Republican Keri Heintzeman Wins MN Senate District 6 Special Election

Voters went to the polls on Tuesday and voted for GOP candidate Keri Heintzeman over DFLer Denise Slipy in the Minnesota Senate District 6 special election.

According to unofficial results, with 100% of precincts reporting, Heintzeman got 12,751 votes (or 60.27% of the vote) to defeat Slipy, who earned 8,376 votes (or 39.59% total). The district is comprised of parts of Crow Wing, Itasca, and Cass counties and includes the cities of Brainerd, Baxter, Grand Rapids, Pequot Lakes, Breezy Point, Nisswa, and Crosby.

Heintzeman will now fill the seat that opened up when Justin Eichorn resigned last month. The former senator gave up his seat after he was arrested and charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor after his arrest in an underage prostitution sting.

Heintzeman, who is married to current House District 6B Rep. Josh Heintzeman, will join the legislature with about three weeks to go before the session is slated to end on May 19th. Democrats will still retain control of the Senate, but Heintzeman’s win narrows the DFL margin to one vote.