By the end of this evening, voters will decide whether former Washington County Commissioner Wayne Johnson or former Republican legislative staffer Grayson McNew will serve as the Republican candidate for an east metro state House seat in what is believed to be one of the most watched legislative races in Minnesota this November.
Results of the GOP primary in House District 41A will determine whether Johnson or McNew will square off against DFL activist Lucia Wroblewski in a swing district that could play a factor in which party controls the Minnesota House of Representatives in January. Democrats currently hold a six-seat advantage in the 134-member House, but Republicans believe they can regain control of the chamber this fall for the first time since 2018.
The District 51A seat is up for grabs as first-term legislator Mark Wiens announced earlier this year he will run for Washington County commissioner this November. Wiens won his seat by just 121 votes in 2022. Gov. Tim Walz carried that same district by a margin of five points (over GOP nominee Scott Jensen) in his re-election bid that fall. The district spans a smattering of east metro communities including Lake Elmo, Grant, Afton, a portion of Cottage Grove and nearby townships.
Leading up to the March district Republican convention, Wiens publicly supported Johnson. But McNew won the support of district delegates and the GOP endorsement on the first ballot. The primary opponents have worked vigorously in the suburban district to establish themselves as the best-positioned candidate to win the general election on Nov. 5.
The DFL challenger, Wroblewski, is a retired police officer and Afton City Council member. Her campaign website features photos of her with a handful of east metro based DFL lawmakers, including Sen. Judy Seeberger. House Majority Leader Jamie Long was an early supporter of Wroblewski’s campaign. Wroblewski, an Afton City Councilmember, has been active in east metro progressive circles.
Winona in play for GOP for first time in decades
Another state House primary result to watch on Tuesday is in House District 26A, where two DFLers are hoping to replace longtime Democratic Rep. Gene Pelowski, who retires in December after 38 years in the legislature.
Sarah Kruger is a longtime DFL political operative and staffer for FairVote Minnesota, a well-funded left-leaning organization that is trying to turn Minnesota into a ranked choice voting state. Dwayne Voegeli is a former Winona County Commissioner and schoolteacher. Neither was able to lock up the DFL endorsement this spring.
The district also will feature a Republican primary between Aaron Repinski and Stephen Doerr. Repinski received the Republican endorsement this spring.
The winner of those primaries will face off in a district that was +5 for Tim Walz in 2022, but was represented by the pro-life Pelowski, long regarded as one of the more moderate Democrats in the legislature.
Other primary races to watch
- Sixty six of 67 Minnesota Senate seats are not up for election until 2026, but one west metro district will feature a special election this November. Two DFLers—Ann Johnson Stewart and Emily Reitan—are competing for the DFL spot on the general election ballot to replace far left state Sen. Kelly Morrison in District 45. Morrison resigned her post in June to focus on her U.S. House campaign against Republican Tad Jude. Both Reitan and Johnson Stewart have self-branded as progressive Democrats. The winner will take on businesswoman Kathleen Fowke, the Republican endorsed candidate who has no primary challengers.
- Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls, is seeking a seventh term in the state House, but has a primary challenger for his District 10A seat in Diane Webb-Skillings.
- Sixteen-term incumbent Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, has drawn a primary challenger in Gary Steuart in District 26B. A DFL primary will also be held in the district, between Eric Leitzen and Allie Wolf. The district was +17 for Jensen in 2022.
- Two Republicans will compete for the right to replace retiring legislator John Petersburg in District 19B. The now open seat went for Jensen by 17 points in 2022. Tom Sexton won the Republican endorsement in March. He’s being challenged in the Aug. 13 primary by Mick Ditlevson.
- Three progressive DFLers—Isabel Rolfes, Katie Jones and Will Stancil—have been locked in an intense Democrat primary in District 61A. They are seeking to replace 11-term incumbent Rep. Frank Hornstein in a south Minneapolis seat that went +76 for Walz in 2022. Hornstein endorsed Jones in the race. All three are openly far left politicians. Will Stancil recently faced criticism for a social media post in which he wondered whether President Joe Biden could issue a drone strike on former President Donald Trump.
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.
