Republicans and Democrats battling each other in more than a dozen legislative swing districts across Minnesota are in the home stretch of their campaigns.
The work they’ll put in over the final days before Nov. 5 could help shape which party will control the 134-seat Minnesota House of Representatives in January. Currently, the DFL holds a 70-64 advantage over Republicans.
Alpha News is homing in on the money battle between candidates in several of those races that could tilt in either direction depending on several factors, including, but not limited to, the money they raise.
National presidential election tailwinds will also help or hurt candidates down the ballot, along with outside spending by Democrat- or Republican-allied political action committees that target districts they think they can move in their favor.
Below is a financial breakdown of fundraising revenue and expenditures through the month of July, the most recent deadline legislative candidates were required to meet for reporting their campaign finances.
On the state level, the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board oversees campaign finances for candidates seeking state legislative office this cycle. Those candidates’ next reports are due on Oct. 28. Alpha News will provide an update when those final pre-election fundraising totals become available.
House District 7B (Iron Range)
Since Republican Cal Warwas announced last fall he would challenge incumbent Rep. Dave Lislegard, DFL-Aurora, for his House District 7B seat, the Iron Range union member has raised more than $53,000. He had more than $26,000 in cash on hand as of the July reporting period.
Lislegard announced in May that he wouldn’t seek a new term, and that sent Democrats scrambling to find a replacement candidate in what is now a competitive seat for Republicans. Lorie Janatopoulos, a former high-level staffer in the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, entered the race on the last day of filing, and raised more than $46,000 in less than two months. She had more than $41,000 in cash on hand as of late July.
House District 48B (Chanhassen, Chaska)
Incumbent Democrat Lucy Rehm has raised about $55,000 since last year for her reelection campaign. She reported nearly $35,000 in cash on hand in July. Her challenger, Republican Caleb Steffenhagen, had raised $30,000 since he announced his campaign late last year. He reported more than $19,000 in cash on hand as of July.
House District 3B (Hermantown)
Republican incumbent Natalie Zeleznikar has raised more than $81,000 for her reelection campaign as of the July reporting period. She is expected to be in a tight battle with DFL challenger Mark Munger, and reported more than $63,000 in cash on hand at the end of July. Munger had raised $50,000 by midsummer, and had spent about half of that. Zeleznikar is seeking her second term after upsetting longtime DFL stalwart Mary Murphy in 2022 by just 33 votes.
House District 11A (Carlton, Pine and St. Louis counties)
While DFL challenger Pete Radosevich had raised $27,000 through the end of July, his campaign finance statement also showed his campaign had nearly $5,000 in unpaid bills and loans. First-term incumbent, Jeff Dotseth, R-Kettle River, has raised more than $51,000 for his reelection bid since 2023. While he reported his campaign had spent about $6,000 over the first seven months of 2024, he had more than $56,000 in cash on hand with three months to go to Election Day.
House District 18A (St. Peter)
Republican challenger Erica Schwartz, of Nicollet, had raised $18,000 during the first seven months of her campaign to unseat two-term DFL incumbent Jeff Brand, of St. Peter. She had $13,000 in cash on hand heading into August. Brand had raised more than $52,000 through July for his reelection bid. He had $46,000 in cash on hand heading into August.
House District 41A (Lake Elmo, Cottage Grove, Afton)
Former Washington County Commissioner Wayne Johnson, a Republican, and Afton City Council member Lucia Wroblewski, a Democrat, are vying for an open seat in the east metro communities that span Lake Elmo, Cottage Grove and neighboring towns that sit west of the St. Croix River. Johnson raised about $11,000 through the end of the July, but had spent about half that to help him win a tough primary battle on Aug. 13. Wroblewski had no primary challengers and raised more than $92,000 through the end of July. She reported having $80,000 in cash on hand with three months to Election Day in a district that outgoing Rep. Mark Wiens won by just 121 votes in 2022.
House District 41B (Hastings)
Democrat Jen Fox and Republican Tom Dippel are vying to replace retiring legislator Shane Hudella to represent the Hastings area in the state House. Fox had raised $56,000 through the end of July and spent about $13,000 in the first half of her campaign. Dippel, who lost a close state Senate race in 2022, reported raising $14,000 through the end of July, the majority of which came from a loan. Dippel reported about $8,000 in cash on hand in that same campaign finance report.
House District 26A (Winona)
As of the end of July, Democrat candidate Sarah Kruger had raised about $60,000, but had spent most of it leading up to her competitive primary contest with fellow Democrat Dwane Voegeli. Some of those dollars came in the form of donations—both cash and in kind—from her parents. Her pre-primary campaign finance report shows she had about $3,000 in cash on hand heading into August.
Republican Aaron Repinski has raised more than $68,000 since he announced his candidacy last fall. He reported nearly $52,000 in cash on hand at the end of July, as he was nearing a Republican primary where he cruised to a win capturing 87 percent of the vote.
The winner will capture the seat left open by longtime DFL state legislator Gene Pelowski.
House District 32B (Blaine)
DFL incumbent Rep. Matt Norris started 2024 with a campaign cash balance of nearly $49,000. During the first seven months of the year he reported raising another $40,000 and spending about $15,000. As of August, he reported more than $73,000 in cash on hand. Republican challenger Alex Moe raised $20,000 through the end of July, and spent about $11,000 in the first half of the year.
House District 35A (Coon Rapids)
Three-term incumbent Zack Stephenson was sitting on more than $86,000 in cash on hand heading into August, according to his campaign finance report. He had already raised $57,000 during 2023, and added another $38,000 during the first half of 2024. He’s spent $25,000 so far, as of August. Republican challenger Josh Jungling had raised $18,000 through the end of July and spent $5,000 in campaigning during the same period.
House District 35B (Coon Rapids)
Republican Steve Pape and DFLer Kari Rehrauer are battling to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Newton, DFL-Coon Rapids. Pape reported raising almost $18,000 through the end of July and had spent almost $10,000 during that same period. Rehrauer has raised more than $80,000 dating back to last year and had spent $17,000 during that same period to secure her DFL endorsement.
House District 14A (St. Cloud)
First-term Republican incumbent Bernie Perryman, of St. Augusta, had raised more than $93,000 for her reelection campaign through the end of July. She also started her campaign with a $17,000 cash balance. As of the end of July, Perryman had more than $91,000 in cash on hand. Democrat challenger Abdi Daisane, of St. Cloud, had raised $81,000 through the end of July, and reported $64,000 in cash on hand.
House District 14B (St. Cloud)
DFL incumbent, Dan Wolgamott, of St. Cloud, had raised $60,000 as of July, and reported about $33,000 in cash on hand. Republican challenger Sue Ek had raised about $23,000 as of July, and reported about $20,000 in cash on hand.
House District 3A (Koochaching, St. Louis and Lake counties)
First-term Republican incumbent Roger Skraba, of Ely, had reported $32,000 in fundraising dating back to 2023, and had $15,000 in cash on hand heading into August. DFL challenger Harley Droba had raised about $52,000 through July, and reported having $30,000 in cash on hand heading into August.
House District 57B (Lakeville)
Republican incumbent Jeff Witte, of Lakeville, reported raising $43,000 through the end of July and had nearly $37,000 in cash on hand. DFL challenger Brian Cohn reported matching Witte in fundraising totals and had $29,000 in cash on hand at the end of July.
Hank Long
Hank Long is a journalism and communications professional whose writing career includes coverage of the Minnesota legislature, city and county governments and the commercial real estate industry. Hank received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied journalism, and his law degree at the University of St. Thomas. The Minnesota native lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and four children. His dream is to be around when the Vikings win the Super Bowl.
