2 weeks Ago By Teri Cadeau
DULUTH — With 67% of the votes and seven out of 17 precincts reporting, Pete Johnson is in the lead to become the next District 8A representative, according to unofficial results from the Secretary of State as of 12:18 a.m. Wednesday.
District 8A covers western Duluth from Central Entrance to Gary-New Duluth. The seat was vacated July 5 when four-term Rep. Liz Olson resigned to take a job with the McKnight Foundation.
Olson announced in January that she would not seek reelection. Both Johnson and McGrew have backgrounds in public service. ADVERTISEMENT Johnson has served as a Duluth firefighter for 23 years, EMT for 19 years, IAFF Local 101 union officer for 16 years and on the Center City Housing Board of Directors for the past nine years.
Johnson said previously his experience as a firefighter allowed him to see many of the challenges that community members face and that motivated him to enter the political sphere. “Through thousands of calls, I've seen firsthand that many crises stem from deeper issues: lack of housing, inadequate health care, insufficient education and unemployment/underemployment,” Johnson said to the News Tribune previously. “These are challenges that extend beyond our reach as firefighters.
” Republican candidate Mark McGrew is a retired state trooper with 28 years in law enforcement. He's also a Navy Reserve veteran. McGrew said previously he entered the race due to calls from the Democratic Party to defund the police and concerns of fiscal irresponsibility.
"The Legislature last session spent $17.5 billion in a matter of five months," McGrew said at a forum with the News Tribune. "I think we need to be able to curb spending and bring it down, which will hopefully help with inflation.
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