Candidates flock to join race for Minnesota Senate District 6 seat

BRAINERD — Seven more candidates have joined the race for a Minnesota Senate seat recently vacated by Sen. Justin Eichorn.

Announcements come after Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, was charged in U.S. District Court with a felony count of soliciting a minor following his arrest in a Bloomington sting operation on Monday, March 17. Eichorn announced his resignation on Thursday, March 20.

The candidates join Brainerd DFLer Emily LeClaire , who announced her bid shortly after Eichorn's resignation, in candidacy for the district covering portions of Cass and Itasca counties and the northern two-thirds of Crow Wing County.

Nisswa Mayor Jennifer Carnahan on Monday, March 24 announced she would run for the state Senate District 6 seat.

“Since 2016, I have been deeply engaged in Republican politics across Minnesota, witnessing firsthand the harmful effects of Democratic policies on our state," Carnahan said in an emailed announcement.

Carnahan was elected in 2017 to head the state's Republican party. Under her tenure, she said Minnesota Republicans flipped three U.S. House seats from blue to red, held their majority in the Minnesota State Senate and paid off the party’s long-standing legacy debt, allowing them to invest in a statewide field program during the 2020 election cycle.

"Serving as chairwoman of the Republican Party of Minnesota for four-and-a-half years and now as mayor of Nisswa has only strengthened my commitment to advocating for our families, communities, and a stronger future for Minnesota," she said.

Carnahan resigned as the party chair in 2021. She was elected in November to her first mayoral term in Nisswa.

"Throughout my campaign for mayor, I listened to residents’ concerns — rising costs, burdensome regulations and the need for strong, fiscally conservative leadership. These challenges don’t stop at Nisswa’s borders," she said in her announcement.

Carnahan owns two stores in Nisswa: Primrose Park in Nisswa Square and Buffalo Plaid on Main Street in Nisswa. Carnahan also worked in marketing and strategy for Fortune 500 global firms, including General Mills, McDonald's Corporation and Ecolab.

"I’m running because we need one of us in the office. Someone who knows what it’s like to run a small business, take care of their family, has to work hard every single day to get ahead, and still worry about things like the cost of groceries, gas and energy bills," she said.

Carnahan is the widow of the late U.S. Congressman Jim Hagedorn, who died in February 2022 after battling kidney cancer. Carnahan ran for his congressional seat, finishing third in a Republican primary.

Merrifield resident Steve Cotariu announced Monday his candidacy for the Minnesota Senate District 6 seat as a Republican.

In a news release announcing his candidacy, Cotariu — a West Point graduate, U.S. Army veteran and businessman — said with his “deep commitment to service and a proven record of leadership”, he aims to bring practical solutions and principled leadership to the Minnesota Senate.

“As a veteran, entrepreneur, and community volunteer, I have dedicated my life to serving others,” Cotariu said. “None of the other candidates have the breadth of leadership and business experience necessary to get the job done. I did not set out to get into politics, but am announcing my candidacy because I believe Minnesotans deserve a Senator who will fight for their interests and has the skill set to get results.”

Cotariu graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, rising to the rank of major in the U.S. Army. After his military service, he earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.

Cotariu is currently the chairman of the board of advisers for Alakai Defense Systems and owner of Hudson Magic. He said he is a strong advocate for policies that support job creation, lower taxes and reduce unnecessary regulations.

“My campaign is about bringing real leadership and common-sense solutions to the people of District 6,” Cotariu said. “I will work tirelessly to ensure that our District remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”

Cotariu has been a volunteer with Kinship Partners’ Lunch Buddies and The Community Effect’s reading program. He is a member of Nisswa American Legion Post No. 627 and volunteers to provide entertainment for local veterans.

He also supports the Service Academy interview and application process across the state, supporting high school seniors in their quest to attend the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy.

Businessman and retired veterinary practice owner John Howe announced his campaign for District 6 on Sunday.

“I am a long-time resident of Grand Rapids and love this area. One of the best decisions of my life was to move to this area over 40 years ago. However, Minnesota government has intruded into our lives in ways we would never have anticipated. I want to be a part of restoring the values we all cherish. I support parental rights, the right to keep and bear arms, lower taxes, transparency in government, restoring and supporting mining and the sanctity of life. It is time for a little DOGE and ‘We the People’ in Minnesota,” Howe said in a news release announcing his candidacy.

