A special election is being held today in MN State Senate district 26 to replace Republican State Senator Dick Day who resigned to become a Lobbiest for the gambling Industry (don’t get me started).
Senate District 26 leans Republican, McCain carried it 50-47, Norm Coleman 43-36-21. Still there is hope, the two State House Reps in the district are Democrats (each Senate district in Minnesota is divided into two house districts).
The Candidates are Democrat Jason Engbrecht, a college physics professor and Faribault School Board member. Republican teabagger and bussinessman Mike Parry. Independence Party member and Waseca mayor Roy Srp (yes that is his last name).
If you want more background on the candidates I suggest you check out a fine local blog, bluestempairie.
http://www.bluestemprairie.com/
You can get the results from the SOS ofice here.
http://electionresults.sos.sta…
To win Engbrecht will have to run up the margin in Rice County, especially the City of Faribault (his hometown). I would guess he will needs at least a 10 point margin in Faribault and 5 points in Rice County as a whole. Engbrecht will have to keep it within 3-5 points in the rest of the District.
The real wildcard is the Independence Party candidate Roy Srp. He is a 3 term mayor of Waseca (3rd largest town in the District) and has more political experiance than either of the major party candidates. Waseca also happens to be the hometown of the Republican Parry. I don’t think Srp can win without any Party machinery behind him but you never know.
Prediction
Engbrecht (D) 37
Parry (R) 32
Srp (I) 31
Polls close 8 central