Full Speech Transcript

Town Square Television — Meet the Candidates 2026

“I’m AJ Gubash, Republican candidate for House District 53A.

I am running a campaign that is solely funded by the people. I do not accept PAC money from, or pledge allegiance to, special-interest groups. I don't believe in that.

I don’t need to sign pledges to show people what’s important to me. I show that through my work, my words, my actions, and my record of service to this country, and to this state, and to this cause. I tell the truth, and I stand for what is right without holding back, no matter the cost.

I am not a politician, and I’ve never held elected office, which, if judged appropriately, is a good thing, because experience in a dysfunctional state government is not a résumé builder. In fact, politics seems to be the only career where a long record of failure is used as a leading selling point. They actually run on fixing problems that they themselves have caused and think we won't notice.

Well, we've noticed. And enough is enough. These so-called leaders are ruining our state.

Take our housing problem, for example. You know what isn’t going to fix that? More government intrusion. And we know this because they’ve tried, and they’ve made it worse, wasting your money, further reducing supply, and further inflating the market.

Here is how I’ll address that: I’ll work to remove the harmful and costly government barriers that obstruct the will of the private sector. Unleash supply and competition. Let builders build. Let buyers buy. Let sellers sell. Without the burden of the state government crushing their ambition.

So, I will not ask for your vote by promising to spend our way to prosperity. I ask for your vote so I can work to give that money and that control back to you, the people. Because it's the people that make our state strong.

So I will work towards getting the biggest problem we have out of our way, and that is this, at present, unworthy state government. My mission is to restore it to its proper role by reducing its intrusion into our lives, by reining in reckless spending, by slashing the bloated budget, cutting taxes, supporting law and order, empowering parents, and returning autonomy and agency to the people of Minnesota.

Our state government’s rightful purpose is to protect its constituents, safeguard their God-given rights, and lend a hand to Minnesotans who truly need it, while diligently protecting your money from waste, fraud, and abuse, and ensuring that these resources actually reach our people who genuinely depend on them, not thieves, criminals, and outsiders.

These are responsibilities in which this current state government has failed us.

So where do we go from here? We can fix this only by supporting ones who actually know, respect, adhere to, and love the principles that made this country and this state great.

And we are still out there. We are everywhere. I know it because I’ve met a lot of you throughout this campaign, and it's given me increased hope that we can turn this around.

So don’t give up on Minnesota. I’m not, and I never will. This state belongs to the people, so let's take back what's ours.

And to all of you in Inver Grove Heights, West St. Paul, Mendota Heights, and the rest of 53A: Let it begin here.

Show up on November 3rd and vote.

I understand that some of you doubt that your vote matters or counts. But if you don’t cast it, you’re guaranteeing that it won’t count. Give it a chance.

We have not lost for lack of numbers. We have lost for lack of participation. There are more of us than them.

The establishment machine that has been tormenting our state is counting on you to stay home. Don’t stay home.

Let's make a better and freer future for the Minnesota that we all love.

The published transcript appears to be missing your final sentence: “I’m AJ Gubash, for House District 53A. Thank you.”