With no groundswell predicted for either party in this year’s election, the legislative races in Eagan’s District 51 are once again likely to prove pivotal in GOP efforts to retain control of the Legislature.

The campaign finance reports released last week show that political action committees large and small have been funneling lots of money into legislative races.

The Senate District 49 race has resulted in the largest haul so far with more than $100,000 in political contributions. Campaign finance reports have revealed this and a lot more, including some notable financial mismatches as well as challengers bringing in more than incumbents.

The last two election cycles have witnessed wave elections for both parties that tilted the Minnesota House of Representatives in polar opposite directions.

A lot changed in Minnesota’s legislative districts thanks to this year’s new redistricting map. Some incumbents were paired in newly drawn legislative territories; others found themselves installed in districts that bore little resemblance to their old electoral stomping grounds.

Corporate executive Gary Meyer has filed to in the Eagan House district currently held by GOP Rep. Diane Anderson.

Gary Hansen doesn’t currently live in Eagan’s House District 38A, where he recently registered to run for the Legislature in 2012. He’s banking on the district coming to him.

Gary Hansen, an attorney and two-term Eagan City Council member, has filed to run for the Minnesota House 38A seat. He will be challenging former Rep. Sandra Masin for the DFL endorsement.

Eagan resident Mike Owens made sure to shake freshman Republican Rep. Doug Wardlow’s hand when he walked by on his Fourth of July parade route Monday morning. Owens urged Wardlow to pass racino legislation and fight Gov. Mark Dayton’s proposed tax increases and “inflated budget” to the end, even as legislators and the governor headed into the fourth day of a historic government shutdown. “Thirty-four billion is more than enough. As far as I’m concerned, they should have stuck with $30 billion,” he said.

For former DFL Sen. Jim Carlson, it was a matter of a little reflection and time to “lick my wounds” before he knew he was ready to run again for the state Senate. Carlson, who served one term in the chamber, was ousted last fall by Republican newcomer Ted Daley as part of a massive GOP wave that saw the party take control of both the House and Senate for the first time in nearly four decades.