DFL candidate Doron Clark won the special election Tuesday to represent the University of Minnesota area in the Minnesota Senate.

Clark’s win gives the Senate Democrats a one-seat majority this session. The special election comes after the death of former Sen. Kari Dziedzic in December, which left the Senate in a 33-33 tie. 

Clark won with 90.9% of the vote for District 60, which covers the University area and parts of northeast and southeast Minneapolis, CBS News reported. Republican candidate and recent University graduate Abigail Wolters gained 8.7% of the vote. 

Clark grew up in southeast Minneapolis and was the DFL chair of Senate District 60 in 2022. He currently works in ethics and compliance for Medtronic, attended Edison High School and graduated from Hamline University in 1996 with degrees in religion and economics, MPR reported. 

Clark’s priorities include improving healthcare accessibility, affordable housing and ensuring public education for all. Specifically, he aims to increase funding for the Minnesota State College Grant Program and continue funding the North Star Promise Act, according to his campaign website. 

Throughout his campaign, several Minneapolis City Council members endorsed Clark such as council members Elliott Payne (Ward 1), Jamal Osman (Ward 6), Jason Chavez (Ward 9), Emily Koski (Ward 11) and Aurin Chowdhury (Ward 12). 

Senators Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul), John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin) and Zaynab Mohamed (DFL-Minneapolis) also endorsed Clark’s campaign. Mohamed welcomed Clark to the senate in an X post following the special election results. 

Clark thanked his supporters in an X post and said it is an honor to enter the Minnesota Senate and bring a DFL majority. 

“Thank you SD60! I am honored to be your Senator-elect and deliver the DFL majority back to the MN Senate,” Clark said in the post. “Thank you to everyone who knocked doors, made phone calls, and supported our campaign. I can’t wait to get to work for all Minnesotans!”