Tad Jude

Thaddeus Victor Jude (born December 13, 1951) is an American politician and lawyer from Minnesota. A member of the Republican Party, Jude was a candidate in the 2022 Minnesota Attorney General election but withdrew and endorsed Jim Schultz on May 13, 2022, after being eliminated at the convention. He then ran for Hennepin County Attorney that same year, finishing fourth in the primary. First elected to office in 1972, Jude has served in the Minnesota House of Representatives and in the Minnesota Senate. He also served on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners from 1989 to 1993 and was a Minnesota District Court Judge from 2001 to 2011. Jude ran for Minnesota's 3rd congressional district in 2024. He lost the election to Kelly Morrison. In September 2025, Jude announced his candidacy for Minnesota Secretary of State in 2026.