DFLer Susan Allen wins HD 61B primary

Briana Bierschbach//December 7, 2011

Attorney Susan Allen handily won a DFL primary Tuesday night to replace now-Sen. Jeff Hayden in House District 61B.

Allen won the primary with a whopping 82 percent of the vote, beating out DFLers Josh Bassais, Nelson Inz and Paul Dennis. The second place finisher was Inz, a schoolteacher and DFL activist, who garnered nearly 10 percent of the vote. The strongly DFL district covers portions of south Minneapolis.

Allen has one challenger in the the Jan. 10 general election: DFL activist Nate Blumenshine, who filed under the “Respect” party to run in the district. According to pre-primary campaign finance reports, Allen raised nearly $9,500 and has about $3,900 on hand. Blumenshine has raised more than $6,700 since filing, and has about $4,127 on hand.

Allen works with firm Fredericks, Peebles & Morgan, specializing in tribal and local government relations. If elected, Allen would be the first Native American woman to serve in the Minnesota Legislature.