Posted: 11/6/02

Republicans sweep legislative seats in FL area

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Republicans Michele Bachmann, Ray Vandeveer, Sean Nienow and Pete Nelson were all steaming toward area legislative victories early Wednesday morning.

Bachmann, the two-year incumbent senator from Stillwater, was on course to defeat 10-year incumbent Sen. Jane Krentz, DFL-May Township. With 29 of 30 precincts reported in the Anoka and Washington county district, Bachmann was safely in the lead 21,163 to 17,828 according to unofficial totals.

It was Bachmannís second major victory over a longtime incumbent in the past two years. In the primary election two years ago, Bachmann ousted veteran Sen. Gary Laidig of Stillwater and went on to win a two-year term in the Senate.

In the House 52A race, incumbent Rep. Ray Vandeveer, Forest Lake, defeated DFL candidate Pat Driscoll of Scandia, 10,733 to 6851.

In Senate District 17, which includes all of Chisago County, incumbent DFL Sen. Twyla Ring was coming up short in her reelection bid against Cambridge candidate Nienow.

With some precincts still to be reported, Nienow led Ring 18,671 to 16,846 and appeared on his way to a four-year term in the House.

In House 17B, Lindstrom meat market owner Pete Nelson was safely in front of Lent Township Supervisor Monica Abress. The DFL candidate trailed Nelson by 10,456 to 7420.

In one other House race involving a candidate with Forest Lake ties, Rebecca Otto of May Township lost her challenge against Rep. Mark Holsten, R-Stillwater. The incumbent Republican easily defeated his DFL challenger 11,273 to 7661.

Otto is a member of the ISD 831 Board of Education in Forest Lake.

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