Latest news with #Heintzeman
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Keri Heintzeman wins special election for Minnesota Senate seat
Keri Heintzeman knocks on doors and distributes lawn signs in Brainerd before a candidate forum in Baxter on April 8, 2025. (Glen Stubbe/Minnesota Reformer) Keri Heintzeman, director of President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District and the wife of state Rep. Josh Heintzeman, easily won Tuesday's special election for Senate District 6. Unofficial election returns show Heintzeman won the special election by double digit percentage points. Heintzeman will replace former Sen. Justin Eichorn, who resigned last month following his arrest on federal charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Senate District 6 includes Grand Rapids and the Brainerd Lakes region. In a statement, Heintzeman's campaign said she won the special election by aligning 'with the policies championed by President Trump.' 'This victory is a testament to the power of conservative values and the enduring spirit of our community,' Heintzeman said in a statement. 'As your senator, I will fight tirelessly to protect our freedoms, reduce government overreach, and ensure that every tax dollar is spent wisely.' Once Heintzeman is sworn in, the Minnesota Senate will return to a 34-33 slim Democratic majority. In addition to her political work, Heintzeman helps homeschool her six children. Unofficial returns show a strong turnout for a special election, with Heintzeman receiving over 12,000 votes and her Democratic-Farmer-Labor opponent Denise Slipy receiving over 8,000 votes.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican candidate wins Minnesota Senate special election Tuesday night
Republican Keri Heintzeman won the Minnesota state Senate District 6 special election Tuesday night. She garnered roughly 12,750 votes, or 60.27%, while her Democratic opponent Denise Slipy amassed approximately 8,376 votes, or 39.6%, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State. Heintzeman ran her campaign on reining in wasteful spending, pro-life policies, lowering taxes and protecting the Second Amendment right to have a gun, according to her campaign website. She was the director of President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, according to the Minnesota Reformer. More: Minnesota Sen. Eichorn resigns after underage prostitution arrest Heintzeman, who is married to state Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, won the seat after former Republican Sen. Justin Reichorn resigned, following being arrested for allegedly soliciting an underage prostitute. The Heintzeman couple has six children, according to the Minnesota House of Representatives. The Republican's Tuesday night win narrows the Democratic majority in the Minnesota Senate back to one vote. Senate District 6 includes Brainerd, Grand Rapids and Breezy Point. Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@ This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Republican Keri Heintzeman wins Minnesota Senate special election
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DFL accuses Republican candidate to replace Eichorn of breaking campaign finance laws
The Brief The DFL has filed a campaign finance complaint in the Senate District 6 special election to replace former Sen. Justin Eichorn. Democrats are accusing Republican candidate Keri Heintzeman of breaking campaign finance laws. Heintzeman is accused of accepting $2,000 in campaign donations from nine donors, when the contribution limit was $1,000 per donor, according to Minnesota state law. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota DFL has accused Republican candidate Keri Heintzeman in the race to replace former Sen. Justin Eichorn of breaking campaign finance laws. What they're saying The DFL is accusing Keri Heintzeman of breaking campaign finance laws by reportedly accepting more than $1,000 per donor. Heintzeman accepted donations from nine separate donors for $2,000. Minnesota state law states that state senators cannot accept donations of more than $1,000 per donor. Documents filed with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board show nine individuals who donated $1,000 to Heintzeman and then another $1,000 at a later date. "It's no surprise that someone who was at the Capitol on January 6 doesn't respect Minnesota's election laws," said Minnesota DFL Chair Richard Carlbom regarding the complaint. "Keri Heintzeman broke the law to advance her campaign and has no business serving in the Legislature." The other side Heintzeman provided FOX 9 with the following statement regarding the complaint: "This is a baseless effort to smear Keri's reputation just before the election. The accusation lacks merit, and her campaign adheres strictly to the highest ethical standards." Heintzeman also said she reached out to the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board inquiring about donor limits and received clarification on them. Dig deeper Heintzeman defeated seven other candidates, earning a whopping 46.7% of the vote, to earn the GOP nomination. Denise Slipy was the only DFL candidate running and will represent the party. Heintzeman is the wife of Rep. Josh Heintzeman, the Minnesota House rep for the Brainerd area. Heintzeman previously worked as a district director for the Trump 2024 campaign and owns a recreational rental business in Nisswa. The backstory The special election comes after the seat was left vacant by Eichorn, who resigned after he was reportedly caught up in 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. READ MORE: MN Senate District 6 primary results: Who will run for Sen. Eichorn seat? The Source This report was written from a press release from the DFL, the Minnesota Legislature, the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board and past FOX 9 reporting.
