Three candidates have emerged to run for an east metro Minnesota Senate seat left vacant following the resignation of Nicole Mitchell, who was recently convicted of felony burglary.
Last week, Air Force veteran and public school teacher Dwight Dorau announced he will seek the Republican endorsement for the Senate District 47 seat. On the Democratic side, State Reps. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger and Ethan Cha are running to be the DFL candidate in the Nov. 4 special election.
The district, which includes the City of Woodbury and a portion of Maplewood, has become well acquainted with the three candidates in recent years.
Dorau previously ran for the District 47 Senate seat in 2022, losing by nearly 17 points to Mitchell, a Democrat. In 2024, Dorau lost the race for House District 47B to Cha by 9 points. Meanwhile, the two DFLers have each won two elections to represent half of Senate District 47 in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
At present, the Senate has 33 Democrats and 32 Republicans. On Nov. 4, voters in District 47 and Senate District 29 will choose new senators. The special election in District 29 was called after the death of Sen. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo.
The winners of those two special elections will determine which party controls the Senate.
Senate candidates roll out campaign messages
“Our district deserves strong leadership that delivers for them on promises of clean water, strong schools, and ensuring Minnesota is the best place to live and raise a family,” said Dorau, an aerospace science instructor at Johnson High School in St. Paul.
“After two years, Minnesota has gone from an $18 billion surplus to a $6 billion budget deficit with nearly $1 billion lost to fraud and little to no relief for families in our state. There has been no accountability under single-party control, and the foundation of our democracy was built on checks and balances,” added Dorau.
In recent years, Senate District 47 has consistently supported Democrats for public office. The most recent Republican to represent Woodbury in St. Paul was Kelly Fenton. Last week, Fenton endorsed Dorau’s candidacy.
“As a former legislator from Woodbury, I’m excited for Dwight to run,” Fenton wrote in a social media post. “He will make a great leader for the entire district. I have no doubt that he will represent all people and not just those who vote for him.”
In her announcement for the seat, Rep. Hemmingsen-Jaeger said she brings “steady leadership, practical problem-solving, and a proven ability to get things done. I’ve passed bipartisan legislation, partnered with advocacy organizations, and served as Co-Vice Chair on key committees—all while keeping our community at the center of my work.”
Democrats in the House and Senate passed a slew of legislation in 2023 that ended up increasing the state’s budget by an unprecedented 38 percent.
In his campaign announcement, Cha said “I’m running for State Senate because, now more than ever, we must defend the progress we’ve made and build on it. That means standing up for working families, supporting our most vulnerable neighbors, and investing in a Minnesota where every child has the chance to thrive.”
The official filing period for the seat began on Wednesday, July 30, and will end at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 6. A primary would be held on Tuesday, Aug. 26, if more than one candidate for either party files to run and stays in the race.
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.
