Voters are faced with a familiar dilemma in the heart of the Minnesota Iron Range. The unexpected retirement of 26-year DFL Rep. Tom Rukavina at the end of session has left a big hole in DFL-friendly House District 6B, which stretches across cities like Virginia and Eveleth and includes some of the state’s most mining-dependent towns.

Jacob Littler, who managed Rep. Tom Rukavina's unsuccessful bid for the DFL gubernatorial endorsement, on Monday started a new job as 8th Congressional District field director for Mark Dayton's gubernatorial campaign, according to a campaign spokesman.