A Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate has now reportedly suspended his campaign after his 22-year-old daughter was fatally stabbed over the weekend in what authorities say was a domestic attack allegedly carried out by her husband.
According to the St. Cloud Police Department, Hallie Marie Tobler was stabbed multiple times inside the apartment she shared with her husband, Dylan Michael Tobler. Police say the young woman died from her injuries. Hallie Tobler was the daughter of St. Cloud City Councilmember Jeff Johnson, a Republican who had been seeking his party’s nomination to succeed Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.
Authorities allege that Dylan Tobler stabbed his wife before turning the knife on himself. Police said his injuries are believed to be self-inflicted.
“Based on the investigation, it is believed that Dylan’s injuries are self-inflicted and that he is the person responsible for Hallie’s injuries and death,” the St. Cloud Police Department wrote in its report. “Dylan remains at the St. Cloud Hospital in stable condition, where he is in the custody of the St. Cloud Police Department.”
Police said that once Dylan Tobler is released from the hospital, he will be booked into the Stearns County Jail, where he will be held on charges related to the homicide.
The shocking loss has halted Johnson’s gubernatorial campaign as his family mourns. Johnson announced he would suspend his effort to run for governor following his daughter’s death.
The Minnesota Republican Party released a statement expressing sorrow and support for Johnson and his family, calling the incident a devastating loss.
“The Minnesota Republican Party is heartbroken by the tragic loss of Dr. Jeff Johnson’s daughter, who was killed in a violent crime Saturday night in St. Cloud,” the party said. “There are no words that can adequately express the sorrow we feel for Jeff and his family.”
The party emphasized the gravity of losing a child and urged Minnesotans to show compassion and respect during the family’s time of grief.
“The loss of a child is unimaginable, and our thoughts and prayers are with them as they grieve this devastating tragedy,” the statement continued. “Out of respect for his family and the enormity of this loss, Jeff has suspended his campaign for Governor of Minnesota.”
The statement concluded by asking Minnesotans to keep the Johnson family in their prayers as they navigate what it described as an incredibly painful time.
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, also a Republican and a candidate in the GOP primary for governor, shared her condolences publicly. In a message posted on the social media platform X, Demuth expressed sympathy not only as a political colleague, but as a parent.
“The Johnson family is walking through an unspeakable tragedy right now, and my prayers are with them every step of the way,” Demuth wrote. “As a parent, I can’t imagine the grief and devastation they’re experiencing right now.”
She urged others to offer their support to the family, writing, “Please join me in keeping the Johnsons in our thoughts and prayers as they navigate a situation that no family should have to endure.”
The case remains under investigation as authorities continue to process the scene and prepare charges. Meanwhile, the tragedy has cast a somber shadow over Minnesota’s political landscape, reminding many that even in the midst of heated campaigns, personal loss can bring everything to a halt.
[READ MORE: FCC Scrutinizes ABC’s The View Over Equal Time Rules as Enforcement Tightens]
