Hornstein, Gruenhagen prevail in intra-party endorsement contests

Rep. Frank Hornstein narrowly defeated Rep. Marion Greene in a DFL endorsement contest Saturday for a South Minneapolis seat. Greene conceded defeat after the third ballot in House District 61A.

In Saturday’s other contest pitting incumbents of the same party against each other, Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen defeated Rep. Ron Shimanski in House District 18B, which covers Sibley and McLeod counties.

Three other intra-party endorsement contests will take place on March 31: GOP Reps. Matt Dean and Carol McFarlane; GOP Sens. Michael Jungbauer and Michelle Benson; and DFL Sens. John Marty and Mary Jo McGuire.

In another notable race, Melisa Franzen won a three-way contest for the DFL endorsement in Senate District 49, which includes parts of Edina, Bloomington and Minnetonka. She defeated former Bloomington school board member Cynthia Bemis Abrams and Edina City Council member Ann Swenson. Franzen is seeking to replace retiring GOP Sen. Geoff Michel.

Current state Rep. Branden Petersen won the GOP endorsement contest in Senate District 35, which includes parts of Andover and Coon Rapids. Petersen defeated challenger Martha Weaver on the first ballot.

Other incumbents who survived endorsement challenges on Saturday: Rep. Jim Abeler, HD 35A, GOP; Rep. Phyllis Kahn, HD 60B, DFL; and Sen. Sandy Pappas, SD 65, DFL.

Other challengers endorsed on Saturday: Joe Radinovich, HD 10B, DFL; Zach Dorholt, HD 14B, DFL; John Vossen, HD 25A, DFL; Stacey Stout, HD, 43A, GOP; Mark Stefan, HD 44B, GOP; David Gaither,  SD44, GOP; Yvonne Selcer, HD 48A, DFL; Ron Erhardt, HD 49A, DFL; Paul Rosenthal, HD 49B, DFL; Pam Cunningham, HD 53A, GOP; and Will Morgan, HD 56B, DFL.

Rep. Nora Slawik, DFL-Maplewood, announced on Saturday that she is retiring and will not seek an eighth term.