Republican joins 2 DFLers in race for Nicole Mitchell's former Senate seat

Alex Derosier, Pioneer Press on Jul 31, 2025

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ST. PAUL, Minn. — At least three candidates have now entered the race for the Woodbury-area Senate seat left vacant by the resignation of Nicole Mitchell last week after her felony burglary conviction.

Republican Dwight Dorau on Wednesday announced his intention to run in Senate District 47 in an upcoming special election. He’d be the first Republican in the race.

Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger and Rep. Ethan Cha, both Democratic-Farmer-Labor lawmakers from Woodbury, also plan to run.

The outcome of the special election could tip the balance of power in the Senate, where the DFL has a one-seat majority. Woodbury has favored DFL candidates in recent elections.

Mitchell, a DFLer, won election to the Senate with nearly 59% of the vote in 2022. Hemmingsen-Jaeger won District 47A with more than 60% of the vote in 2024 and 2022.

Dorau, a retired Air Force Commander, ran against Cha in the 2024 election for House District 47B and lost by nearly 9 percentage points.

The special election for District 47 is scheduled for Nov. 4. If necessary, there will be a special primary election on Aug. 26.

Candidates could start filing paperwork to run on Wednesday this week and have until Aug. 6, to submit affidavits of candidacy.

District 47 is a Washington County seat that includes the suburbs of Woodbury and parts of Maplewood.

There are two upcoming special elections in Minnesota. The other is planned in District 26 following the death of GOP Sen. Bruce Anderson of Buffalo. That district is seen as a Republican stronghold.

With the two vacancies, DFLers currently hold 33 seats in the Senate to Republicans’ 32.