As expected, the DFL incumbents won the St. Paul State Senate and House races Tuesday night.
University political science professor emeritus William Flanigan said the races didn’t garner much media attention this year because most expected the DFL candidates to win easily.
“It hasn’t been a year of particularly dramatic campaigning for the House and Senate,” he said. “Unlike national races that get so much attention, the House and Senate races in St. Paul have been pretty low-key.”
Political science sophomore Amber Holzmeister said she expected the DFL candidates to win throughout the state.
“Democrats are taking back the House and Senate, and we’re keeping Minnesota great,” she said.
State Senate, District 66
DFL incumbent Ellen Anderson defeated Republican challenger Warren Anderson for District 66 State Senate.
The race had little flair for dramatics as Ellen Anderson earned 77.9 percent of the votes to her opponent’s 21.8 percent, according to complete but unofficial results.
First elected in 1992, Ellen Anderson headed into her fifth term representing District 66, which includes the University’s St. Paul campus along with other St. Paul neighborhoods.
Although defeated, Warren Anderson said he felt positive about how he ran his race. He said he thought he got the ball rolling on the issues he wanted, and he hopes that will make him a winner.
“It’s just a bad year to run as a Republican,” he said. “I think I did what I wanted to do.”
Ellen Anderson said on her Web site that she plans to emphasize public safety, environmental issues and protect American jobs.
In the past, she has worked to increase minimum wage and protect the state unemployment fund, her Web site states.
State Representative, District 66B
DFL incumbent Alice Hausman continued her reign as state representative for District 66B, defeating Republican challenger Joyce Nevins 78.1 percent to 21.7 percent, according to complete but unofficial results.
Hausman will represent District 66B, which includes the University’s St. Paul campus, for the 10th consecutive term.
Nevins did not immediately return a phone call for comment from the Daily.
Hausman, who was also unavailable for comment, has been vocal about the need for a larger transportation system for St. Paul, as well as education, health care and environmental issues.
