The daughter of Republican Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson was stabbed to death in a botched murder-suicide over the weekend — leading her father to abruptly suspend his 2026 campaign.
Hallie Marie Tobler, 22, was discovered dead with multiple stab wounds inside her locked apartment in St. Cloud after cops responded to a medical emergency on Saturday evening, according to the St. Cloud Police Department.
Tobler’s husband, 23-year-old Dylan Michael Tobler, was also critically wounded inside the home with what investigators believed to be self-inflicted stab wounds, police said.
Dylan, who is now in stable condition, has been taken into police custody and is expected to be hit with homicide charges in connection with Hallie’s death following his release from the hospital, cops added.
Facebook/Julie Johnson
Johnson, a former St. Cloud city councilman who launched his bid for the Republican nomination for Minnesota governor in March 2025, has decided to suspend his campaign following the “tragic loss” of his daughter, the Minnesota Republican Party said in a statement Monday.
“There are no words that can adequately express the sorrow we feel for Jeff and his family. The loss of a child is unimaginable, and our thoughts and prayers are with them as they grieve this devastating tragedy,” the statement said.
“Out of respect for his family and the enormity of this loss, Jeff has suspended his campaign for Governor of Minnesota. We ask all Minnesotans to join us in lifting up the Johnson family during this incredibly painful time.”
Johnson ran a campaign that was tough on crime, immigration and fraud in the North Star State, which has become the battleground of ICE operations and clashes between protesters and federal officers in recent months.
House Speaker Lisa Demuth is the current frontrunner among GOP candidates in the state’s gubernatorial race, followed by US Army veteran and former business executive Kendall Qualls and “My Pillow” CEO Mike Lindell, according to KSTP.
Four-term US Sen. Amy Klobuchar is running as the unchallenged Democratic gubernatorial candidate in her home state after Gov. Tim Walz suspended his campaign last month.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
