Lisa Demuth is an American politician and businesswoman who serves as the 62nd Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and who in 2026 became the Republican nominee for Governor of Minnesota. Representing a central Minnesota district since 2019, she rose through her party’s leadership to make history as the first Black person and first Republican woman to serve as speaker of the Minnesota House. Known for her role steering a closely divided legislature, she emerged as a leading figure in her state’s Republican Party and won her party’s nomination to seek the governorship.
Lisa Demuth Biography, Wiki
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Lisa Demuth |
| Date of Birth | 10 February 1967 |
| Age (2026) | 59 years |
| Birthplace | Paynesville, Minnesota, United States |
| Residence | Cold Spring, Minnesota |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
| Profession | Politician, business owner |
| Current Office | Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives (since 2025) |
| District | Minnesota House District 13A (since 2019) |
| 2026 Nomination | Republican nominee for Governor of Minnesota |
| Political Party | Republican |
| Running Mate | Ryan Wilson (for lieutenant governor) |
| Spouse | Nick Demuth |
| Children | Four |
Lisa Demuth Details
| Area | Detail |
| Local service | Served on a local school board for over a decade |
| State House | Representing District 13A since 2019 |
| Party leadership | House Republican leader and minority leader (2023 to 2025) |
| Speaker | Elected Speaker of the Minnesota House in 2025 |
| Historic first | First Black and first Republican woman House speaker |
| 2026 | Won the Republican nomination for governor |
Lisa Demuth Events
| Year | Event |
| 10 February 1967 | Born in Paynesville, Minnesota |
| 2010s | Served on the Rocori-area school board |
| 2018 | Elected to the Minnesota House for District 13A |
| 2023 | Became House Republican leader and minority leader |
| February 2025 | Elected Speaker of the Minnesota House |
| November 2025 | Announced her run for governor |
| August 2026 | Won the Republican gubernatorial primary |
Lisa Demuth Early Life and Education
Lisa Demuth was born on 10 February 1967 in Paynesville, Minnesota, and grew up in the state. She received her high-school diploma from Bloomington Kennedy High School in 1985. Before entering politics she built a life in central Minnesota as a business owner and a mother of four, and she became active in her community, including more than a decade of service on a local school board, which served as her entry point into public life.
Lisa Demuth Career Background
Lisa Demuth worked as a business owner and was deeply involved in her local community before her rise in state politics. Her long tenure on the Rocori-area school board gave her experience in public governance and a focus on education, and her background as a small-business owner and parent shaped the priorities she would later bring to the state legislature. This grounding in local civic life preceded her election to statewide office.
Lisa Demuth Political Career
Lisa Demuth in the Minnesota House
Lisa Demuth was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2018, representing District 13A in central Minnesota, which includes communities in the St. Cloud area and parts of Stearns County. She quickly established herself within the Republican caucus, and in 2023 she was chosen to lead the House Republicans, serving as minority leader during a period when Democrats held control of state government. In that role she was credited with helping recruit candidates and raise funds for the 2024 elections.
Lisa Demuth as Speaker of the House
Lisa Demuth reached the top of the Minnesota House after the 2024 elections, in which Republicans gained ground and produced an evenly divided chamber. Amid the resulting power-sharing dynamics, she was elected Speaker of the House, taking office in early 2025 and making history as the first Black person and the first Republican woman to hold the position. As speaker she helped negotiate major budget agreements and navigate a closely and, at times, evenly divided legislature, experience she has pointed to as a record of governing.
Lisa Demuth’s 2026 Run for Governor
Lisa Demuth announced in November 2025 that she would run for Governor of Minnesota in 2026, selecting the attorney Ryan Wilson as her running mate for lieutenant governor. In August 2026 she won the Republican gubernatorial primary, defeating other contenders to secure the nomination. Her victory set up a general-election contest in November 2026 against the Democratic nominee, in what was widely noted as a historic all-woman race for the governorship. Because this concerns an active election, the profile presents her candidacy factually and neutrally.
Lisa Demuth’s Political Positions
Lisa Demuth is a conservative Republican who has focused during her legislative career on issues including education, public safety and energy policy, along with fiscal matters. In her campaign for governor she has emphasised her record of governing through a divided legislature and conservative priorities on the economy and public safety. As with any prominent candidate, her positions and record attract both strong support and strong opposition, with critics and supporters offering sharply differing views, and the profile notes them factually and without endorsement.
