Candidates endorsed by GOP and DFL win special primaries for Minnesota state Senate

Ryan Faircloth and Elliot Hughes, Star Tribune on Aug 27, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

MINNEAPOLIS — Two favorites won primaries for a pair of Minnesota Senate seats heading for a special election in November.

Republican Michael Holmstrom Jr. won with more than 73% of votes against Rachel Davis and Bradley Kurtz in the safely red Senate District 29, which covers Buffalo, Monticello and Annandale. He will go on to face Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate Louis McNutt for the opportunity to succeed the late GOP Sen. Bruce Anderson, who died last month at age 75.

“We are wildly excited,” Holmstrom said. “We hit 1,500 doors, we made hundreds of phone calls. We’re excited to be out in the community, talking to people about their values.”

Meanwhile, in a battle between two DFL state representatives, Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger won 82% of votes over Ethan Cha, according to unofficial results posted by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office for the Senate District 47 seat, which covers Woodbury. Hemmingsen-Jaeger will now face Republican Dwight Dorau to succeed former DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell, who was convicted last month of two felonies for breaking into her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home.

“Very excited, very proud and very excited that we had a good turnout, especially for a special election in an off-year,” Hemmingsen-Jaeger said of the result Tuesday night. “Looking forward to continuing on with the race in November.”

Both Holmstrom and Hemmingsen-Jaeger won their party’s endorsements.

District 29 is safely red, with Anderson defeating his 2022 DFL challenger by about 36 percentage points.

Democrats are favored to hold on to the Woodbury seat, which Mitchell won by 17 percentage points in 2022. But Republicans believe they have a chance to flip it after Mitchell’s burglary conviction.

Republicans would take control of the Senate if they win both special elections. Democrats hold a one-seat advantage in the Senate.

The two Senate contests are the fifth and sixth special elections in Minnesota this year.

Voters elected Sens. Keri Heintzeman and Doron Clark and Rep. David Gottfried via special election earlier this year. Another special election will be held Sept. 16 to fill the Minnesota House seat previously held by slain DFL leader Melissa Hortman.

Yet another special election would be needed if Hemmingsen-Jaeger wins Mitchell’s seat in November and leaves the Minnesota House.

Polls were open until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

_____