Politics & Government

DFL Shoots Down Maguire's Endorsement Challenge

A party commission voted to uphold its endorsement of former legislator Jim Carlson on Saturday.

A DFL commission ruled against Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire on Saturday, rejecting his challenge to the party's endorsement of former legislator Jim Carlson.

The ruling is a setback to Maguire's campaign for the District 51 Senate seat, currently held by Sen. Ted Daley (R). Maguire competed earlier this spring against Carlson, a fellow Democrat, in a high profile campaign for the DFL endorsement in the race.

of the endorsement convention on March 24. But to the endorsement on April 18 after the discovery of a series of convention voting errors in Carlson's favor.

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The DFL's Constitution Commission in the weeks leading up to its ruling on Saturday, weighing evidence and testimony from both sides. Endorsement challenges are uncommon, but not unheard of, party officials said, with the DFL handling one or two challenges each election cycle.

Going into the endorsement convention, both candidates pledged to drop out of the race if they did not receive the party endorsement. It is unclear following the party's ruling if Maguire plans to continue his campaign. Maguire wasn't immediately available for comment on Saturday night.

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“My hope is that Mike [Maguire] will unite with all DFL voters to achieve our#1 objective: Take back the District 51 seat in the Minnesota Senate in November," Carlson wrote in a press release.

Check back at Burnsville Patch for updates to this ongoing story.

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