Northern Crow Wing County communities to elect new commissioner

Residents in Crosslake, Jenkins, Pequot Lakes, Breezy Point and Nisswa will elect a new county commissioner in November.

First-term Commissioner Bill Brekken announced he wouldn’t seek another term, and two residents filed to fill the seat - Robin M. Sylvester, Pequot Lakes; and Jon W. Lubke, Jenkins. Lubke is the longtime mayor of Jenkins.

A third candidate filed for the seat but later withdrew - Stephen G. Olson, Breezy Point.

The District 2 commissioner seat also includes Gail Lake, Timothy, Jenkins, Ideal, Pelican and Mission townships.

The filing period for candidates for federal, state and county elected offices closed May 31.

The primary election is Aug. 9; the general election is Nov. 8.

The following area candidates had filed as of Tuesday, May 31.

• Commissioner District 1: Neal Gaalswyk (incumbent), East Gull Lake.
• Commissioner District 4: Steve Erickson, Hackensack; Scott D. Bruns (incumbent), Walker.
• Recorder: Kathryn “Katie” M. Norby (incumbent), Backus.
• Sheriff: Chris Thompson, campaign address of Walker; Bryan Welk, Remer.
• County attorney: Benjamin T. Lindstrom (incumbent), Chickamaw Beach.
• Soil and water supervisor, District 1: Thomas Kuschel (incumbent), Sebeka.
• Soil and water supervisor, District 5: Jennifer O’Neill, Walker; Jon D. Osowski, Walker; Bob Wright, Walker.

• Commissioner District 2: Robin M. Sylvester, Pequot Lakes; Jon W. Lubke, Jenkins.
• Commissioner District 3: Steve Barrows (incumbent), Baxter; Keith M. Johnson, Brainerd; Jazz Ness, Brainerd; Jacob White, Brainerd; Tad A. Erickson, Brainerd.
• Commissioner District 4: Rosemary R. Franzen (incumbent), Baxter; Troy Kenneth Scheffler, Merrifield.
• Sheriff: Scott Goddard, Breezy Point (incumbent); Eric Klang.
• County attorney: Donald F. Ryan (incumbent).
• Soil and water supervisor, District 2: Diane Jacobson (incumbent), Brainerd.
• Soil and water supervisor, District 3: Roger Waytashek, Crosby.

• Senate District 5: Bret Bussman, Republican, Browerville; Paul J. Utke, R-Park Rapids (incumbent); A. John Peters, DFL, Browerville; Dale A.P. Anderson, Republican, Pine River. The three Republicans will be on the Aug. 9 primary ballot to narrow the field to one candidate from that party.

District 5 includes parts of Cass, Hubbard, Wadena and Becker counties, including the area cities of Backus, Chickamaw Beach, East Gull Lake, Hackensack, Lake Shore and Pine River, along with the area townships of Barclay, Bull Moose, Bungo, Deerfield, Fairview, Home Brook, Loon Lake, McKinley, Pine River, Powers, Walden and Wilson.

• Senate District 6: Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids (incumbent); Steve Samuelson, DFL, Brainerd.

Senate District 6 includes parts of Cass County, including Ponto Lake Township in the Echo Journal coverage area; northern two-thirds of Crow Wing County; parts of Itasca County.

• House District 5A: Krista Knudsen, Republican, Lake Shore; Brian M. Hobson, DFL, Park Rapids.

House District 5A includes parts of Cass, Hubbard, Wadena and Becker counties, including the area cities of Backus, Chickamaw Beach, East Gull Lake, Hackensack, Lake Shore and Pine River, along with the area townships of Barclay, Bull Moose, Bungo, Deerfield, Fairview, Home Brook, Loon Lake, McKinley, Pine River, Powers, Walden and Wilson.

• House District 6A: Ben Davis, Republican, Merrifield; Richard (Rick) Blake, DFL, Grand Rapids.

House District 6A includes the cities of Crosslake, Manhattan Beach, Fifty Lakes, Emily, Crosby, Ironton and Deerwood, along with Fairfield, Ideal, Little Pine, Mission, Ross Lake, Perry Lake, Timothy and Wolford townships in Crow Wing County; and Ponto Lake Township in Cass County, among other Cass County communities. This district also includes part of Itasca County, including Grand Rapids and Cohasset

• House District 6B: Doug Kern, Republican, Brainerd; Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa (incumbent); Sally Boos, DFL, Baxter. The two Republicans will be on the Aug. 9 primary ballot to narrow the field to one candidate from that party. 

House District 6B includes most of western Crow Wing County, including the cities of Brainerd, Baxter, Pequot Lakes, Nisswa, Merrifield, Jenkins and Breezy Point.

• 9th District, Court 6: Jerrod A. Shermoen (incumbent).
• 9th District, Court 8: Eric Schieferdecker (incumbent).
• 9th District, Court 16: Jeanine R. Brand (incumbent).
• 9th District, Court 17: Corey A. Harbott (incumbent).
• 9th District, Court 20: Donna K. Dixon (incumbent).
• 9th District, Court 23: Kristine R. DeMay (incumbent).

• Pete Stauber, R-Minn. (incumbent); Harry Robb Welty, Republican; Jen Schultz, Democrat; John Munter, Democrat. The two Republicans and the two Democrats will be on the Aug. 9 primary ballot to narrow the field to one candidate from each party.

Editor's note: This story was updated June 4, 2022, to reflect the withdrawal of Stephen G. Olson, Breezy Point, from the Crow Wing County Commissioner District 2 race.