Brother of Sen. Dan Hall Gets GOP Endorsement for State Senate

The Senate District 57 Republicans held a second endorsing convention Saturday to name two more candidates to run for election this year.

Pat Hall is the District 57 Republicans' endorsement for state Senate, while Anna Wills received the endorsement for House District 57B—which —this past Saturday, according to an email from District 57 Secretary Kevin Ecker. Both are Apple Valley residents.

Incumbent Tara Mack of Apple Valley already had received the endorsement for House District 57A, which covers part of Apple Valley and a small portion of Lakeville.

Hall received the endorsement over Apple Valley's Tim Gould. He is the brother of state Sen. Dan Hall, who represents Burnsville.

"I am excited for the voters in SD 57 to get to know Pat," District 57 chairperson Pat Staley said in the emailed statement. "He is dynamic and engaging. He has extensive and diverse experience as a businessman, pastor, and community leader. He has a terrific understanding of the people of this community and the challenges and issues they face. He will prove a worthy successor to Sen. Chris Gerlach."

Of Wills, Staley said: "Anna has proven herself to our delegates, and is eager to do the same to the voters of District 57B. Her work as a legislative aide has given her a deep understanding of all the issues most important to people in Rosemount and Apple Valley."

Wills as the legislative assistant to Sen. Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake).

Senate District 57 DFLers .

Rosemount resident Greg Clausen is the DFL-endorsed candidate for state Senate, who will run against Hall. Jeff Wilfahrt of Rosemount is the endorsee for House District 57B who will run against Wills, and Apple Valley resident Roberta Gibbons received the Democrats' endorsement for House District 57A to run against Mack.

Announcements just before the Republicans' March endorsing convention from Sen. Chris Gerlach (R-District 57) and Rep. Kurt Bills (R-District 57B) were largely the reason for their delay in endorsing, to give members more time to learn about new candidates for those seats.

Gerlach and would retire at the end of this session, and Bills currently held by DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar.