Gruenhagen defeats Shimanski in endorsement battle

Rep. Glenn Greunhagen, R-Glencoe, has won an endorsement battle over Rep. Ron Shimanski, R-Silver Lake.

"Ron Shimanski has conceded," McLeod County Republican Party Chair  Eric Harpel announced on Twitter

Harpel reported on Twitter that Shimanski conceded the race after Gruenhagen was close to winning the endorsement. Gruenhagen secured support from nearly 60 percent of the delegates at the convention on the second ballot.  

This is the first endorsement battle between paired incumbents. Shimanski and Gruenhagen both said they wanted to continue to serve and decided that they would let the delegates decide who should represent the Republican Party in November.  

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

Shimanski currently chairs the House Judiciary Policy and Finance Committee. Gruenhagen is currently serving in his first-term in the Minnesota House.

There is one other endorsing convention today that features two incumbents.

Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis, and Rep. Marion Greene, DFL-Minneapolis are vying for their party's endorsement today at a convention in Minneapolis.

The contest is still going on.

Update: There are reports on Twitter that Greene has conceded the endorsement battle to Hornstein.