Republican Jason Lewis topped DFLer Angie Craig for the open seat in Minnesota's Second Congressional District on Tuesday — but only after an hourslong wait for results that stretched well into the early morning hours of Wednesday.
As results trickled in, Lewis took an early lead in a race that was expected to be one of the most competitive in the state. But the outcome wasn't immediately clear: Results from Dakota County, which makes up a considerable percentage of the district, were delayed for hours because of what election officials later said was a "software glitch" in new voting equipment.
But by about 6 a.m., with the last results in, Lewis' campaign declared victory. The former talk-radio host secured 47 percent of the vote, while Craig, a former executive at St. Jude Medical, took 45 percent. Independence Party candidate Paula Overby picked up most of the remaining 8 percent.
Lewis said Wednesday that he's looking forward to getting started in Washington, D.C., particularly at a time when the same party will be running both Congress and the White House. He said he plans to make health care reform a top priority, and believes that his messages on that issue and others during the campaign helped propel him forward in a very competitive race.
"I think the voters are tired of politics as usual … and wanting someone to talk to them about how you're going to fix this system, reform health care, all the issues they were concerned about, and not just focus on a negative campaign to win," he said. "I think the Democrats missed the mark in not thinking there was something in the air this time."
Craig's campaign had attracted the support of the national Democratic Party, which had targeted the swing district — a place where voters twice picked President Obama and recently voted for Democratic senators — as a prime spot to flip a seat long held by Republican U.S. Rep. John Kline, who is retiring. Craig held a considerable fundraising advantage throughout the campaign, and frequently worked to link Lewis and his brash, on-air commentary with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
In a statement Wednesday morning, Craig said she was proud of her campaign, her staff and her volunteers, and offered well wishes to Lewis.
"I want to congratulate Jason on his victory," she said. "We may not agree on many things, but the one thing that we've always had in common is that we both worked diligently to share our vision of how best to fight for Minnesota families."