State Sen. Eric Pratt secured a commanding position in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District Republican primary after Tyler Kistner withdrew in mid-April 2026 to fulfill Marine Reserve active-duty obligations. Pratt, a four-term legislator who launched his bid in 2025, captured the party endorsement at the May 2 convention with 65 percent delegate support against a brief late entrant, who subsequently dropped out and backed him. These developments cleared the field ahead of the August 11 primary filing deadline, reflecting trader consensus on Pratt’s path. A late qualifying challenger or unusually strong write-in effort could still alter the outcome before the primary vote.