CBS News
24-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
GOP Minnesota Senate candidate Keri Heintzeman says campaign finance complaint is a "smear"
A GOP Minnesota Senate candidate says a complaint filed Wednesday accusing her of violating campaign finance law is a "smear." Keri Heintzeman won the GOP primary last week in the special election to replace disgraced former state Sen. Justin Eichorn, who resigned following charges of attempting to pay a teenage girl for sex. Now, the Minnesota DFL alleges she ignored campaign contribution limits by accepting more than the maximum allowed from nine different donors. "This is a baseless effort to smear my reputation just before the election. The accusation lacks merit, and my campaign adheres strictly to the highest ethical standards," Heintzeman told WCCO. The complaint says state law does not allow candidates to accept more than $1,000 per donor, but records show nine donors gave her two separate $1,000 donations. Heintzeman says she reached out to the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to confirm rules regarding contribution limits. The board told WCCO contribution limits for the special election cycle are separate from the limits for a regular election cycle. That means, under Minnesota Statutes Section 10A.27 — the law she is accused of violating — an individual could donate up to $1,000 before the official election cycle begins and up to another $1,000 after it begins. The special election time frame for Senate District 6 is between March 25 and May 20. According to the complaint filed against Heintzeman, all of the first $1,000 donations were given between March 22 and 24. The second $1,000 donations were made between March 28 and 30. "Those periods are parts of separate election cycle segments so the contribution limits apply to those periods independently," an employee for the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board said. Heintzeman used to work for the Trump campaign and is the wife of GOP state Rep. Josh Heintzeman. The special election will be held on Tuesday, where Heintzeman will face off against DFL candidate Denise Slipy to see who will represent the Brainerd Lakes area — a district that was dominated by the DFL for many years but now leans toward the GOP. Whoever wins will take the oath of office in early May ahead of the crucial final weeks before the legislative session must end on May 19.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MN Senate District 6 primary results: Who will run for Sen. Eichorn seat?
The Brief Republican Keri Heintzeman and Democrat Denise Slipy will face off in the special election for Senate District 6 in Minnesota. Heintzeman easily defeated seven other GOP candidates to win a primary on Tuesday. Slipy was the only DFL candidate. The special election on April 29 will fill the seat left vacant by Sen. Justin Eichorn after his prostitution arrest. (FOX 9) - We now know the two candidates who will face off in the special election for Minnesota Senate District 6, which covers Brainerd and areas to the north of the city stretching to Grand Rapids. What we know Keri Heintzeman defeated seven other candidates, earning a whopping 46.7% of the vote, to earn the GOP nomination. Denise Slipy was the only DFL candidate running and will represent the party. Dig deeper Heintzeman is the wife of Rep. Josh Heintzeman, the Minnesota House rep for the Brainerd area. Heintzeman previously worked as a district director for the Trump 2024 campaign and owns a recreational rental business in Nisswa. Her opponent, Slipy, is an environmental health and safety professional who lists a number of public service roles on her website, including working as a CPR instructor, reserve police officer, a first responder in Crow Wing County, OSHA outreach instructor, and a volunteer firefighter. The backstory The two candidates will face off for the seat left vacant by Sen. Justin Eichorn, who resigned after he was reportedly caught up in 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 The race could end up being fairly competitive between the two candidates. Before Eichorn, a Republican, 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. However, it's worth noting the district also changed in 2022 due to redistricting which shifted it further west, previously covering areas including Virginia and Chisholm. Eichorn won his race in 2022 easily, 63-36. 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. What's next The special election date is set for April 29. The Source This story uses information from the candidate's websites, and election information from the Secretary of State.
