DFLer Ann Johnson Stewart wins special election for Minnesota Senate

Johnson Stewart, 60, a civil engineer, asked voters to return her to the Senate. She held a seat from 2021 to 2023 before choosing not to run again when she was paired with Morrison in redistricting.

The district leans DFL, so Johnson Stewart was considered the favorite.

With control of the chamber hanging in the balance, Johnson Stewart’s fellow DFLers showed up in force for regular rotations of door-knocking. She said their ability to protect reproductive rights and continue to enact progressive policies was at stake.

She will serve the remaining two years of Morrison’s term. The seat is valid for a full four-year term in 2026.

President Joe Biden won it in 2020, as did Governor Tim Walz in 2022. The district’s voters are nearly 90% white. The median household income is $123,000 and the poverty level is low. The Hennepin County district encompasses most of the expansive shores of Lake Minnetonka and includes Mound, Orono and Wayzata.