Waseca holds strong for Finstad as Johnson holds unofficial lead
Democratic candidate Jake Johnson lost Waseca County to incumbent U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad, but he ran ahead of Democratic Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan’s pace in the county even as Finstad built a commanding margin. Johnson claimed victory Wednesday, while Finstad waited until Thursday to release a statement seeking a recount permissible under Minnesota law due to the margin of victory being under 0.25%. If the totals don’t change, it will be the first time a Democratic candidate has won in the state’s 1st Congressional District since Tim Walz in 2018. Countywide, Finstad won 5,136 votes to Johnson’s 3,240. In the Senate race, Republican Michelle Tafoya took 5,297 votes to Flanagan’s 2,805. Johnson won one Waseca precinct and lost the rest. In Waseca Ward 1 Precinct A, Finstad took 356 votes to Johnson’s 286. In Ward 1 Precinct B, Finstad won 230 to 226. In Ward 2 Precinct A, Finstad won 570 to 505, while Johnson took Ward 2 Precinct B by a narrow 205 to 201 margin. Finstad carried Ward 3 Precinct A 142 to 110 and Ward 3 Precinct B 338 to 258. Outside the city, Finstad won Janesville 615 to 453, New Richland 318 to 213 and Waldorf
