational training opportunities.
Cut Red Tape - require Congressional approval for major regulations and follow One-in/two-out rule for new regulations.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · wikstromforcongress.com
Heading as listed on wikstromforcongress.com ↗ (opens wikstromforcongress.com at this heading)