These MN Lawmakers Lost Their Seats On Election Day: List

ST. PAUL, MN — Ten Republican state lawmakers were voted out Tuesday as Minnesota Democrats broke the 67-67 tie in the House and grew their slim Senate majority. One DFL senator could still join them, trailing by just four votes.

Seven House Republicans and three Senate Republicans lost to DFL challengers, according to unofficial state House results and state Senate results from the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office. The numbers are not final until canvassing boards certify them later this month.

Three more House Republicans gave up their seats to run for the Senate and also came up short. Rep. Bernie Perryman fell to Sen. Aric Putnam (DFL) in Senate District 14, Rep. Tom Dippel lost to Sen. Judy Seeberger (DFL) in Senate District 41, and Rep. Ben Bakeberg lost the open Senate District 54 seat to DFLer Rick Olson by 512 votes.

Here are the incumbents who lost, with unofficial results:

Minnesota House

Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar (R), District 3B: Lost to Aaron Schweiger (DFL), 53 percent to 46.9 percent.

Rep. Jeff Dotseth (R-Kettle River), District 11A: Lost to Chris Swanson (DFL), 55.6 percent to 44.3 percent.

Rep. Erica Schwartz (R-Nicollet), District 18A: Lost to Leah Hanson (DFL), 52.5 percent to 47.4 percent.

Rep. Aaron Repinski (R-Winona), District 26A: Lost to Dan Wilson (DFL), 55 percent to 44.9 percent.

Rep. Danny Nadeau (R-Rogers), District 34A: Lost to Jason Heaser (DFL), 52 percent to 48 percent.

Rep. Wayne Johnson (R-Cottage Grove), District 41A: Lost to Cole Birkeland (DFL), 54.1 percent to 45.9 percent.

Rep. Jeff Witte (R-Lakeville), District 57B: Lost to Brian Cohn (DFL), 53.9 percent to 46 percent.

Minnesota Senate

Sen. Michael Kreun (R-Blaine), District 32: Lost to Chris Ford (DFL), 53.1 percent to 46.9 percent.

Sen. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka), District 35: Lost to Angela Nelson (DFL), 53.8 percent to 46.1 percent.

Sen. Bill Lieske (R-Lonsdale), District 58: Lost to Mark Legvold (DFL), 50.7 percent to 49.2 percent, a margin of 663 votes.

Abeler's defeat ends a Capitol career that began with his first election to the House in 1998.

Three more races remain too close to call. Under state law, the trailing candidate in a legislative race can request a publicly funded recount when the margin is under one-half of 1 percent, and all three fall inside that range:

Sen. Rob Kupec (DFL-Moorhead), Senate District 4: Trails Republican Austin Peterson 18,107 to 18,103.

Sen. Karin Housley (R), Senate District 33: Leads DFLer Nat Smith 23,977 to 23,935.

Rep. Nolan West (R-Blaine), House District 32A: Leads DFLer Amanda Matchett 11,833 to 11,811.

The new majorities give the DFL full control of state government once Gov.-elect Amy Klobuchar takes office in January. House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson is in line to become speaker.