Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz calls special election to replace former Sen. Justin Eichorn

Briana Bierschbach, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Mar 25, 2025

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MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called a special election for a northern state Senate seat to replace former Sen. Justin Eichorn, who resigned last week following his arrest in an underage prostitution sting.

The special election will be held April 29, following a special primary on April 15, according to a writ issued by the governor on Tuesday.

Candidates have from Wednesday until 5 p.m. April 1 to file to have their name on the ballot.

It’s the third special election to be called this year in the Minnesota Legislature. A January special election was held in Minneapolis following the death of former DFL Sen. Kari Dziedzic. In March, voters in the Roseville area also went to the polls after a judge ruled in December that DFLer Curtis Johnson didn’t live in the district and couldn’t take the oath of office.

Democrats have a two-vote, 34-32 advantage in the chamber pending the results of the special election.

More than a half-dozen Republicans have already lined up to run to replace Eichorn in the district, which includes portions of Cass, Crow Wing and Itasca counties. The district handily re-elected Eichorn in 2022 with more than 63% of the vote.

Former GOP Party Chair Jennifer Carnahan announced she’s running for the seat, as well as Keri Heintzeman, Josh Gazelka, Angel Zierden, Steve Cotariu, John Howe and Doug Kern.

Heintzeman said she was a district director for President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign and is married to GOP state Rep. Josh Heintzeman. Gazelka describes himself as a business leader and is the son of former Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka.

On the DFL side, former state House candidate Emily LeClaire said she also will run for the Senate seat.

Eichorn, of Grand Rapids, resigned from the Minnesota Senate after he was arrested and charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

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Ryan Faircloth and Allison Kite of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.

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