Keri Heintzeman wins Republican primary in race to fill Justin Eichorn’s state Senate seat
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Keri Heintzeman defeated seven other Republican candidates Tuesday to win a special primary election for a vacant state Senate seat representing north-central Minnesota.
Heintzeman received 3,404 votes in the District 6 primary, about 47 percent of the total votes cast for Republicans, according to the unofficial results reported by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office.
Heintzeman will go on to face DFL-endorsed candidate Denise Slipy, an environmental health professional and first responder from Breezy Point, in the April 29 special election. Slipy was the only Democrat on the primary ballot.
The winner of the special election will fill the seat left empty when Justin Eichorn resigned last month, after he was charged with attempting to solicit a 17-year-old girl for sex in what turned out to be a law enforcement sting.
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Heintzeman, 44, is a Nisswa business owner, Republican organizer and wife of state Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa. They have six children, whom they homeschooled.
Heintzeman released a statement after her win thanking voters.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to the voters of Senate District 6 for your support in the primary election,” the statement read. “Your trust and encouragement mean the world to me. As we look ahead to the general election on April 29, I’m committed to continuing our fight for the conservative values we hold dear. Let’s work together to ensure our voices are heard in St. Paul.”
In an interview earlier this month, Heintzeman said her experience with political campaigns allowed her to hit the ground running with campaign fliers and lawn signs. She also vastly outpaced her opponents in fundraising, amassing nearly $55,000 in just a few weeks, according to reports filed with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board.
Heintzeman is a strong supporter of President Donald Trump, and campaigned for him last year during the presidential race. She has voiced support for conservative policies such as lowering taxes, reducing regulations and cutting government spending.
District 6, which stretches from Brainerd and Baxter north to Grand Rapids, is largely Republican. Eichorn won in 2022 with nearly 64 percent of the vote, and Trump handily carried the district in his 2024 presidential run.
Heintzeman’s closest opponent was retired veterinarian John Howe of Grand Rapids, who got about 15 percent of the Republican vote.
Former Republican Party chair Jennifer Carnahan, who owns two businesses in Nisswa, came in third with about 11 percent.
Josh Gazelka, son of former GOP Senate leader Paul Gazelka, received 9 percent.
The other candidates included former Breezy Point mayor Angel Zierden; Steve Cotariu, an Army veteran and professional magician; conservative activist Doug Kern; and Matthew Zinda, who describes himself as a self-employed driver, umpire and journalist.
The results of the special election won’t change the balance of power in the Minnesota Senate, where the vote is currently split 34-32.
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