Iron Range Dems pick from 5 for open House seat

Democrats on the Iron Range go to the polls Tuesday in a special primary election for an open Minnesota House seat.

Running in the primary are nonprofit director Shelley Robinson, Floodwood Mayor Jeff Kletscher, attorney Carly Melin, union leader Raymond Lee Pierce and former state Rep. John Spanish.

The local DFL party endorsed Melin over the weekend.

The winner will face a Republican and an Independence Party candidate in a Feb. 15 special election.

The seat is open because former Rep. Tony Sertich stepped down. The Chisholm Democrat is now commissioner of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board in Gov. Mark Dayton's cabinet.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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