Hiltsley Edges Russell in House 38A Primary, To Face Olson
With the ballots from the Aug. 13 primary tallied, Republican Brad Olson and DFLer Huldah Hiltsley have landed on the Minnesota House District 38A ballot.
The two will now face off to represent Brooklyn Park and Osseo in the House seat previously occupied by Democrat Mike Nelson.
Nelson retired this year after serving 11 terms over 22 years.
On Tuesday, Hiltsley defeated former Brooklyn Park City Council Member Wynfred Russell by a narrow 50-vote margin.
Hiltsley received 51.3% of the votes cast (1,005 votes), while Russell received 48.7% (955).
She said she expected a close race.
“I’m not surprised, but I am definitely relieved because we knew that this was a very competitive race,” she said. “That extra phone call that we made, that extra door knock that we did, neighbors talking to neighbors, it was all rooted in grassroots mobilizing.”
By contrast, Olson scored a decisive win with 89.8% of the vote.
He received 566 votes, while his competitor, Yelena Kurdyumova, received 64 votes (10.2%).
Olson attributed the feat to his supporters.
“The team that we put together, we’ve got some pretty talented people and energetic and enthusiastic,” he said. “So, they really rose to the occasion and got the word out.”
Huldah Hiltsley (DFL) and Brad Olson (R) are running for Minnesota House District 38A.
Chance to Make History
Following her victory, Hiltsley reflected on what it took to get there.
“So, my family and I migrated here from Kenya, and we fought the immigration system for 11 years,” she said.
Sen. Paul Wellstone stepped in and helped her family avoid deportation.
Years later, she’s found herself on the DFL ballot. If elected, she’d be the first Kenyan-American to hold a seat in the Minnesota House.
“Now to be sitting here on the verge of making history … is definitely a testament of what the American dream looks like,” she said.
After a celebration on election night, she’s ready to get back on the campaign trail.
“Now that we are on the other side, obviously it’s a huge sigh of relief, but then there’s work to do,” she said.
Olson, a 29-year Brooklyn Park resident and software developer, has the opportunity to bring a historic shift to the district if he could flip it Republican.
That said, his main goal in running was to give GOPers a local reason to visit the ballot box.
“I just sensed that someone needed to be there to give someone a reason to go and vote and exercise their right, their Constitutional right to do that,” he said.
Olson is also running because he’s concerned about the direction the country is headed.
“Violent crimes, just the increase in taxation, those types of things,” he said. “The government is having too much of a control over our lives.”
