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Quentin Wittrock

RepublicanFirst-time candidate

Quentin Wittrock ran for U.S. House Minnesota District 3 in 2026. This is their first run for office.

From the candidate’s public filings

Background

Quentin Wittrock was born in Iowa. He earned a high school diploma from Ocheyeden High School, a bachelor's degree from Buena Vista University in 1981, and a law degree from the University of Iowa in 1986.[1][2]

Law:
University of Iowa, 1986
Bachelor's:
Buena Vista University, 1981
High school:
Ocheyedan High School

Campaign money

Raised
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From individuals
$0
From PACs & party
$0
Own money
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FEC filings.

View on FEC.gov(opens in new tab)

In their own words

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Quentin is an independent thinker and a political outsider from a legal, business, and communications background. In 2021, he created Principle Based Politics as a non-profit forum to bring change to dysfunctional, divisive, and unhelpful American politics. Through his organization, Quentin advocates for government leaders to put the right principles ahead of partisanship and all other considerations. Quentin believes candidates and elected officials should govern the United States pursuant to principles, philosophies, and political positions that will help all American citizens. His principles are derived from the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Bible, and common sense.

Before entering politics, Quentin spent 32 years as an international business litigation attorney with a large law firm headquartered in Minneapolis. He will bring communication and advocacy skills from the courtroom, where he built a track record of success in representing clients, to the U.S. Capitol, where he will use those same skills to represent all citizens living in our Third District.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Dysfunction Demands Change

Americans across the political spectrum agree: our system isn’t working. “Politics as usual” has failed us. Shutdowns that hurt families and small businesses. Politicians who prioritize fundraising over results. Leaders more focused on settling scores than solving problems.

Too many in power are disconnected from the people they represent—more concerned with winning for their side than making life safer, more affordable, and more stable at home.

It’s time to end the dysfunction. It’s time to put people ahead of politics. And it’s time to demand better—now.A Congress That Won’t Lead Must Be Replaced

Congress isn’t doing its job. Instead of leading, it defers—handing off its constitutional responsibilities to the White House through executive action on taxes, war, and immigration. The result? A weak, reactive legislature that avoids tough decisions and hides behind massive, last-minute bills few have time to read and even fewer can defend.

While politicians argue and posture, the issues that matter most go unresolved: rising costs, unsafe communities, an unsustainable national debt, and uncertainty around Social Security, Medicare, and healthcare.No Different in Washington Than in St. Paul

Minnesota’s Third District didn’t get new leadership—it got the same record in a new office.

Kelly Morrison’s time in the state legislature raised concerns: rampant fraud, abuse and crime, failing infrastructure, declining schools, and our $18 billion surplus of taxpayer money was wasted while taxes increased and inflation soared.

Now in Congress, nothing has changed. Instead of independent leadership, Morrison votes in line with Ilhan Omar, Nancy Pelosi, Hakeem Jeffries, and the far-left wing of her party—while families in the district continue to face rising costs and ongoing challenges.

The Third District deserves better than recycled leadership and predictable politics. It deserve

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Reform, including federal budget reform, immigration reform, entitlement reform (including saving Social Security and Medicare), and congressional reform (including term limits and a ban on stock trading by members of congress).

Also, governmental leadership, policy, and decisions should be based on principles rather than partisanship, polarization, and personal or party preservation of political power.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District Republicans (first ballot at April 25, 2026, endorsing convention)

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

An independent thinker, Quentin R. Wittrock is running to mobilize and lead the "great political middle" – the vast majority of Americans (especially the residents of Minnesota's Third Congressional District, who feel unrepresented by the extremes on the left and right of the national political spectrum. The Americans who feel the disappointment of entering a voting booth, looking at their ballot on Election Day in November, and they don’t like either choice. The voters who lament, “In a country of more than 300 million, these are the two best choices we have?” One choice may be too extreme in one direction, and the other too extreme in another. In that situation, you are left choosing the lesser of two evils, or voting not for a good candidate, but voting against a candidate you simply cannot support under any circumstances.

Quentin retired in 2019 after 32 years as a business litigation attorney with a large law firm headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He and his wife, Cindy, live in the suburb of Coon Rapids, where they raised two daughters. For decades, the Wittrocks have been active in church leadership and community service.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Our nation has had enough of the political fighting between the parties. Independents and members of both main parties share many of the same priorities. Accordingly, most proud, patriotic Americans are caught somewhere in the political middle. My goal is to mobilize and lead that great political middle.Americans want servant leaders who are honest, full of integrity, desire peace and respect for our country, treat others with dignity, and seek to understand issues before speaking and acting. The parties should demand as much from the candidates they nominate, so that voters have strong choices when casting their ballots.Political division, gamesmanship, dishonesty, and polarization are undermining the very foundation of our nation, which was built on principles such as freedom, free enterprise, equality, limited government. All of these foundational principles are reflected in our Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and the Bible. Leaders in the United States must follow those principles for the good of all. These are the principles I will follow.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The top ten key issues facing our federal government are:

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Fiscal responsibility (the U.S. House as "keeper of the purse" is constitutionally responsible accountable for this)

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National defense and military assistance to allies

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Immigration and border control

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Social security reform and entitlements

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Health care

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Climate change and economic growth

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Mass shootings and second amendment rights

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Federal regulation

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Protecting life and a woman’s ability to choose abortion

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Education and student debt

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Jesus Christ. He came to Earth to serve by leading people to live out principles like peace, dignity, integrity, respect, and honesty. He also was a big believer in freedom, law and justice, limited government, protecting the vulnerable, equality, and religious freedom.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The power of the purse is the most important responsibility of the U.S. House. That power must be exercised responsibly, for example through limiting the national debt, keeping taxes at an optimal level to help our economy, maintaining a strong military, and protecting the full payouts owed to Social Security and Medicare recipients. In addition, reelection every two years is unique in our federal government.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

The most direct ways to limit the length of a politician's time in office are for the candidate to not seek reelection after one or two terms, the parties not to renominate the person multiple times, or for the electorate to vote them out soon thereafter. When that does not happen (and it often has not), term limits regrettably should be imposed.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes. Very often, the people in the middle are best served with something less then their ideal, because attaining the ideal is politically impossible. Through compromise, the interests of all can be improved from the present state, whereas holding out for perfection generally results in the far-less-than-perfect status quo continuing.

On the 2026 ballot

Links

Compiled from the candidate’s published profile as of September 30, 2026 and FEC filings.

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