Some DFL lawmakers who lost in 2014 aim for rematches

Republicans won last year's fight for majority control of the Minnesota House of Representatives, winning key races in battleground swing districts.

Voters can look forward to rematches in some of those districts in 2016 as Democrats try to recapture the six seats to regain control of the House. A growing list of races likely will feature the same candidates as the last election.

Among the probable candidates next fall are four former Democratic state legislators defeated by Republicans in 2014. Two other Democrats also are considering running.

Those who are committed to running again include former state Rep. Zachary Dorholt of St. Cloud, who lost his bid for a second term by a slim 69-vote margin to Republican Jim Knoblach. In a tough election cycle, Republicans knocked off 11 Democratic incumbents to win control of the House.

Dorholt, who defeated an incumbent Republican two years earlier, said he was done in by low voter turnout. It wasn't long after Election Day that he began thinking about 2016.

"People who were coming up to me — whether it was at the store, the grocery store or just at the park — saying, 'hey man, I hope you run again,'" he said. "Some of those people were apologizing because they didn't vote. People were actually coming up saying, 'I feel so bad. I totally just checked out the last election, and I feel bad and I want to help you out.'"

Dorholt is optimistic about his chances to win a rematch in a presidential election year when voter turnout should be higher, particularly among the college students in the district.

Knoblach, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, made his own political comeback last year, running again after an eight-year retirement. He is not surprised by Dorholt's decision but thinks it came a little early. Knoblach said he won't announce his re-election bid until early next year.

"I'll be out going door to door meeting people this summer. I'm raising money. I'm doing all the different things I need to do," Knoblach said. "Whether it was Dorholt or someone, I was sure I would have an opponent."

Another rematch is in the works in Willmar, Minn., where Democrat Mary Sawatzky is running again for the seat she lost by 214 votes to Republican state Rep. Dave Baker.

Sawatzky, who defeated a Republican incumbent in 2012, served one term before losing her re-election bid. She has not formally announced her candidacy, but is raising money and getting organized. She said starting the campaign early is helpful.

"There's a lot of meetings you've got to get to," she said. "There's a lot of one-to-one conversations you have to have. There's a lot of businesses and homes and organizations that you need to tap into and listen to and start to try to figure out what makes them who they are and what they need."

Given the results of the past two elections, Baker said he expects another close contest in 2016. But he's not ready to say whether he's running again and may not be until after the next session of the Legislature.

"I want to make sure that I feel like I can make a positive impact on the process," Baker said. "If I can, I'll do it again. If I don't think I'm making much of a difference, then I need to do something else."

In Faribault, Minn., former Democratic state Rep. Patti Fritz wants to win back the seat she lost to Republican state Rep. Brian Daniels by 221 votes. In northern Minnesota, former Democratic state Rep. Roger Erickson of Baudette is planning to challenge Republican state Rep. Dave Hancock of Bemidji.

Other Democrats who lost their seats in 2014 also are thinking about running again, said House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis.

Minnesota DFL Party Chair Ken Martin likes the chances of those experienced candidates because they know how to run campaigns and are well known.

"They already have an established name identification, and they served in the Legislature," Martin said. "They can talk about, now over the past two years under Republican control, they can compare and contrast their records."

Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Keith Downey said he's not surprised to see rematches developing. He said first-term legislators often face tough re-election challenges.

"It just is the nature of it. I don't think there's anything unique about this year compared to any other year," Downey said. "It will be very, very competitive and Republicans will have to work hard, and we will."

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Joyce Peppin, R-Rogers, said it's too early to know if any of the Republicans who lost close House races last fall will try again in 2016.