Union representing 1.6 million public service workers backs Iron Range native and union member in Democratic primary
PRESS RELEASE | July 21, 2026
Contact: press@lgulbranson.com
EVELETH, MN — The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has endorsed Luke Gulbranson in the Democratic primary for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. Gulbranson, a fourth-generation Iron Ranger and union member, is running to represent North and Central Minnesota and take on Republican incumbent Pete Stauber this November.
AFSCME represents 1.6 million public service workers across the country, including the 911 dispatchers, nurses, courthouse workers, library workers, school support staff, and nursing home caregivers who keep Minnesota communities running.
Gulbranson, a member of SAG-AFTRA, comes from a union family — his great-grandfather was a foreman at the Oliver Mine, his father and uncles were IUOE Local 49 heavy equipment operators, and his grandmother served as a union steward for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union.
“I’m a proud, dues-paying union member, and I know firsthand what organized labor does for working families because it lifted mine up,”
said Gulbranson.
“AFSCME members are the people showing up every single day to plow our roads, keep our communities safe, and care for the people who need it most. This endorsement means the world to me, and I will not take it lightly. In Congress, I’ll fight to protect collective bargaining rights, oppose the privatization of public services, and make sure workers, not corporations and the wealthy, have a seat at the table.”
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About Luke
Luke Gulbranson’s roots run deep in the red dirt of the Iron Range, starting with his great grandfather who was a foreman at the Oliver mine. Born and raised in Eveleth, Minnesota, he is the son of Lyle, an Operating Engineers Local 49 union member, and Cindy, a nurse caregiver. In a community defined by hockey and home to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Luke began skating at just two years old.
Growing up, life wasn’t easy for Luke and his family. There were times when they relied on food assistance, Medicaid, and support from their community to get by. The sting of an electricity shut-off notice, the long winters when heat was uncertain, and the resilience it took to push through were recurring challenges his family faced.
Hockey became Luke’s lifeline. He learned discipline, grit, and the value of teamwork. But at 19, a head injury forced him to chart a new course. Luke found a new path in media, and he supported himself through acting and modeling. While the experience broadened his horizons and exposed him to a world far beyond northern Minnesota, he always felt the call of Minnesota to come back home.
During the pandemic, Luke returned to Eveleth to build a new chapter of his life. He constructed his home in the woods, and he lives there today, grounded in the same community that raised him. He is a youth hockey coach, small businessman, outdoorsman, and woodworker who spends his days tapping maple trees, running the trails with his border collie Trapper, riding motorcycles and picking his guitar.
He lives a short drive from his parents, where he sees them face the challenges of so many families in northern Minnesota – balancing their household needs on a fixed income and increasing financial strain. Luke’s family has faced serious health challenges, including cancer and physical disability. They’ve seen firsthand how rising healthcare and, especially, prescription drug costs, put an enormous strain on health and well-being.
In Congress, Luke will fight for what matters to Minnesota families because this is personal for him. He won’t let the rigged system that benefits billionaires and corporate special interests end our way of life. For more information, visit www.lukegulbranson.com.