Lisa Demuth Personal Life
Lisa Demuth lives in Cold Spring, in central Minnesota, with her husband, Nick, and is a mother of four children. Her family has been part of the central Minnesota community for many years, and her experiences as a parent and community member, including a devastating school shooting that affected her local community in 2003 while her children were students, have been noted in connection with her focus on education and public safety. She has generally emphasised her local roots and family in her public identity.
Lisa Demuth’s Health Journey
Lisa Demuth has spoken publicly about facing a serious health challenge earlier in her life, having been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, when she was in her early forties. She underwent treatment and surgery and has since spoken of being cancer-free in the years afterward. Her openness about overcoming that experience has been part of her personal story, and this profile notes it respectfully and factually.
Lisa Demuth Net Worth and Earnings
A reliable, verified figure for Lisa Demuth’s net worth is not a significant part of the public record, and this profile does not put forward one. Her income has come from her work as a business owner and from her salary as a state legislator and House speaker. Her official financial disclosures, required for her public roles, remain the authoritative source on her finances.
| Source | Detail |
| Net worth | Not reliably documented |
| Main income sources | Her business ownership and her legislative service |
| Authoritative source | Her official financial disclosures |
Lisa Demuth Social Media
Lisa Demuth maintains a public presence through her official and campaign channels, which she uses for legislative communication, policy statements and her gubernatorial campaign.
| Platform | Handle | Notes |
| Official page | Minnesota House of Representatives site | Legislative information |
| Campaign channels | Her campaign website and social media | Campaign communication |
Lisa Demuth Controversies and Debates
Lisa Demuth’s Conservative Record
As a leading conservative and now a gubernatorial nominee, Lisa Demuth takes positions on contested state issues that draw both support from Republicans and sharp criticism from opponents, including from Democratic-aligned groups who have criticised her record and agenda. These are matters of legitimate political debate rather than personal wrongdoing, and the profile presents that her record is debated, without taking a side.
Lisa Demuth and Legislative Disputes
Lisa Demuth’s role leading her caucus through a closely and evenly divided legislature involved high-profile partisan disputes over control, budgets and legislative procedure, as is common in such circumstances. These reflect the ordinary friction of a divided government rather than any established wrongdoing, and differing views on her handling of them reflect the broader political conversation.
Lesser Known Facts About Lisa Demuth
- She served on a local school board for more than a decade before the legislature.
- She was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2018.
- She led the House Republican caucus from 2023.
- She was also the first Republican woman to hold that role.
- She is a breast cancer survivor.
- She won the Republican nomination for governor in 2026.
Lisa Demuth FAQ
Who is Lisa Demuth?
She is an American politician serving as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and the 2026 Republican nominee for Governor of Minnesota.
How old is Lisa Demuth?
Born on 10 February 1967, she will be 59 years old in 2026.
What district does Lisa Demuth represent?
She represents District 13A in central Minnesota, which includes communities in the St. Cloud area and parts of Stearns County.
What history did Lisa Demuth make as speaker?
She became the first Black person and the first Republican woman to serve as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Is Lisa Demuth running for governor?
Yes, she won the Republican gubernatorial primary in 2026 and is the party’s nominee in the November general election.
When did Lisa Demuth become speaker?
She was elected Speaker of the Minnesota House in early 2025.
What are Lisa Demuth’s main issues?
She has focused on education, public safety, energy policy and fiscal matters throughout her career.
Who is Lisa Demuth’s running mate?
She selected the attorney Ryan Wilson as her running mate for lieutenant governor.
Where is Lisa Demuth from?
She was born in Paynesville, Minnesota, and lives in Cold Spring, Minnesota.
Is Lisa Demuth a cancer survivor?
Yes, she has spoken publicly about being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and later being cancer-free.
Sources
Star Tribune, What to know about Lisa Demuth, Minnesota’s GOP nominee for governor,
https://www.startribune.com/what-to-know-about-lisa-demuth-minnesotas-gop-nominee-for-governor/601877978
Minnesota Reformer, GOP Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth launches campaign for governor,
https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/11/02/gop-minnesota-house-speaker-lisa-demuth-launches-campaign-for-governor/
Minnesota House of Representatives, Rep. Lisa Demuth (13A),
https://www.house.mn.gov/members/profile/1549