Tuesday’s primary election has left two candidates standing in the race to replace the retiring Mark Mather as Lyon County Sheriff: Jim Marshall and Eric Wallen, who took 35% and 33% of the vote, respectively.
Former Tracy Police Officer Steven Louwagie garnered 17% of the vote, while Tracy native Tony Rolling had 13%, scoring only single percentage points in all three Marshall wards. Marshall carried Marshall, with Wallen coming in second in that city.
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In the sheriff’s race in Murray County — also a four-man contest — incumbent Steve Telkamp easily advanced with 58% of the vote and will go up against Paul Kenney (25%) in November. Also in Murray County, Dennis Welgraven (53% of the vote) and Sarah Rylaarsdam (19%) were the top two vote-getters for Murray County Commissioner in District 3, while in District 4 the general election will find Jim Kluis (59%) and Glenn (Corky) Kluis (27%) on the ballot.
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In statewide voting, the finalists are set for the race to be the state’s next governor: Jeff Johnson defeated Tim Pawlenty on the Republican side and will face former DFL congressman Tim Walz in the general election. In the Congressional District 7 race, Republican Dave Hughes had a late comfortable lead over Matt Prosch in the battle to face long time DFL incumbent Collin Peterson in November.
Advancing in the special election for U.S. senator were Tina Smith on the DFL side, while Karin Housley won a three-person race on the GOP side to set up the first U.S. senate race between two women in state history. The winner will finish former DFL Sen. Al Franken’s term (two years). Walnut Grove native Nick Leonard took just under 3% of the vote. Amy Klobuchar and Jim Newberger advanced in the other senate race.
In House District 22A, DFLers Maxwell Kaufman and Brian Abrahamson faced off, with Kaufman carrying a late lead in the race to take on Republican incumbent Joe Schomacker of Luverne this fall.
For Attorney General on the GOP side, Doug Wardlow moved on, and the DFL advanced Keith Ellison.