Senate President Fischbach to make final campaign push

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Senate President Michelle Fischbach has set a campaign schedule that’s heavy on greater Minnesota districts in the days leading up to next Tuesday’s general election. Republicans head into the election looking to defend a 37-29 advantage in the upper chamber.

Fischbach on Friday will campaign in the Bemidji area in Senate District 5 for Sen. John Carlson, R-Bemidji. Carlson, a first termer, is locked in a battle with Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids, with whom he was paired in redistricting.

On Saturday, Fischbach plans to travel to Moorhead where former NFL football player Phil Hansen is looking to win the Red River Valley seat for Republicans that has been held since 1975 by the retiring Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon. Hansen, of Detroit Lakes, faces Rep. Kent Eken, DFL-Twin Valley, in the general election.

Fischbach will campaign in various races in the Twin Cities metro area on Sunday.

On the day before the election Fischbach will campaign in two districts that are open because incumbent Republicans are retiring. She’ll travel to Owatonna where Republican entrepreneur Vern Swedin is running to succeed Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, who earlier this year ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination to run in the 1st Congressional District. He faces Owatonna School Board member and insurance agency owner Vicki Jensen. Fischbach also plans to campaign in the far southwestern corner of the state in Worthington for Republican Bill Weber, the former mayor of Luverne who is running to succeed the retiring Sen. Doug Magnus, R-Slayton. Weber is running against Worthington Mayor Alan Oberloh who has waged a strong challenge in the Republican-leaning district.