New Rice County Attorney and Daniels Defeats Fritz in General Election

Rice County Attorney Paul Beaumaster seemed genuinely stunned when speaking with KDHL Radio Tuesday night after capturing just three of the 31 precincts in the county.  New County Attorney John Fossum told KDHL listeners the number one comment he heart while visiting with people throughout the county was it was time for a change.  The unofficial tally was 10,679 votes for Fossum and 7,963 for Beaumaster.  Beaumaster did capture Faribault by 10 votes, but was soundly beaten by over 15 hundred in Northfield where both men live and by over 12 hundred in the rural areas.  The only precincts Beaumaster won were Faribault precincts one and three and Morristown city.  In another stunner for the DFL Brian Daniels upset incumbent Patti Fritz in the State Legislative District 24B race.  Of the 28 total precincts Daniels picked up 19.  Fritz edged Daniels in Rice County by 20 votes with 4539 going to Fritz and 4519 to Daniels.  Representative Fritz won all four Faribault precincts where both candidates reside, but the incumbent could only win in five other precincts, Claremont in Dodge County, Nerstrand and Richland Township and in Blooming Prairie Township and Ellendale.  Daniels garnered 126 more votes in Dodge County and 121 more votes in Steele County to pick up the win.  State Legislative District 20B and 21B were easily won by incumbents David Bly of Northfield and Steve Drazkowski of Mazeppa respectively.