Fergus Falls business owner files for Minnesota Senate District 9 race
Fergus Falls business owner Krystyne Knutson filed for Senate District 9, putting Otter Tail County’s taxes, schools and health care debate on the ballot.
Fergus Falls business owner Krystyne Knutson filed June 1 for Minnesota Senate District 9, stepping into a race that will help decide who speaks for Otter Tail County and four neighboring counties in St. Paul.
Knutson owns Soapy Puppy Bed and Biscuit in Fergus Falls and entered the contest during Minnesota’s 2026 filing period, which ran from May 19 through June 2. The filing added her name to a field that already includes Republican Sen. Jordan Rasmusson, who announced his reelection bid Jan. 13 and is serving a term that runs until Jan. 5, 2027.
District 9 covers Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Traverse and Wilkin counties, a map drawn after the 2020 Census under the 2022 redistricting plan. For Otter Tail County voters, the race will help determine who carries local concerns from Fergus Falls, Perham and surrounding towns into the Minnesota Senate, where taxes, school funding, health care access and the conditions for small businesses are likely to remain central issues.
Knutson said she is running because she cares deeply about people and believes government should work for everyday Minnesotans, not just those with the loudest voices or deepest pockets. She also said years of working with people from all walks of life taught her that most people want to be seen, heard, valued, treated fairly and given the opportunity to build a good life.
Her candidacy gives Fergus Falls a familiar local name in a district contest that reaches far beyond the city limits. Otter Tail County election officials list the 2026 general election for Nov. 3, with early voting set for July 24 through Aug. 10 and the primary on Aug. 11. That calendar sets up a short campaign season in which district voters will weigh whether Knutson’s business background and community ties can translate into a stronger voice for the area.
The Minnesota Secretary of State says candidate names are added during the filing period for federal, state and county offices, making Knutson’s June 1 filing official as the district begins to take shape heading toward November.
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