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Special Primaries Tuesday In Two Minnesota Senate Districts
Narrow DFL majority adds weight to Woodbury and Buffalo contests
Minnesota voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, for special primaries in two state Senate districts. The results will determine which candidates advance to the special general elections on November 4, filling vacancies left by the resignation of Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL–Woodbury) and the death of Sen. Bruce Anderson (R–Buffalo).
Governor Tim Walz issued the writs for both elections in late July, following two unexpected vacancies that shook the Legislature. With the Minnesota Senate currently split 33–32 in favor of the DFL, the outcomes carry added significance.
District 47: Woodbury
Rep. Ethan Cha (DFL–Woodbury)
Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger (DFL–Woodbury)
The east metro seat, strongly Democratic-leaning, was vacated after Sen. Nicole Mitchell resigned July 25 following her felony conviction on burglary-related charges.
Republican Dwight Dorau
Two Democratic legislators are vying for the nomination: Rep. Ethan Cha (DFL–Woodbury) and Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger (DFL–Woodbury). The winner will face Republican Dwight Dorau, an Air Force veteran and teacher who is unopposed for his party’s nomination.
Mitchell carried the district with nearly 59% of the vote in 2022, but turnout in special elections is often more volatile.
District 29: Buffalo–Monticello
Central Minnesota’s District 29 became vacant after Sen. Bruce Anderson’s sudden death on July 21. Anderson, a Republican first elected to the Legislature in 1990, won his seat in 2022 with about 68% of the vote.
Michael Holmstrom Jr.
Rachel Davis
Bradley Kurtz
Three Republicans are competing in the primary: Michael Holmstrom Jr., a small business owner endorsed by Wright County Republicans; Rachel Davis, a mechanical adjuster from Waverly; and Bradley Kurtz, a veteran and food truck operator from Buffalo.
Louis McNutt
The DFL is fielding Louis McNutt, secretary of AFSCME Council 5, who is unopposed and will advance directly to the November ballot.
Key Dates and Verification
According to the Minnesota Secretary of State, the special election timeline is as follows:
- Candidate filing period: July 30 – August 6, 2025, 5:00 p.m.
- Special primaries (if required): Tuesday, August 26, 2025
- Special general election: Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Official writs of election and filing procedures are available from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office and through Wright County Elections.
The winners of November’s contests will serve the remainder of the current four-year terms, which run through January 2027.
