by Dennis Dalman
In the Nov. 8 general election, St. Joseph voters will have a slate of choices, some of whom were determined in the Aug. 9 primary.
Those include six candidates for three seats open on the St. Cloud School Board. Primary voters chose the following: incumbent Zachary Dorholt (5,194 votes), incumbent Natalie Ringsmuth Copeland (4,194 votes), Mike Bueckers (4,074 votes), Nicole Rierson (3,553 votes), Theresa Carlstedt (3,179 votes) and Heather Weems (2,856 votes).
Bueckers, Carlstedt and Rierson have the endorsement of the conservative Central Minnesota Freedom Advocates, who strongly favor more parental involvement in schools because advocates believe schools have been taken over by “Marxist (communist) ideals.”
Candidates who failed to make the cut in the primary are Bashir Omer (2,560 votes) and Chantal Oechsle (2,330 votes).
Other choices primary voters decided May 9 were the following:
For Minnesota governor, Democrats gave incumbent Tim Walz (and running mate Peggy Flanagan) an overwhelming vote of confidence, with 96.5 percent of the total DFL votes cast. Challenger Ole Savior received 3.5 percent of the votes.
For Republican gubernatorial, Scott Jensen scored a resounding victory (89.3 percent of the votes) among Republican voters. Challengers Joyce Lacey (6.6 percent) and Bob Carney (4.1 percent) lost the primary.
That means incumbent Walz will be challenged by Jensen in the Nov. 8 general election.
For Minnesota Secretary of State, incumbent Steve Simon was favored by Democrat voters (72.5 percent) over DFL challenger Steve Carlson (27.5 percent). Republican contender Kim Crockett won the primary with 63.2 percent of the vote, compared to 36.8 percent for contender Erik van Mechelen.
Thus, incumbent Simon will face off with Crockett Nov. 8.
Incumbent Attorney General Keith Ellison, a DFL member, will be challenged in the Nov. 8 election by Republican Jim Shultz. Ellison survived a primary challenge from DFL’er Dill Dahn, with Ellison getting 89.3 percent of the vote and Dahn getting 10.l7 percent.
Schultz won the primary over two challengers with a vote of 52.5 percent. Fellow Republicans Doug Wardlow and Sharon Anderson lost to Schultz with a vote of 34.8 percent and 12.7 percent respectively.
Incumbent Republican state senator for District 13, Jeff Howe, will be challenged by Democrat Alissa Brickman of Sauk Rapids. In the primary, Howe (with 85.6 percent of the vote) defeated challenger Ashley Burg (14.4 percent of the vote).
Minnesota Senate District 13 includes the west side of St. Joseph, St. Stephen, Sartell, LeSauk Township, Sauk Rapids, Holdingford, Albany, Paynesville and Kimball.
Please note: In the near future, the Newsleader will have updates of all candidates for the Nov. 8 election, including candidates who were not subject to the Aug. 9 primary election.
