Somali daycare owner whose business was linked to Minnesota taxpayer fraud wins seat in state legislature

Detailed summary

Somali-born daycare owner Abdi Daisane has won a seat in Minnesota's legislature despite mounting scrutiny of his taxpayer-funded childcare business.

Published: 05:05 GMT, 7 November 2026 | Updated: 05:05 GMT, 7 November 2026

A Somali-born daycare owner whose business received millions in taxpayer funding and was linked to a nonprofit at the center of an $18.5 million fraud settlement has won a seat in the Minnesota legislature.

Abdi Daisane, who runs the Blooming Kids Child Care Center in St. Cloud, pulled off a victory in Tuesday's midterm elections despite mounting scrutiny of his business and its use of government-funded childcare programs.

The Democrat defeated Republican Mike Conway, president of the St. Cloud City Council, to capture Minnesota's House District 14A with around 52% of the vote.

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