Finstad wins GOP nod in District 21-B

Finstad to

face Wiger

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- One of the area's most contentious election races ended late Tuesday night as Brad Finstad defeated Cody Schreyer in the Republican primary for the 21-B race for state representative.

Finstad will face DFLer Mark Wiger in the race for the seat, which will be decided on Nov. 5.

The race heated up in late August following news reports of a complaint filed by Schreyer in Watonwan County. The complaint accused Finstad of offering Schreyer a job in exchange for quitting the 21-B race.

Finstad, an aide to U.S Rep. Mark Kennedy, won the primary with nearly 85 percent of the vote, as of 11 p.m. Tuesday. The newly-redrawn 21-B district includes all of Brown County and portions of Redwood and Watonwan counties.

"It feels good," Finstad said at a private reception in New Ulm late Tuesday night. "Hard work pays off."

While the primary may have gone to his opponent, Schreyer, a student at Minnesota State University-Mankato, said it won't be the last people will see of him. The complaint he filed has yet to go to court and the allegations were, at last word, still under investigation.

"I'm ashamed the Republican Party would vote for someone who's proven to be a liar," Schreyer said by phone from his reception at a New Ulm hotel. "After my day in court, they won't have a candidate."

Schreyer said he will run if any special election is called after his court case is done. He also said he may "jump in as a write-in candidate" if no special election is called. Schreyer said he is confident Finstad will be found guilty of unfair campaign practices by the court.

"I'd be ashamed to see Mark Wiger win without competition," Schreyer said.

Finstad reiterated earlier responses, saying he has done nothing wrong.

"This campaign is about issues and about being out there listening to people," he said. "That's what it was about before and that's what it's about now."

Finstad earlier beat Schreyer for the Republican endorsement for the district this summer. Finstad won the endorsement with 71 percent of the vote. Schreyer got 21 percent.

Schreyer previously ran as a Democrat in 2000 against James Clark, who recently left the state House of Representatives to take a job with a law firm in Mahtomedi, Minn.