Democrat Lyna Nyamwaya, a Kenyan American resident of New Hope, has ended her campaign for the Minnesota House of Representatives. Mshale Staff Photo by Richard Ooga
Democrat Lyna Nyamwaya, a Kenyan American resident of New Hope, has ended her campaign for the Minnesota House of Representatives. Mshale Staff Photo by Richard Ooga

Registered nurse and adjunct professor Lyna Nyamwaya has ended her campaign for the Minnesota House of Representatives District 43A.

Nyamwaya, of New Hope, said she will instead work with other leaders “for a stronger, healthier, and more inclusive Minnesota.”

“After deep reflection, I’ve made the decision to suspend my campaign for MN State Representative in District 43A,” Nyamwaya said in a surprise announcement on Facebook. “I understand some may be disappointed, and I don’t take that lightly. This decision was made after thoughtful reflection, consultation, prayers, and integrity.”

Nyamwaya launched her bid for the open House seat in October 2025, emphasizing her lived experience and a pledge to fight for working families facing an uncertain future.

The required financial reporting with the Minnesota Campaign Finance & Public Disclosure Board for state candidates shows her candidacy was attracting the requisite financial support from individual donors. In the three months since launching her campaign, she had raised a respectable $5,000 for the reporting period that ended on Dec. 31, 2025. The 2-year spending limit by law for campaigns is $80,000.

Reached for further comment by Mshale, Nyamwaya said pressing family obligations were also a factor “which will make me miss the precinct caucuses.”

She did not rule out a future run for office.

Nyamwaya’s exit leaves School Board Integrity Project founder Kyrstin Schuette and attorney Travis Thompson, as the two Democrats competing in the DFL primary. For the period ending Dec. 31, 2025, Thompson reported raising just over $1,000 according campaign finance reports he filed, while no information was available for Schuette.

District 43A includes all of New Hope and most of Crystal.

This story was updated to reflect Lyna Nyamwaya’s residence as New Hope and not Crystal.

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  • Born and raised in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa, Tom is the Founder, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Mshale which has been reporting on the news and culture of African immigrants in the United States since 1995. He has a BA in Business from Metro State University and a Public Leadership Credential from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

    He was the original host of Talking Drum, the signature current affairs show on the African Broadcasting Network (ABN-America), which was available nationwide in the United States via the Dish Network satellite service. On the show, he interviewed Nobel laureates such as 2004 Nobel Peace prize winner, Professor Wangari Maathai, the first woman from Africa to win the peace prize and heads of states. Tom has served and chaired various boards including Global Minnesota (formerly Minnesota International Center), the sixth largest World Affairs Council in the United States. He has previously served as the first Black President of the Board of Directors at Books for Africa. He also serves on the board of the Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium. He has previously served two terms on the board of the United Nations Association.

    An avid runner, he retired from running full marathons after turning 50 and now only focuses on training for half marathons.

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About Tom Gitaa, Editor-in-Chief

Born and raised in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa, Tom is the Founder, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Mshale which has been reporting on the news and culture of African immigrants in the United States since 1995. He has a BA in Business from Metro State University and a Public Leadership Credential from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He was the original host of Talking Drum, the signature current affairs show on the African Broadcasting Network (ABN-America), which was available nationwide in the United States via the Dish Network satellite service. On the show, he interviewed Nobel laureates such as 2004 Nobel Peace prize winner, Professor Wangari Maathai, the first woman from Africa to win the peace prize and heads of states. Tom has served and chaired various boards including Global Minnesota (formerly Minnesota International Center), the sixth largest World Affairs Council in the United States. He has previously served as the first Black President of the Board of Directors at Books for Africa. He also serves on the board of the Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium. He has previously served two terms on the board of the United Nations Association. An avid runner, he retired from running full marathons after turning 50 and now only focuses on training for half marathons.

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