Why Austin Is Running

I’m running because I believe our communities deserve leadership that listens, respects our values, and puts families first. Too often, decisions are made far away by people who don’t understand rural Minnesota, our schools, our small businesses, or our way of life.

I want to be a strong voice for parents, farmers, small business owners, and working families. I believe in protecting local control, defending personal freedoms, and making sure government lives within its means - just like the families and businesses it serves.

I’m not running to build a political career. I’m running to serve. I want to bring real-world experience, conservative values, and common sense to the table, and to fight for a future where our kids can grow up, work hard, and build their lives right here at home.

About Austin

Austin Peterson and his wife of 19 years, Jeramie, live south of Hawley near Rollag, Minnesota, where they are raising their three children and putting down deep roots in the community they love.

Austin grew up in Northwood, North Dakota, where he attended school from kindergarten through graduation. He was raised in a hardworking household. His father, Chad, worked at the Grand Forks Air Force Base, and his mother served as a nurse at the local nursing home. Austin grew up alongside three brothers and numerous foster brothers and sisters who came in and out of the home over the years. One of those foster brothers became family forever when Austin’s parents adopted him at the age of two, shaping Austin’s lifelong belief in service, family, and caring for others.

After high school, Austin enlisted in the North Dakota Air National Guard, hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps and serve his country. Unfortunately, a heart condition discovered during the enlistment process prevented him from being accepted. While deeply disappointing at the time, Austin often reflects that this unexpected turn of events ultimately led him to meeting his future wife and building the life and family he treasures today.

Austin and his family attend Rollag Lutheran Church, where faith and community are central to their lives. He currently serves on the local school board and has also served as a board member for the Hawley area nonprofit food shelter, giving back to neighbors in need. Austin is passionate about coaching youth sports and believes strongly in investing time and energy into the next generation.

A self-made entrepreneur, Austin is deeply involved in small business and real estate. Both he and Jeramie are active in multiple companies, and they are grateful for the opportunities those ventures have created - not just for their family, but for others they work alongside.

Austin is an avid hunter and fisherman who loves Minnesota’s summers and winters alike. His family is extremely active in and supportive of the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion in Rollag, the largest steam threshing event in the region. Above all, Austin loves promoting other people’s businesses, celebrating their successes, and helping others move forward.

Driven, energetic, and community-focused, Austin Peterson believes in rolling up his sleeves and working to make people’s lives better—one family, one business, and one community at a time.