Ryan Faircloth

Minnesota Democrats and Republicans will gather in Rochester and Duluth this weekend for endorsing conventions that could shape the state's political landscape heading into the midterm election.

The former local official and businessman could help reinforce Klobuchar's pitch to greater Minnesota voters.

MINNEAPOLIS — Amy Klobuchar tapped former Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer to be her running mate on Friday, filling out her governor ticket with a Democrat who has a record of winning in a red part of the state.

MINNEAPOLIS — Amy Klobuchar tapped former Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer to be her running mate on Friday, filling out her governor ticket with a Democrat who has a record of winning in a red part of the state.

In a fiery address to party activists in Rochester, Klobuchar vowed to campaign with “tenacity and optimism.”

Both parties left convention weekend confronting the challenge of turning enthusiasm into victories.

A self-described “rural progressive,” Schierer served two terms as mayor of Fergus Falls. Now he's the DFL-endorsed candidate for lieutenant governor.

Former Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer, 52, adds geographic balance and local government experience to Klobuchar's gubernatorial ticket.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar's pick for lieutenant governor is a former mayor from deep-red western Minnesota who has sought to bridge political divides.

Nicholson, a businessman, is largely unknown to most political observers.