“This district has had great conservative leaders and I look forward to continuing their conservative leadership fighting government mandates, growing and strengthening our rural economies, protecting medical freedom and the unborn, and so much more. I look forward to speaking with my friends and neighbors in this District as I kick off my campaign,” he said.

Howe sought the Republican nomination for the House District 6A seat in 2022. Current Rep. Ben Davis, R-Mission Township, won that nomination.

Howe said he offers Senate District 6 residents a variety of experiences and skills.

“As a veterinarian, my clients made me aware of the range of problems experienced by farmers, laborers, service workers, miners, teachers, retirees and other business owners. I had the opportunity to speak with elected officials in the U.S. Congress about issues pertaining to this area while serving as President of the American Veterinary Medical Association. In connection with my positions on the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, I have testified before State Committees,” he said.

He said the most important parts of his life are his family and church. Howe and his wife, Diane, have two children and four grandchildren. He serves as an elder at Full Gospel Church of Grand Rapids.

Howe is a NRA benefactor, a life member of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, an NRA Range Safety Officer, certified instructor for permit to carry and has been a DNR bow hunter safety instructor.

Brainerd area resident Josh Gazelka announced on Friday his intention to seek the Republican nomination for Senate District 6.

Gazelka said he never had an interest in being involved with politics but in the days after Eichorn’s arrest he received several calls inquiring if he was interested. After talking with his wife and his father, former Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, he said he felt compelled to enter the race.

“My wife and I prayed about it and wrestled with it for three days,” Gazelka said Friday afternoon. “It's such a tight window, and I don't look at this as something I want to do to make a career jump. I want to come into this chaotic place and help move things forward, help businesses and do everything I can to stop anything that is hurting small businesses and, at the end, hurting rural Minnesota.

“I can't help but look at the economy that we deal with. I can't help but look at the regulations that small businesses in our area have to fight every single day just to try to stay open and keep their dreams alive. So it is something that frustrates me.”

Gazelka said that during a recent local event, he heard vocal frustrations from not just area business owners but from local elected officials about the chaotic legislative session already underway.

“Really, my platform is to help some small business owners as best I can, but transparently, it is a one-year term, and I won't be able to fix all the problems,” Gazelka said. “I won't be able to have all the answers, but I will be somebody that will work alongside other legislators and help push traditional conservative values that help our local community, help young families — all families — and in the end, help small businesses.”

Gazelka was born in Bemidji and grew up in the Brainerd lakes area. He and his wife previously lived in Idaho and moved back to the Brainerd area in 2017. They owned and operated Woodlore Cider until March of 2024. Gazelka now works for a Texas-based marketing firm. He and his wife have two children.

Doug Kern on Friday, March 21, announced his candidacy as a Republican for the Minnesota Senate District 6 seat.

In an emailed announcement, Kern, of Brainerd, said protecting children is paramount and babies are human from conception. Kern said he supports law enforcement, a strong military and the removal of diversity, equality and inclusion policies in schools. Kern said he advocated for enforcing current laws surrounding election integrity and that he is an advocate for fiscal responsibility and transparency in public service.

Kern said he runs three businesses and has served the lakes area for 38 years.

Kern said he currently serves on the Region Five Development Commission and is involved with the Crow Wing Association of Townships, Crow Wing Township, Crow Wing GOP and Greater Lakes Association of Realtors Government Affairs Committee.

“I look forward to bringing integrity for you to St. Paul,” Kern wrote. “I will still firmly believe in ‘Minnesota Nice’ even at the Mn Capitol.”

Kern is the seventh of 14 children of Victor and Joan Kern. He and his wife, Sue, have three children. He is a business owner, a Sunday school teacher for more than 37 years and previously served as chair of Crow Wing County Republicans.

Kern unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Josh Heintzeman in 2022 to be the Republican candidate for the District 6B seat.

Angel Zierden, of Breezy Point, announced Friday her intention to seek the Minnesota Senate District 6 seat as a Republican.

Zierden served one term as mayor of Breezy Point, but opted not to seek reelection in 2024.

“I'm excited to announce the official launch of my campaign for the Minnesota State Senate seat in District 6. This decision has been shaped by the support and encouragement of many, most importantly, my family,” Zierden said in a statement on her candidate Facebook page.

