Pete Johnson moving on to November in Minnesota House District 8A race

Unofficial results in Tuesday’s Minnesota primary election show voters choosing Pete Johnson between the two Democratic challengers wanting to fill the Minnesota District 8A’s post after four-term Representative Democrat Liz Olson announced she’d step down last month.

Both Dr. Jordon Johnson and Firefighter Pete Johnson told WDIO News their intention to run is rooted deeply in community issues.

“I’ve been a firefighter here in Duluth for about 19 years,” Pete Johnson explained, ” Realizing over the years that many of the things that we get called to are rooted in something else. So for us, that could be an education issue, it could be a housing issue, access to healthcare, or stable, good job availability, things like that. And those things end up, if those needs aren’t addressed, those end up manifesting and someone calling 911 looking for somebody to help them.”

We asked both candidates what they thought they brought to the seat that was unique to them. For Dr. Johnson, it included experiencing some of the issues he cares about growing up.

“So for me I have a lot of lived experience of being housing insecurity and economic insecurity as a child and also this kind of working in community and being immersed in community particularly with our indigenous black communities of color and lifting up voices for the community because I recognize the importance that our community voices are critical and policies impact everyone’s lives.”

8A Republican candidate Mark McGrew is running unopposed.