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Tim Nelson
St. Paul

GOP secretary of state candidate, manager recovering after parade-float crash

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The secretary of state candidate hurt in a parade-float crash Sunday was back home recovering from the incident on Monday.

Republican John Howe said he suffered abrasions and received 14 stitches in his scalp following the accident at Steamboat Days in the city of Carver. Howe's campaign manager, Tim Droogsma, was also injured and taken to the 212 Medical Center for treatment.

Lisa Steinbauer, spokesperson for Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia, said that Droogsma was admitted overnight and is listed in good condition.

Howe told MPR News the tractor that was pulling the float trailer suffered a steering malfunction and the pair were thrown to the pavement as the tractor was pulling away from the end of the parade. The trailer then ran over Droogsma, a former staffer for U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz and Republican Gov. Arne Carlson.

Both Howe and Droogsma recounted the incident online Sunday evening.

Several other Republican candidates, including U.S. Senate GOP contender Jim Newberger, were at the parade, but no one else was injured in the mishap.

Howe is a former Red Wing mayor and GOP state senator. He also ran for secretary of state in 2014.