Special election for State Senate is Jan. 3

Chuck Kajer, Managing Editor

Last week's announcement that State Sen. Tom Neuville was appointed to the Rice County Bench set off a scramble among candidates seeking to represent District 25 in the Minnesota Senate. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has called a special election for Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008.

District 25 includes all of Le Sueur County and portions of Rice, Scott and Sibley counties. It includes the cities of Arlington, Belle Plaine, Dundas, Cleveland, Elysian, Green Isle, Henderson, Kasota, Kilkenny, Le Center, Le Sueur, Lonsdale, Montgomery, New Auburn, New Prague, Northfield and Waterville.

At least seven Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) candidates have announced they are candidates or have expressed an interest in running. Three of them had filed with the Secretary of State's office by Tuesday afternoon. They are Anne Bomstad Miller of Northfield, Mick McGuire of Montgomery and Kevin Dahle of Northfield. Other candidates who have either announced they are running or who have expressed an interest are Tim Leis of Belle Plaine, Don Sauter of Arlington, Greg Colby of Northfield and Benjamin Casper of Northfield.

The District 25 DFL was scheduled to hold an endorsing convention at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, at the New Prague City Hall.

aAs of Wednesday, former State Rep. Ray Cox is the only Republican who has announced his candidacy. Cox served four years in the House and lost a close re-election campaign to current Rep. David Bly in 2006. The District 25 Republicans will hold their nominating convention at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The deadline for candidates to file is Thursday, Dec. 6, at 5 p.m. Candidates who have filed and wish to withdraw can do so by 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7.

If either party has more than one candidate after Friday's withdrawal period, a primary election will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 18.