Forsman changes course, will seek re-election to Duluth City Council after all

DULUTH, MN -- After originally saying in February he would not run again, Duluth City Councilor Arik Forsman announced Thursday morning that he will seek re-election after all.

The announcement came in a press release from Forsman’s campaign team.

In February, Forsman cited family reasons for his decision to take a break from local politics. However, in Thursday’s announcement, he says his family has given him full support to run again.

Forsman’s campaign team also wrote Thursday that after many conversations with community members, Forsman realized his work in public service is not over yet.

“It turns out I needed a vacation more than I needed to leave the office,” Forsman said. “The stakes are too high in this election for Duluthians. I’m ready to fight for what matters and move our city forward with you.”

“My decision to run for re-election wasn’t made lightly. I’ve listened to folks from across our community over the past three months, and it’s become clear to me that I still have much more to offer. I’m honored and humbled by the early support I’ve received, and I’m committed to building upon my first five years on the job in a time of significant turnover for the council,” Forsman continued.

The “significant turnover” Forsman references Several Duluth City Councilors, including Council President Gary Anderson, Noah Hobbs, and Hannah Alstead who have all announced they do not plan to seek re-election in November.

Forsman’s campaign theme, “Our Voice of Reason,” will highlight what his campaign team called his “no-nonsense approach to the work of city council, which include his vision for prioritizing new investments to support Duluth’s kids, his unwavering support for protecting police and fire budgets, and how he’ll keep getting the job done.”

At the time of February’s announcement, Forsman had also recently lost a primary election for the Minnesota House District 8B seat in August 2022.

Forsman, who has served on the City Council since 2018, is currently an At-Large Duluth City Councilor.

There will be two At-Large City Council seats on the ballot in November, with a possible primary in August to narrow down the field.

So far, Ashlie Castaldo, Jenna Yeakle, Shawn A. Savela, Miranda Pacheco, and Lynn Marie Nephew have all officially filed to run for the At-Large seats.

The deadline to file candidacy is May 30.

Forsman plans to officially announce his re-election campaign during a press event Thursday.

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