Primary Election Results

Primary Election Results

Below are key results from the August 9 Primary. Please contact our lobbyists  the Hylden Advocacy & Law team if you have any questions about the Primary.

Congressional Primaries

  • 1st Congressional district –
    • 1st CD in the majority of southern Minnesota.
    • Brad Finstad won both the Special election to fill the remainder of the late Rep. Jim Hagedorn’s term and the Republican primary for the general election.
  • 4th Congressional District – Primaries
    • 4th congressional district is St Paul and surrounding suburbs, a heavily Democrat district.
    • May Lor Xiong won the Republican primary
    • Incumbent Betty McCollum defeated 2 challengers in DFL primary.
  • 5thCongressional District – Primaries
    • The 5thCongressional District is comprised of Minneapolis and surrounding inner-ring suburbs. This is a heavily Democratic district. The primary winner will likely win the general election.
    • Congresswoman Ilhan Omar defeated the primary challengers.
    • Cicely Davis defeated two challengers for Republican primary.
  • 7thCongressional District – Democrat Primary
    • The 7thDistrict is nearly all of western Minnesota. Incumbent Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach is a strong conservative. District demographics are trending further Republican in 2022.
    • Jill Abahsain defeated Alycia Gruenhagen in Democrat primary.
    • Fischbach expected to hold district with a wide margin.
  • 8th Congressional district – Primaries
    • 8TH CD is a large swath of the northeast part of the state.
    • Congressman Pete Stauber defeated challenger.
    • State Rep Jen Schultz defeated John Munter in DFL primary.

 

Statewide office Primaries

  • Governor Walz defeated his primary challenger.
  • Scott Jensen and Matt Birk will be the Republicans on the ballot against Walz in November.
  • Secretary of State Steve Simon defeated primary challenger.
    • Endorsed Republican Kim Crockett defeated primary challenger and will face Simon.
  • Attorney General Keith Ellison defeated primary challenger.
    • Endorsed Republican Jim Schultz defeated two primary challengers and will face Ellison.

 

State Legislative Primaries

  • All 201 state legislative seats will be on the General Election ballot in November.
  • The following legislative incumbents lost their primaries:
    • Representative John Thompson (D – St Paul) lost to Liz Lee.
    • Representative Andrew Carlson (D – Bloomington) was defeated by fellow incumbent Steve Elkins ( D – Bloomington)
    • Representative Sandra Masin (D – Eagan) lost fellow incumbent Liz Reyer (D- Eagan) .
  • The following legislative incumbents defeated primary challengers:
    • Senator Mark Johnson (R – East Grand Forks)
    • Senator Paul Utke ( R – Park Rapids)
    • Senator Jeff Howe (R- Rockville)
    • Senator Gary Dahms (R- Redwood Falls)
    • Senator Bill Weber (R – Luverne)
    • Senator Gene Dornink (R- Brownsdale)
    • Senator Eric Pratt (R- Prior Lake)
    • Senator Omar Fateh (D- Minneapolis)
    • Senator Sandy Pappas (D- St Paul)
    • House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt (R – Crown)
    • Rep Josh Heinztman (R-Nisswa)
    • Rep Ron Kresha (R-
    • Rep Greg Davids (R- Preston)
    • Rep Aisha Gomez (D- Minneapolsi)
    • Rep Erik Mortenson (R – Shakopee)

 

County Primaries

  • County races are nonpartisan. The candidates finishing with the first and second most votes will face off in the General Election.
    • Hennepin County
      • County Sheriff
        • Dawanna Witt received 57% and will face Joseph Banks.
      • County Attorney
        • 7 way race: Mary Moriarty led with 36% and will face Martha Holton Dimick (18%) in the general, Minority Leader Ryan Winkler took 3rd with 16% and will not advance to November.
    • Ramsey County
      County Commissioner District 4 – Rena Moran won 78% in 4 way primary. Faces Darryl Spence in Nov (7.8%)

      • County Commissioner District 5 – Rafael Ortega won 77% in 3 way primary. Faces Bill Hosko in Nov (17%)
      • County Commisisoner District 6 – Mai Chong Xiong led with 40% with Ying Vang-Pao in second with 29% and will face off in general.
    • Dakota County
      • County commissioner District 2 – Joe Atkins won 70% of three way primary, will face SSP Mayor Jimmy Francis in November.
      • County commissioner District 4 – Bill Droste and Seema Maddali both received 31% and will advance to November.
      • County commissioner District 6 – Mary Liz Holberg took 57% and will face Mike Robole.
      • County Attorney – former Senator Matt Little led with 33% and will face incumbent Kathy Keena who got 30% in primary.
    • Anoka County
      • County Commissioner District 3 – Jeff Reinert (58%) will face Cindy Hansen (32%) in Nov after 3 way primary.
      • County Sheriff – Paul Lenzmeier (43%) will face Brad Wise (42%) in Nov after 3 way primary.
    • Washington County
      • Senator Karla Bigham (48%) will face Representative Keith Franke (45%) in the general after 3 way primary.

 

City Races

  • Mankato Mayor Najwa Massad wins 77% of three way primary.
  • St Cloud Ward 2 City Council Karen Larson defeats two primary challengers.
  • Rochester Mayor Kim Norton wins 56% of vote in four way primary.

 

Special Session

  • There is currently no agreement to come back into special session this year. Only Governor Walz can call a special session and only the legislature can adjourn it. Still possible, but seems less and less likely as we move to November.