NISSWA — Jennifer Carnahan — the newly elected Nisswa mayor and former Minnesota Republican chairwoman — has joined the field of candidates seeking to fill the vacant seat left by the resignation of ex-state Sen. Justin Eichorn.
Carnahan ran against incumbent Mayor John Ryan in the 2024 election and has served in the role just since January.
Her return to politics came after a messy exit as the leader of the state GOP in 2021. She resigned while under fire for alleged workplace harassment and her ties to prominent Republican donor Anton Lazzaro, who was ultimately convicted of child sex trafficking in 2023.
In her announcement on social media, Carnahan nodded to her time as chairwoman and as mayor, saying these experiences have strengthened her commitment to advocating for a stronger future for Minnesota. She is also a small business owner, operating Primrose Park boutique in Nisswa.
"Running for the Minnesota Senate wasn’t something I planned on, but I’ve been encouraged and asked by many to run because the people in our area are tired of the same career politicians who come out of the woodwork and make big promises, but then forget about us," her announcement stated.
"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."
Carnahan's entry into what's becoming a crowded field on the Republican side drew swift criticism from the Minnesota DFL on Monday, March 24.
“It's disgraceful that the Minnesota GOP might replace a Senator who resigned after a child prostitution arrest with a former Minnesota GOP Chair who resigned because of her ties with a child sex trafficker," stated Minnesota DFL Executive Director Heidi Kraus Kaplan in a news release.
Eichorn resigned Thursday under pressure from both state parties and numerous individual lawmakers, and the promise of a vote to expel him by the Minnesota Republican Senate Caucus. He was arrested March 17 in a law enforcement sting operation after he allegedly attempted to solicit a 17-year-old for paid sex, who turned out to be an undercover officer.
Eichorn's departure from the Senate means Republicans now have 32 members, while the DFL has 34. Gov. Tim Walz is expected to soon call a special election to fill the vacancy in Senate District 6. The district includes the cities of Grand Rapids, Brainerd and Baxter.
