Duluth DFL nominates write-in candidate

Erik Simonson
Erik Simonson, an assistant fire chief in Duluth, was chosen as the endorsed write-in candidate for Minnesota House District 7B on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012.
Submitted photo

DFLers in Duluth have nominated assistant city fire chief Erik Simonson as the endorsed write-in candidate for Minnesota House District 7B.

Local party chairman John Schwetman says 60 percent of the 55 assembled delegates voted for Simonson over Julene Boe, executive director of the St. Louis River Alliance.

The current representative for 7b, DFLer Kerry Gauthier, ended his campaign for re-election last month.

Schwetman says Gauthier's name will likely remain on the ballot, forcing people who want to vote for Simonson to write his name in.

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"We will spend some degree of energy just getting the name out there as much as possible," Schwetman says, "so that everyone who's driven down a busy street in Duluth or driven by the yards of people who are supporters have seen the name again and again and again."

Republican Travis Silvers is also running in the district that has favored DFLers in the past.

Kerry Gauthier
Rep. Kerry Gauthier represents Minnesota's 07B District in Duluth.
Photo courtesy Minnesota House

Schwetman says polling judges will count misspelled names as long as they can tell voters' intent.

Democrats hope to keep the seat now held by Gauthier, who had a sexual encounter with a 17-year-old boy in July. Gauthier ended his re-election bid last month under pressure from Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party leaders.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.