5 new filings for state legislative races

Five more challengers have filed papers to take on incumbent state legislators. There are now 40 House challengers in 35 districts, with 31 Republicans and nine Democrats. On the Senate side, 32 challengers have formed campaign committees, roughly two-thirds of them Republicans.

The latest filings:

House District 60A: DFLer Katie Hatt is seeking to win the seat that will be vacated by House speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, who has said she won’t run for the House again regardless of the outcome of the DFL gubernatorial endorsement contest.

Senate District 48: Democrat Peter Perovich will attempt to oust two-term incumbent Michael Jungbauer. In 2006 the Republican won re-election by a narrow 51-49 margin. Perovich serves as president of the Minnesota Bass Federation and works as a mortgage broker. “There are a lot of leaners in this district,” says the Ramsey resident, describing himself as a moderate Democrat. “I’m hoping that that’s what’s going to appeal to those leaners.”

House District 38A: Republican Frank Crusing hopes to knock off two-term incumbent Sandra Masin. The Eagan Democrat won re-election with 52 percent of the vote in the last election cycle. Crusing is a business consultant and Eagan resident. “I’d like to bring conservative values into our state legislative process,” Crusing says. “We are spending way too much on government, taxing people too much.”

House District 26B: Republican Matthew Drevlow of Faribault will look to unseat three-term incumbent Patti Fritz. There will be at least one other GOP challenger: Daniel Kaiser of Medford previously formed a campaign committee.

Senate District 22: Republican Kim Hummel of Jackson will challenge seven-term incumbent Jim Vickerman. The DFLer won re-election in 2006 by a 58-42 percent margin.

PIM and the St. Paul Capitol Report have been keeping track of legislative candidates who have registered campaign committees with the state in stories on Nov. 30, Nov. 9, Oct. 15 and Aug. 24.