Po Vang's bio

I was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and I live with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a form of muscular dystrophy that affects my nerves and causes gradual physical decline. I’ve had to navigate that reality my entire life.

I once planned to become an electrical engineer and work on alternatives to fossil fuels. But over time, I chose a different path—one shaped by real-life experience, by studying on my own, and by seeing how systems actually work for people like me.

This became personal when I saw what my brother is going through. He has the same disease, but more severe. His lung capacity is dangerously low, and he cannot travel long distances—especially not by plane—to access the most advanced treatments available in the world.

And that’s the problem.

We are living in a state—and a country—where people with serious chronic illnesses are forced to look overseas for care. Leading European countries already have higher medical standards and more accessible advanced treatments. But here in Minnesota, too many families are left behind.

That’s why I’m running for governor.

We should not have to leave this country to get the care we need. We should not have to go to Europe for cutting-edge treatment. Those standards should exist here, in Minnesota, for everyone.

I’ve lived this. My family is living this.

And I know that real healthcare isn’t just about technology—it’s about the full picture: access to advanced treatment, holistic care, clean water, proper nutrition, and conditions that allow people to actually recover and live with dignity.

Paul Wellstone showed that grassroots candidates can overcome the odds. I intend to follow that example—and fight for the people who are being overlooked.

I am honored to announce that I intend to run for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota as the running mate of Po Vang for Governor. 

I come to this moment not as a career politician, but as a lifelong Minnesotan shaped by the forests, lakes, and small towns of this great state. I grew up camping beneath the northern pines, hunting the fields and woods of Minnesota, and learning the values that bind our communities together: honesty, resilience, humility, and service.

I carried those values into 7 years of active duty service in the United States Coast Guard, where duty to country meant standing watch when others slept and serving something greater than oneself.

My political journey has never been confined to one camp or ideology. I have deep Democratic credentials through years of activism and organizing. I stood as a Bernie Sanders delegate in 2016 because I believed working people deserved a stronger voice in our democracy. In 2024, I served as a Kennedy elector because I believed our politics needed courage, independence, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

Over the years, I have caucused with nearly every major political party in Minnesota. What I learned is this: no party holds a monopoly on wisdom, patriotism, or compassion. Good people exist across this state and across the political spectrum, and Minnesota’s future will not be built through division, but through common purpose.

This campaign is about restoring faith that principled leadership still exists. That we can disagree without hatred. That we can defend liberty while protecting community. That Minnesota can once again lead with both strength and decency.

I am proud to stand alongside Po Vang in that mission.

Now the work begins.

#Minnesota #MNPol #Leadership #Service #Unity