Robyn Gulley and Carlo Franco Running for Open State Senate Seat

Thanks to Fraidy Cats and Blue Sky Bookkeeping for their support.

Within a day of Sen. Sandy Pappas announcing her retirement, two candidates launched campaigns for the open state Senate seat: West St. Paul City Council Member Robyn Gulley and St. Paul School Board Member Carlo Franco. Update: Franco dropped out, details below.

Where: Senate District 65 includes the northern half of West St. Paul, the West Side, downtown, and portions of the Frogtown, Midway, and North End neighborhoods. The district skews heavily to the DFL—Pappas won the 2022 election with more than 80% of the vote.

The Candidates

Robyn Gulley currently serves as the City Council member for Ward 2 in West St. Paul.

• Why: “I’m running for Senate District 65 because we need another progressive champion,” Gulley said. “That means working every single day to make sure our state is fighting for working people and families like ours.”
• Endorsements: Gulley touts endorsements from Attorney General Keith Ellison, Rep. Kaela Berg, West St. Paul City Council Member John Justen, St. Paul City Council Member Rebecca Noecker, and others.
• U of M: In 2023, the legislature appointed her to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.
• Other runs: In 2021, Gulley announced a run for Dakota County Commissioner, but stepped down after redistricting meant she’d face incumbent Joe Atkins.
• Mechanics: Last elected to Council in 2024, Gulley’s term runs through 2028. So if she loses, she retains her seat. If she wins, she would resign and the Council and mayor would appoint a replacement.
• More: Learn more at Gulley’s website.

Carlo Franco currently serves on the St. Paul School Board.

• Why: “I’m running because I know we can do better on the issues that matter most: housing, education, public safety, and economic opportunity,” Franco said.
• Endorsements: Franco has endorsements from both District 65 House representatives, Maria Isa Perez-Vega and Samakab Hussein, as well as St. Paul City Council Member Cheniqua Johnson, West St. Paul Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee Member Angela Rizo Rosales, and West St. Paul’s other state representative, Mary Frances Clardy, among others.
• Background: A fourth generation West Sider, Franco works for the City of St. Paul in community and youth engagement.
• Mechanics: Elected in 2023, Franco’s term runs through 2027. So if he loses, he retains his seat. If he wins, he would resign and the school board would appoint a replacement.
• More: Learn more at Franco’s website (not yet updated).

What’s Next

We’ll see if any other candidates announce campaigns. In the last election in 2022, the DFL had a three-way primary.

The party endorsement process will happen this spring, with the filing period closing on June 2. A primary, if necessary, will be Aug. 11, 2026.

Jan. 19, 2026 Update: Carlo Franco Drops Out

On January 14, Carlo Franco announced on he was dropping out of the Senate District 65 race:

“In order to provide the necessary time and effort to run a campaign for Senate at the caliber that I require, my other commitments would receive less attention and suffer for it. This prompted some honest self-reflection, and hard conversations with my family and with my team about the future of this campaign. As someone who values integrity, follow-through, and is committed to excellence in all endeavors, I have decided to follow my heart to make an early and difficult decision to suspend my campaign for Minnesota Senate in order to focus on my existing commitments.”

Appreciate local election coverage? Then support it! $3 a month to be informed is a deal. Join now.