Keri Heintzeman Maintains Minnesota Senate District 6 for Republicans
The special election was called after State Senator Justin Eichorn (R) resigned upon being arrested.
The special election occurred today in Minnesota to fill a vacancy in the State Senate. This was the second special election in the state’s upper legislative chamber this year. The Democratic and Republican candidates were chosen through primaries earlier this month.
The special election for Minnesota Senate District 6 was called following the resignation of State Senator Justin Eichorn, a Republican, upon being arrested on suspicion of soliciting a minor for sex. He represented this district from January 2017 to March 2025. He was re-elected 63.5-36.4 against Democrat Steve Samuelson in 2022.
Minnesota Senate District 6 covers northern Crow Wing County, south-central Cass County, and southwestern Itasca County. During the 2024 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump carried this seat with a 63.0-36.0 margin against Democrat Kamala Harris.
Minnesota Senate (34 Democrats, 33 Republicans):
For District 6, Republican Keri Heintzeman won with 60.4% (12,751) against Democrat Denise Slipy with 39.6% (8,376). 21,127 votes counted.
Heintzeman is the wife of State Representative Josh Heintzeman, also a Republican, who holds District 6B. Furthermore, she worked for Trump’s presidential campaign in 2024.
Unlike the first special election in the Minnesota Senate this year, partisan control of the chamber was not on the line with these results. Democrats will continue to hold their one seat advantage. All 67 seats in the chamber will next be up for regular four-year terms in November 2026.
Republicans were heavily favored to maintain control of District 6. However, the final results show a shift to the Democrats like the majority of special elections throughout the country in 2025. The margin here moved 6.2 points in favor of Democrats.