DFL, GOP hold onto Minn. House seats in two special elections

The DFL and GOP held onto their respective state House seats Tuesday night in special legislative elections in Minneapolis and central Minnesota.

Democrat Sydney Jordan was elected to House District 60A, which is made up mostly of northeast Minneapolis, and Republican Paul Novotny was elected to House District 30A, which spans from Elk River west to Big Lake.

Jordan will fill the seat held for 15 years by DFL Rep. Diane Loeffler, who died in November. And Novotny will replace former Republican state Rep. Nick Zerwas, who resigned and became a lobbyist at the Capitol.

Both candidates won their races by wide margins, with Novotny drawing 63% of votes against DFLer Chad Hobot and Jordan winning 87% of the vote against Legal Marijuana Now candidate Marty Super.

Jordan, state director for Save the Boundary Waters, has worked as an organizer and director for several political groups and campaigns since graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2013. She has highlighted her numerous union endorsements and described herself as "staunchly pro-union," "anti-racist" and "pro-abortion."

"I'm really excited to get to work for all of my new constituents," said Jordan, whose priorities include "fully funding" Minnesota schools and protecting the environment.

Novotny is a 30-year veteran of the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office, currently a sergeant. He will retire from law enforcement in May.

"I am excited to get to work at the state capitol on the things I was elected to do: Protecting Life and the Second Amendment, fixing on roads and bridges, ending fraud and waste, and giving the taxpayer a better tomorrow than yesterday," Novotny said in a statement.