Former Commissioner Olson Announces Run for House District 2A

Reed Olson, executive director of the Nameless Coalition for the Homeless and a former Beltrami County commissioner, formally launched a 2026 bid for Minnesota House District 2A on November 26, 2025. Olson, a Democrat Farmer Labor Party candidate, posted a campaign video announcing his run and outlining priorities that he said grew out of his work with people experiencing homelessness and families struggling to cover basic costs.

Olson signaled that affordability will be central to his campaign. He identified rising housing costs, climbing insurance premiums, and limited access to mental health care and child care as areas he intends to address if elected. The announcement frames Olson as a candidate with frontline experience in homelessness services, and positions him to press for policies aimed at expanding access to quality care and stabilizing household budgets.

The declaration sets up a potential rematch with Republican Representative Bidal Duran, who won the 2024 contest for District 2A by a small margin. That close result underscored the competitive nature of the district, and Olson's entry ensures the 2026 campaign will be watched closely by voters in Bemidji and across Beltrami County. The outcome could influence state priorities on housing and social services funding, given the district's representation in the Minnesota House.

For Beltrami County residents the race highlights choices about local investments in housing, mental health services, and child care supports. Olson's background with the Nameless Coalition for the Homeless connects his platform to ongoing community concerns about shelter capacity, affordable rentals, and the strain on nonprofit service providers. Voters will weigh those practical implications alongside broader fiscal and political considerations as the campaign season unfolds.

The 2026 contest will unfold over the coming year, with both candidates likely to expand outreach and policy detail. For now, Olson has placed affordability and access to care at the center of his message, asking constituents in District 2A to consider how state action could affect daily life in Bemidji and the wider county.