MINNESOTA,US- Kenyan-born politician Huldah Momanyi Hiltsley has won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) primary for Minnesota House District 38A, moving a step closer to securing another term in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Hiltsley defeated challenger Wynfred Russell in the primary held on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, securing the DFL nomination and a place on the ballot for the November general election.
The victory puts Hiltsley in a strong position to defend the seat she first won in 2024, when she made history as the first Kenyan-born person elected to a state legislature in the United States.
Hiltsley won the primary by 261 votes, defeating Russell in a closely watched contest.
The primary was particularly significant because Hiltsley and Russell had previously faced each other in the race for the Democratic nomination.
With the latest victory, Hiltsley has once again emerged as the DFL candidate for the district. Her win also allows her to continue building on the political breakthrough she achieved two years ago.
Hiltsley first made history during the November 2024 election when she became the first person born in Kenya to win election to a state legislature anywhere in the United States.
Her election to the Minnesota House represented a significant milestone for the Kenyan diaspora and African immigrant communities in the United States.
She took office representing House District 38A, which includes parts of Brooklyn Park and Osseo in Minnesota.
Her historic election attracted attention in Kenya and among Kenyans living in the United States, particularly because she became a prominent example of an immigrant-born politician rising through the American political system.
Hiltsley was born in Nyamira County, Kenya, before moving to the United States as a child.
Before entering politics, she worked in the technology sector as a data privacy analyst. Her professional experience in technology and data privacy became part of her background as she transitioned into public service.
She later entered Minnesota politics and successfully contested the House District 38A seat in 2024. Her election reflected the growing participation of immigrant communities in American politics, particularly in states such as Minnesota, which has a sizeable East African population.
Hiltsley’s journey from Nyamira to the Minnesota legislature has also made her a notable figure among Kenyans at home and abroad.
Winning the DFL primary does not yet mean Hiltsley has secured another term in the Minnesota House. Instead, it gives her the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination and allows her to advance to the November 3, 2026 general election.
