The area’s political field is filling up fast, with incumbents and challengers obtaining party endorsements for the area’s state Senate and House of Representatives seats.

Candidates are either seeking or have gotten endorsements from their district party organizations. This year’s activities are coming sooner than in past years, caused by a new state law that moved up the state’s primary election one month.

Minnesota’s new law means that this year the primary election will be Aug. 10. That means the other deadlines must be moved up as well.

Rather than the July 1-15 filing dates for federal, state and county candidates, the expedited schedule now sets a filing period of May 18 - June 1, for those offices. Federal candidates file with the secretary of state’s office. State candidates, including judges, may file with the secretary of state’s office or in the county where they live. County candidates may file with the county auditor. For these posts, June 3, is the last date to withdraw.

Prior to filing, candidates normally seek the backing of their political party. That process began in February, at party precinct caucus meetings. The parties follow up with endorsing conventions, a process that has been taking place the past several weeks in House and Senate districts across the state.

District 11

The House 11B and Senate District 11 races are shaping up.

The 11B race will see incumbent DFL representative Mary Ellen Otremba from Long Prairie being challenged by a Republican endorsed candidate from Alexandria, Mary Franzen.

Otremba is scheduled to be endorsed this Thursday by District 11B DFL’ers at their endorsing convention in Alexandria.

Republicans from Todd and Douglas counties chose Mary Franson of rural Alexandria as their candidate for state House District 11B. Delegates on the first ballot chose Franson over Miltona resident Bert Pexsa.

“Conservatism is drawing a line in the sand. We are making a stand,”Franson told delegates before the vote. “It will be those candidates standing strong on fiscal conservative issues that will win this year.”

House District 11B encompasses all the Todd County and the eastern portion of Douglas County. Delegates to both the DFL and Republican endorsement conventions were chosen at precinct caucuses earlier this year.

Franson announced that her campaign team would be headed by Scott Dutcher, an Alexandria attorney and the Deputy Chair of the Douglas County Republicans. Her campaign will also include Shane Marshall as Finance Chair.

In the state Senate, District 11 is represented by Sen Bill Ingebrigtsen of Alexandria. He is completing his first four year term as state senator and is seeking re-election on the Republican ticket.

A Morris man is seeking the District 11 DFL endorsement to oppose Ingebrigtsen.

Retiring Stevens County Coordinator Jim Thoreen is seeking the DFL backing in District 11, which includes Douglas, Grant, Stevens and Todd counties. Thoreen, 64, and a Morris resident, has worked for Stevens County for 12 years

Thoreen said, “I seek election to represent the needs of rural Minnesotans who want and need good jobs to help support our communities. Schools from pre-K through 12 face challenges of funding and declining enrollments.

Thoreen has been married to his wife Bonnie for 39 years and they have three grown sons

The Senate District 11 DFL endorsing convention will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 8, in the Alexandria Vocational Technical School.

District 10

In the Senate District 10, first term State Sen. Dan Skogen from Hewitt is being challenged by a Republican endorsed candidate from Vergas.

Republican delegates on March 27, met at Battle Lake and endorsed Gretchen Hoffman, Vergas, for the District 10 Senate seat.

Hoffman has been a partner in a family owned small business and a critical care nurse for many years. She has been married 27 years to her husband, Virgil, and has three sons.

She describes herself as a common sense conservative “who believes in smaller government, lower taxes and a patient centered medical health care system.” She believes that life begins at conception and in fair funding for rural Minnesota schools that are based on a strong emphasis on reading, writing, science and math.

Also on March 27, Republicans endorsed State Rep. Mark Murdock, of Perham, for a second term for the District 10B House seat.

Murdock outpolled challenger Sue Nelson for the endorsement. To win the endorsement, a candidate needed 60 percent of the votes cast and Murdock achieved that total on the third ballot.

“Now we need to come together and win as a unit in November,” Murdock said. “Jobs and education will remain priorities for me in a second term, along with traditional values like pro-life.”

The Senate District 10 DFL convention will be at the Henning Community Center on May 15. Pete Phillips of Wadena has announced his candidacy for the House District 10B seat.