Candidates announce campaigns to fill Justin Eichorn’s former seat

Candidates are joining the race to fill the Minnesota Senate District 6 vacancy left by former state senator Justin Eichorn. Eichorn faces federal charges after allegedly soliciting sex from someone he thought was a teenage girl. He resigned from his position on Thursday.

Minnesota State Law says that the district must elect a new senator.

Republican Keri Heintzeman of Nisswa is throwing her hat into the ring. Most recently, she served as the District Director for the Trump 2024 campaign. Heintzman has lived in the district for 30 years, devoting her life to family, faith and civic engagement. She also operates a recreational rental business in Nisswa.

“Our community deserves a leader who listens and engages with the residents of the SD6 and fiercely advocates for them in St. Paul,” Heintzeman said in her press release that she is running on the foundation of fiscal responsibility, personal freedom and government transparency.

“Together we can create and environment where families thrive, businesses grow and our children have a bright safe future.”

DFLer, Emily LeClaire from Brainerd, is also hopeful for the Minnesota senate seat. Le Claire lost the Minnesota House 6B seat to republican Josh Heintzeman, Keri Heintzeman’s husband, in the previous election cycle.

LeClaire calls this eye-opening, on Facebook she says, “We need a senator here that will not stop at touting family values, but who will be spurred on by them to fight for all of our families. As a mother of 4, the future of our children is paramount in my mind.”

LeClaire has worked in direct care, customer service, children’s ministry and mental health services.

Her priorities include access to affordable housing and mental health, education, food security, environmental protections and bipartisanship.