Cory Hepola Runs for MN Governor as Third-Party Candidate

Cory Hepola

A new candidate entered the race for Minnesota governor. On Tuesday, Cory Hepola announced his campaign for Minnesota governor as a third-party centrist candidate.

Hepola’s campaign announcement came from a video posted on his Twitter. Hepola says in this video, “We’re not red, we’re not blue, we’re purple.”

His campaign is currently seeking an endorsement from the Forward Party of Minnesota. Former Democratic presidential and New York mayoral candidate Andrew Yang launched said party earlier this month.

Hepola comes from Ottertail County in northwestern Minnesota, and his career includes working at KARE-TV and WCCO Radio in the Twin Cities.

While a majority of Minnesota’s former governors fell into either Democratic or Republican parties, former wrestler Jesse Ventura won the seat in 1998 running as a Reform/Independent candidate. However, not many third-party candidates have seen the same kind of success since.

Governor Tim Walz is seeking re-election in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Republican candidates are seeking their party’s endorsement.