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Wednesday, April 26, 2006
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Sen. Koering wins GOP endorsement Seven ballots needed to decide contest Associate Editor LITTLE FALLS - Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, will again represent Republicans in the District 12 Senate race.
At the GOP endorsing convention Tuesday at the VFW in Little Falls, Koering outlasted challenger Kevin Goedker through seven ballots for the District 12 endorsement, finally winning by a vote of 63-42. Sixty-percent of the ballots were needed for the endorsement.
After the seventh ballot total was announced, Republicans burst into cheers and applause.
"I'm very, very happy, very honored to win the endorsement," Koering said. "And it's on to November to beat the Democratic opponent."
Goedker, a Brainerd City Council member, said he was undecided as to whether he will mount a primary challenge.
The previous six ballots were close, with Koering consistently two votes shy of the 60 percent needed for the GOP District 12 endorsement. After five ballots, the convention voted down a motion for no endorsement and they conducted a 10 minute question-and-answer session with the candidates.
At that time, an emotional Koering indicated he was in the race to stay.
"I spent seven years of my life to get this job and now I just lay over and die? I'm running for office," Koering said. In a show of support, Koering brought nine senators with him to the Little Falls endorsing convention, including Senate Majority Leader Dick Day, R-Owatonna.
Earlier, Rep. Paul Gazelka, R-Brainerd, announced his support for Goedker because Goedker was more fiscally and socially conservative. After the endorsement, Gazelka said he needed a few days to decide whether he would support Koering.
Rep. Greg Blaine, R-Little Falls, declined to say who he was supporting for the endorsement, but did say he would support the endorsed candidate.
Koering raised statewide interest last April when he announced he was gay. He said at that time he would run in the primary if he failed to win the endorsement.
MIKE O'ROURKE can be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.
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