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August 17, 2012 Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville
Photo by Tad Johnson
Senate District 57 DFL candidate Greg Clausen greets people along the Rosemount Leprechaun Days Grand Parade route in July. Clausen is a former Rosemount High School principal and Apple Valley resident.
Former principal wins Senate primary Clausen will face Hall in general election
by Tad Johnson Sun Thisweek
Former Rosemount High School principal Greg Clausen won Tuesday’s DFL Senate District 57 primary with an unofficial vote total of 1,456 to 395 over Mike Germain, a two-time general election DFL candidate in the Apple Valley-Rosemount area, according to Dakota County election returns. Clausen will face Republican candidate Pat Hall, a pastor and former insurance agent and Rosemount Police chaplain, in the general election for the open seat that has been held by Republican Chris Gerlach since 2004. The primary comes a few months after the DFL endorsement convention when Clausen sought the nomination in making his first ap-
peal to delegates. Clausen, an Apple Valley resident, won endorsement on the second ballot over Germain after narrowly missing the 60 percent of votes needed on the first ballot. Clausen earned it on the second ballot. The primary race could have been close since Germain, also an Apple Valley resident, is known to voters since he had twice had run against Gerlach. Clausen gathered up 79 percent of the votes Tuesday night. Gerlach, who defeated Germain by 8 percentage points in 2006 and 19 in 2010, announced in February that he would not seek re-election. Germain campaigned mostly through a door-
knocking campaign, posting yard signs and maintaining a Facebook page, which garnered 82 likes. Clausen also engaged in a door-knocking campaign, posted yard signs, placed ads in local media and had a campaign Facebook page with 182 likes. He also gathered up endorsements from Minnesota AFL-CIO, AFSCME Council 5, Education Minnesota and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, among others. Boundaries for Senate District 57 include Rosemount, Apple Valley, Coates and a portion of Lakeville. Tad Johnson can be reached at tad.johnson@ecm-inc. com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.
Farmington Briefs Fall catalogs in the mail The Farmington Area Community Education fall catalog will be mailed this week. ECFE catalogs were mailed in late July.
Comedy improv at Farmington Library Comedy Improv with SteppingStone Theatre will be offered for teens ages 12 to 18 from 3 to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 23, at the Farmington Library. Learn the basics of comedy improvisation, slapstick movement and joke telling. Registration required. The library is at 508 Third St. Call (651) 438-0250 for more information.