2026 MN Senate District 49 Candidate
Independent

“As an Independent, my allegiance is strictly to our community. Having served as an Army captain, school administrator and youth coach, I focus on mission-first accountability and tangible results. I bring private-sector budget discipline and real-world leadership to St. Paul. “

— Kris Babler —

Name: Kris Babler
Website: https://www.facebook.com/p/Babler-for-State-Senate-61572137380455/
Email address: kb@krisbabler.com
City of residence: Eden Prairie

Professional and volunteer background: 

I bring a real-world, pro-growth perspective built on accountability, economic execution and servant leadership. As a U.S. Army captain, school administrator, business owner and longtime basketball coach, I’ve spent my career leading teams through high-stakes challenges. My background bridges private-sector fiscal discipline with hands-on civic engagement in our schools. Rather than approaching policy through a political lens, I focus on practical risk management, cutting red tape and delivering high-ROI results for our community. As an Independent, I will bring that same mission-first, team-oriented approach to representing SD49 in St. Paul.

Why did you decide to run for a seat in the Minnesota Senate: 

I decided to run because single-party control and partisan gridlock are failing suburban families. Both major parties have lost the ability to hold their own sides accountable when spending escalates or policies fail. SD-49 voters are caught between an ineffective local GOP and a DFL caucus that ignores housing costs, business growth and administrative waste. In a tightly divided Senate, an Independent swing vote holds the entire chamber accountable. I’m running to give our community direct leverage, prioritizing practical, data-driven solutions and taxpayer value over party lines.

What makes you the best candidate in this race: 

I am a dad, veteran and small business owner — not a career politician. Major-party candidates are bound to caucus whips, special-interest PACs and party-line votes. As an Independent, my allegiance is strictly to our community. Having served as an Army captain, school administrator and youth coach, I focus on mission-first accountability and tangible results. I bring private-sector budget discipline and real-world leadership to St. Paul. Neither party can push costly mandates or extreme agendas past my desk without negotiating with our district first.

What would be your top 3 priorities if elected to the Legislature: 

1) Fiscal Watchdog: Demand independent performance audits across state agencies to balance the budget, eliminate administrative bloat and protect household budgets. 

2) Educational Excellence: Protect classroom learning by reducing top-down mandates, restoring decision-making authority to local parents and teachers and prioritizing student achievement. 

3) Pro-Economic Growth: Pass pro-growth policies that cut housing costs, build needed homes, create jobs and support local employers without burdening taxpayers.

If you were elected and could be guaranteed approval on one legislative bill in the upcoming session, what would that one bill address: 

Housing supply and affordability reform. Minnesota faces a 100,000-home shortage, freezing young families and seniors out of homeownership. My bill would tackle housing costs directly by streamlining review timelines, capping hidden administrative fees and removing barriers that stall new construction. By getting government out of the way and letting local builders efficiently increase market-rate home supply, we lower prices for buyers, expand our tax base, and build family wealth — all without spending taxpayer dollars on subsidies. 

What has been the biggest failure attributed to legislative action or inaction in recent years: 

Single-party control and unchecked state spending. The Legislature blew through a historic budget surplus and set up a projected $2 billion to $3 billion deficit by overspending and expanding administrative bureaucracy. At the same time, St. Paul passed unfunded mandates that cost local school districts more than the new funding provided, while stripping authority from teachers. Coupled with major fraud scandals and a lack of oversight in state-funded programs, this single-party approach has raised local living costs without delivering clear, measurable return on investment for suburban families.

What are your thoughts on the current level of taxation in Minnesota: 

Minnesota’s tax levels are among the highest in the nation, yet taxpayers are not seeing a proportional return on investment. With state spending expanding faster than revenue, suburban families and small businesses face growing pressure while costs shift onto local property taxes and utility bills. As an Independent fiscal watchdog, I advocate for strict performance audits to cut administrative waste, right-size agency spending and protect local ratepayers. We must live within our means and ensure tax policy delivers real value to working families rather than expanding St. Paul bureaucracy.

With so much attention focused on national issues, how will you engage the community to increase awareness of local issues?

I focus strictly on local results: property tax pressures, school district flexibility, housing costs and protecting local control over services like SouthWest Transit. National political theater doesn’t solve local problems. As an Independent, I host non-partisan community meetings, meet directly with local small business owners, builders and educators, and maintain open one-on-one communication. By keeping conversations focused on concrete suburban issues — safe streets, strong infrastructure and transparent state budgets — I will keep our community engaged on the decisions that directly affect our daily lives.