“I'm eager to engage with voters in District 6, addressing the issues that matter most and running a campaign that stays authentic to my values, vision, and the needs of those I aim to represent,” Zierden said.

She said in a separate news release on March 21 that she is a small business owner with over a decade of involvement in politics, working behind the scenes to drive legislative change.

She said she drafted her first legislative bill at age 27 and has since remained committed to championing initiatives addressing housing, child care and economic development for families and small businesses in rural Minnesota.

"This session, I have been focused on advancing legislation to support sustainable rural housing development and played a key role in introducing a bipartisan bill to increase penalties for exposing children to fentanyl," she said in the emailed release.

Zierden serves on the Government Affairs Committee for the Brainerd Lakes Chamber. She is a board member for the Lakes Area Restorative Justice Program and the Relationship Safety Alliance, a domestic violence shelter in Brainerd.

"I lived in a domestic violence shelter as a child, which has deeply shaped my commitment to protecting vulnerable children and supporting those in need of a second chance," she said.

Zierden is married to Teddy Zierden, and together they have four children — Lily, 16; Liam, 6; Luka, 3; and Luxen, 1 — with their fifth child expected in May.

Republican Keri Heintzeman announced her candidacy Thursday, March 20, for the vacant Minnesota Senate District 6 seat.

“Our community deserves a leader who listens and engages with residents of SD6 and fiercely advocates for them in St. Paul,” Heintzeman stated in her announcement. “I am running for the Minnesota Senate to champion the values we hold dear — fiscal responsibility, personal freedom, and government transparency."

Keri Heintzeman is married to Rep. Josh Heintzeman , R-Nisswa, who is serving his sixth term in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In her announcement as a candidate, Keri Heintzeman said she is a 30-year resident in the district and has devoted her life to family, faith and civic engagement. She said she and Josh Heintzeman have been married 25 years and have raised six children in Nisswa.

“I have helped in many campaigns across the state and I'm familiar with what being a legislator looks like. If anybody knows the ins and outs, the challenges of the day to day, I do,” Keri Heintzeman said in a phone interview Friday.

Keri Heintzeman is the owner of a recreational rental business in Nisswa. In the Senate, she said she would focus on lowering taxes, cutting burdensome regulations and combating government fraud to ensure a transparent and efficient state government.

Heintzeman said she is a member of Heritage Assembly Church and a longtime volunteer with local and state Republican organizations, and that she mobilized voters to support the reelection of President Donald J. Trump as the district director for the Trump 2024 campaign.

She also said she is a “fierce advocate for parental rights, believing that families should have a decisive voice in their children’s education, health, and well-being.” Heintzeman said she has also heard from community members who want conservative values reflected at the Minnesota Capitol. She said a recent a bill — prohibiting transgender girls from playing in girls sports — would have protected families but failed to pass the House or the Senate.

“I think it's extremely important. I think that the majority of Americans, not just Minnesotans, not just District 6, believe that girls should be protected in sports, and I agree with them,” she said. “It's a no-brainer.”

Former legislative candidate Emily LeClaire announced on Thursday her intention to seek a DFL endorsement to run for the Senate seat.

LeClaire, a lifelong Brainerd resident, was the DFL-endorsed candidate for the Minnesota House District 6B in the 2024 election but lost to incumbent Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa.

LeClaire said she was already considering a run in 2026 for the Senate 6 seat prior to Eichorn’s Monday arrest for allegedly attempting to meet a minor for paid sex in Bloomington and his subsequent resignation from the Senate.

“So it just kind of spurred on an early announcement,” LeClaire said in an interview Thursday. “It's happening pretty fast. It's not what I anticipated looking ahead to 2026. I was kind of thinking we're going to have a lot of work to do but we've got plenty of time, and now it's looking like that may not be the case.”

In a news release announcing her intentions, LeClaire noted that when she first ran for the House seat, she did so not as a politician but as “a hardworking woman, an advocate, a volunteer, a Sunday School teacher.”

LeClaire said there were people like her who felt they were not being represented and noted representation should be made up of people from all walks of life who advocate for everyone across party lines

Priorities outlined by LeClaire included protecting children, caring for and supporting veterans and protecting small businesses, educators, farmers and laborers.