Former Summer House Star Announces Congressional Bid in Minnesota

Luke Gulbranson, a 42-year-old former cast member of Bravo's reality series Summer House, announced his Democratic candidacy for Minnesota's 8th Congressional District on Wednesday, launching a bid to unseat Republican incumbent Rep. Pete Stauber in the rural northeast region of the state.

Gulbranson, an Eveleth native raised in the Iron Range mining communities, detailed his working-class roots in a campaign video shared on social media. He described growing up in a family that relied on government assistance programs, including food aid and Medicaid, amid economic hardships. After leaving Minnesota at 19 for modeling and acting opportunities in New York and abroad, he returned during the pandemic to coach youth hockey and build a home near his family. His entertainment career included appearances on Summer House from 2020 to 2022, where he was involved in interpersonal storylines, as well as roles in HBO Max's The Flight Attendant and Netflix's Selling the OC. Beyond television, Gulbranson has pursued business ventures, including a maple syrup company launching in Target stores this spring and a previous beer line.

In the announcement video, Gulbranson contrasted his reality...