Tad Jude
Republican candidate for Secretary of State in Minnesota
Minnesota Secretary of State winner?
$14.2K
NOV 7, 2026
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Live Odds — Minnesota Secretary of State winner?
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
10%chance to win
$14.2KNOV 7, 2026Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleFormer State Senator
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age74 years old (Dec 13, 1951)
GenderMale
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LocationMinnesota
BackgroundPolitician
EducationSt. Lawrence Seminary (secondary)
Notable personal detailsThaddeus Victor “Tad” Jude is a Minnesota Republican politician, attorney, and former district court judge. He served in the Minnesota House of Representatives (first elected in 1972) and later the Minnesota Senate, and also served on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners. He worked as a workers’ compensation attorney for the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s Special Compensation Fund and later served as a judge in Minnesota’s 10th Judicial District (elected 2010).
SourcesShowHide
Political Positions
Economy & Taxes
Tad Jude presents himself as a supporter of lower taxes and smaller government. His campaign materials also frame his record around strengthening Minnesota’s small business economy.
Healthcare
He supports health care for everyone and says it should be affordable. He also emphasizes transparency in pricing, more access, and stronger cost controls rather than a purely market-driven approach.
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Immigration & Border
Tad Jude has said he wants to strengthen security at the U.S.-Mexico border and address what he describes as a broken asylum process. He has also said the country needs an effective border and an immigration system that works.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Tad Jude has a long-documented anti-abortion position and was described as an abortion opponent when he served as a legislator. In 2022, he was publicly characterized as supporting criminalizing virtually all abortion, including in rape and incest cases without a prompt police report, and as backing the Dobbs decision.
Climate & Energy
Tad Jude’s public campaign materials emphasize clean air and water and mention waste-to-energy, recycling, and composting as landfill alternatives. Available questionnaire material does not show a clear stated position on climate change or broader energy policy.
Public Safety & Guns
Tad Jude has not publicly answered a candidate questionnaire question asking what gun restrictions are needed to protect public safety. His campaign materials emphasize stronger law enforcement and public safety, but do not clearly lay out a detailed gun policy position.
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