PRESS RELEASE | July 30, 2026
Contact: press@lgulbranson.com
EVELETH, MN — Luke Gulbranson, Democratic candidate for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District, today condemned President Trump’s ongoing war with Iran and Rep. Pete Stauber’s continued support for it, pointing to a new consequence hitting Minnesotans directly: a coordinated cyberattack on more than 30 Minnesota water systems, including one right here in the 8th District, that investigators suspect Iran-linked hackers carried out.
The New York Times and Star Tribune just reported that on July 26 and 27, a coordinated cyberattack struck more than 30 municipal water and wastewater systems across Minnesota. Among the communities hit was Braham in the 8th District, where the city’s well and treatment plant were forced offline. Security experts say the attack bears the hallmarks of a hacking group tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Rep. Pete Stauber voted against a war powers resolution this month that would have directed the president to end hostilities with Iran.
“This reckless war was never authorized by Congress, and now Minnesotans are paying for it,” said Gulbranson. “We’re paying more for basic goods because of the tariffs and economic fallout this war has triggered. We’ve put American troops in harm’s way with no clear plan and no endgame. And now, families in Braham and communities across our state are dealing with the very real possibility that a hostile foreign government just targeted our drinking water. Pete Stauber had the chance to stand up for Minnesota and rein in this war. He chose not to. He continues to put politics over the safety of the people he represents.”
Gulbranson called for full transparency from the administration on the war’s cost and objectives and reiterated his support for reasserting Congress’s constitutional authority over decisions to go to war.
Gulbranson is running in the Democratic primary for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District, aiming to challenge Republican incumbent Pete Stauber in November.
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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.