BAXTER — A candidate forum for the Republicans running in the special election for Senate District 6 will take place Tuesday, April 8, in Baxter.
The forum will be 7-8:30 p.m. in the cafetorium at Forestview Middle School. It will also be streamed live on the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce's Facebook page.
All eight Republican candidates running have been invited. They are:
- Jennifer Carnahan, Crow Wing County
- Steve Cotariu, Crow Wing County
- Josh Gazelka, Crow Wing County
- Keri Heintzeman, Crow Wing County
- John A. Howe, Itasca County
- Doug Kern, Crow Wing County
- Angel Zierden, Crow Wing County
- Matthew Zinda, Crow Wing County
The Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce is hosting the event in partnership with the Brainerd Dispatch and the League of Women Voters, with support from the Rosenmeier Center for State & Local Government at Central Lakes College.
A primary election to narrow the field to one Republican will be April 15.
The chamber stated it will host a debate between the winning Republican and the sole DFLer later, ahead of the April 29 special general election.
Senate District 6 covers northern Crow Wing, east-central Cass and southwestern Itasca counties. It includes the cities of Brainerd, Baxter, Garrison, Crosby, Crosslake, Pequot Lakes, Remer, Grand Rapids and Cohasset.
Grand Rapids Republican Justin Eichorn resigned from the Senate on March 20. He had been arrested in Bloomington three days earlier for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Eichorn allegedly sought paid sex from an undercover officer posing as a 17-year-old multiple times over the course of nearly a week, according to charges. He faces one felony federal charge of agreeing to hire a person under 18 years old for prostitution, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years.
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Lorie Shaull/KAXEThe Republican won all but 11 of 80 precincts in Senate District 6 in her April 29, 2025, special election victory. Seven precincts that voted red in 2022 flipped. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEAccording to unofficial results, Keri Heintzeman earned 60.27% of the vote in the race against DFLer Denise Slipy for Senate District 6. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXERepublican Keri Heintzeman and DFLer Denise Slipy are running for the Minnesota Senate in the April 29 special election. Find results here after polls close. -
Contributed/Keri Heintzeman / Denise SlipyDFLer Denise Slipy raised the majority of her funds after the primary. Republican Keri Heintzeman's pace has slowed, but her totals are still far above Slipy's. -
Chelsey Perkins/KAXEThe DFL candidate answered questions about subjects ranging from rising cost of living, housing and child care to education, abortion and gun ownership. -
Contributed/Keri Heintzeman for SenateThe DFL said Heintzeman violated individual contribution limits. Heintzeman said she confirmed the legality of her donations with the state campaign finance board. -
Contributed/Denise SlipyAccording to a news release, Keri Heintzeman said she plans to prioritize face-to-face conversations with voters through door-knocking efforts before the election. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEPrecinct-level results from the April 15 special primary for Republicans reveal Keri Heintzeman's dominance in a crowded field. -
Contributed/Travis Morrison/Carlos Hernandez Bois Forte Chairman CandidateTravis Morrison and Carlos A. Hernandez were the top vote-getters of the six band members running in the special election to finish the term of former Chair Cathy Chavers. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEAccording to unofficial results, Keri Heintzeman earned 46.77% of the vote among the eight candidates and will move on to the general election, facing DFLer Denise Slipy.
