MN Senate GOP candidate Keri Heintzeman knocks on doors and distributes lawn signs in Brainerd before a candidate forum in Baxter. She won Tuesday’s GOP primary. (Photo by Glen Stubbe for Minnesota Reformer)
Keri Heintzeman, the director of President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District and the wife of state Rep. Josh Heintzeman, cruised to an easy victory in Tuesday’s Republican primary for the the Senate District 6 special election.
She’ll face Denise Slipy, who ran unopposed for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor nomination.
Candidates are running to replace former state Sen. Justin Eichorn. The special election is April 29; the district comprises Grand Rapids and the Brainerd Lakes region.
In a statement released after her victory, Heintzeman said, “The upcoming election is critical for restoring fiscal responsibility to our state government and ensuring accountability for the significant waste and fraud under the Walz administration.”
In addition to her political work, Heintzeman is helping homeschool the family’s six children.
Minnesota DFL Chair Richard Carlbom praised Slipy in a statement: “As a reserve officer and former volunteer firefighter, Denise Slipy has dedicated herself to serving her community. Denise will fight to protect her constituents’ health care and be a champion for strong public schools because she knows that public service should be about improving people’s lives, not partisan politics.”
Slipy is an environmental health and safety professional and first responder for North Crow Wing County who calls herself a moderate Democrat. She’ll face long odds against Heintzeman in the heavily Republican district; Crow Wing County voted for President Donald Trump over Kamala Harris by 31 percentage points.
But Democrats have often pulled off surprising special election victories during both of Donald Trump’s presidential terms, boosted by motivated anti-Trump voters and independents who turned against Trump during his first term and appear to be doing so again.
Turnout was modest Tuesday — unofficial returns showed about 7,300 Republicans and 1,200 Democrats cast ballots.
The Reformer profiled the race recently.
Eichorn resigned following his arrest last month on federal charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.