GOP's Heintzeman wins Senate District 6 special election to replace Justin Eichorn
Republican Keri Heintzeman has defeated Democrat Denise Slipy in a special election for Senate District 6 in Minnesota, representing areas such as Brainerd and Grand Rapids.
The special election was held to fill a seat left vacant by Sen. Justin Eichorn after his prostitution arrest.
BRAINERD, Minn. (FOX 9) - Republican Keri Heintzeman will represent Minnesota's Senate District 6 after a special election was held to replace the spot resigned by Justin Eichorn.
According to Minnesota's Office of the Secretary of State's results, Heintzeman has edged challenger Denise Slipy (the DFL's candidate) by a 60.27% to 39.59% margin - or 12,751 to 8,376 votes.
Dig deeper
Heintzeman is the wife of Rep. Josh Heintzeman, the Minnesota House rep for the Brainerd area.
She previously worked as a district director for the Trump 2024 campaign and owns a recreational rental business in Nisswa.
The backstory
The two candidates faced off for the seat left vacant by Sen. Justin Eichorn, who resigned after being charged as part of a prostitution sting.Police say Eichorn attempted to solicit a teen girl for sex but was really texting with an undercover police officer in Bloomington.
He was arrested when he allegedly showed up to meet with the girl and is now facing federal charges in the case. He resigned days after his arrest.
By the numbers
Before Eichorn, the Senate District 6 seat was held by DFLer David Tomassoni for more than two decades until his death in 2022 after being diagnosed with ALS.
Senate District 5, which previously covered much of the new District 6, was last won by a Democrat in 2012. Eichorn won the seat in 2016 by a narrow margin and easily earned re-election in 2020.
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