DFL endorses candidates for House, Senate seats

John Molseed, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read
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Mar. 27—ROCHESTER — The ballots for Minnesota House and Senate in this year's election are taking shape. DFL party members came together in Rochester Saturday to choose who will be on the ballot for the party in November.

Andy Smith, co-owner and co-founder of Gray Duck Theater & Coffee House, won a three-way race for the party's endorsement to represent Rochester's seat 25B in the Minnesota House. Abdulkadir Abdalla, principal of the Rochester Math and Science Academy, and Lida Casper, a Rochester Public Schools community schools facilitator, were also vying for the party's endorsement for the seat.

Kim Hicks was endorsed to be the DFL candidate for seat 25A. Hicks, a disabilities advocate, won the endorsement over Randy Schubring, a Mayo Clinic government and community engagement director.

Rep. Liz Boldon, who currently represents seat 25B in the Minnesota House, received DFL endorsement for Senate District 25. That seat is held currently by six-term GOP incumbent Dave Senjem. Boldon is in her first term in the Minnesota House.

Boldon said her work in the House prompted her candidacy for the Senate seat.

"I know the reality of passing good legislation and having it go to the Senate and then waiting as no action is taken there," Boldon said. "We absolutely have to flip the senate."

In a convention at Kasson-Mantorville High School Sunday, retired physician Aleta Borrud garnered the DFL endorsement for state Senate seat 24 in her second attempt to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. Carla Nelson.

Rep. Tina Liebling also earned DFL endorsement at that convention Sunday for the newly-created House District 24B seat. Liebling currently holds the district District 26A seat, which includes parts of Rochester.

The Olmsted County GOP also held a convention Saturday to hear from candidates seeking the party nomination for 1st Congressional District seat left vacant by the death of Jim Hagedorn. Delegates to the GOP 1st District Congressional and State conventions were selected at Saturday's event but no official endorsements or business were expected to be completed.