Party-endorsed candidate Mike Wiener appeared to have defeated Sheldon Monson by just 40 votes with 100% of precincts reporting in House District 5B on Tuesday, Aug. 9.
The Republicans faced off in the primary election to appear on the Nov. 8 general election ballot, where the winner will face Independence-Alliance Party candidate Gregg Hendrickson.
Wiener earned 2,100 votes, or 50.48%, while Monson earned 2,060 votes, or 49.52%.
As it stands with results from 66 of 66 precincts and a difference of 0.96%, the race does not qualify for a publicly funded recount, per the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. The margin must be less than one-half of 1% in state legislative races.
House District 5B includes Todd County, southern Wadena County, a portion of southern Cass County and the northwestern corner of Morrison County.
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Candidates were Monson, a Wadena County commissioner and state electrical inspection area representative, and Wiener, an animal bedding and biomass small business owner and the party-endorsed candidate.