State Rep. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, will run for the Senate District 58 seat that's being vacated by the retiring DFL Sen. Linda Higgins.

Higgins, a DFLer who has represented Senate District 58 in downtown and North Minneapolis since 1996, will retire after her term expires after next year's general election. She is the latest in a string of retirements of veteran Minneapolis DFL senators.

Long-time DFL operative and Minneapolis city hall staffer Peter Wagenius will run for the open state Senate seat in District 59. Wagenius, 40, who is the son of Rep. Jean Wagenius is running in a special election to replace former majority leader Larry Pogemiller.