Beltrami County DFL hosts Bemidji fish fry with Ben Schierer

Beltrami County Democrats turned a walleye fish fry at the Bemidji Eagles Club into a local political temperature check, using the June 15 fundraiser to put Ben Schierer in front of supporters as the party sharpened its message for 2026. The event ran from 4 to 7 p.m. at 1270 Neilson Ave. SE, with a social hour at 4 p.m., live music, a silent auction, dinner at 5 p.m., candidate speeches and a live auction.

The fish fry fit into a busy June calendar for the county party. Beltrami County DFL also listed a June 3 “Pie and Politics” gathering at its office at 1510 Bemidji Ave. N. in Bemidji, a sign that local organizers were using familiar community events to keep supporters engaged between election cycles and to keep the party visible in town.

Schierer’s presence gave the gathering a broader statewide edge. A former Fergus Falls mayor and small business owner, he was being introduced in June as Amy Klobuchar’s running mate in the 2026 Minnesota governor’s race, even as his campaign also described him as a candidate for Minnesota State Auditor. That shifting role underscored how closely aligned the DFL’s local and statewide ambitions have become as the party looks to build a coalition that reaches beyond the Twin Cities and into greater Minnesota.

For Beltrami County Democrats, the fish fry also served as a familiar organizing tool. The same Eagles Club location hosted a similar fundraiser in 2021, and another fish fry was reported in 2025, showing that the event has become an annual fixture rather than a one-off appeal. A prior fish fry drew more than 200 attendees, a turnout that helps explain why the format keeps returning: it blends fundraising, candidate retail politics and a direct read on which messages land with Bemidji-area Democrats.

Attendees discussed local issues and their vision for Minnesota’s future, reflecting the mix of county-level concerns and state-level politics that has long defined DFL organizing in northwestern Minnesota. In a region where parties often rely on personal contact and recurring community events to measure support, the Bemidji fish fry made clear that the Beltrami County DFL is trying to keep its base active while testing a broader message for the next election cycle.