MN House Race Results for Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center; Hiltsley Wins 38A
This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 6.
Voters throughout Brooklyn Park, as well as Brooklyn Center and Osseo, elected three state House members to represent their respective cities.
Hiltsley Wins House 38A Seat
Huldah Hiltsley, a DFLer from Brooklyn Park, defeated Republican Brad Olson, also of Brooklyn Park, in the Minnesota House District 38A race.
Hiltsley received 64.78 percent and 10,005 total votes, while Olson garnered 34.95 percent and 5,398 votes.
“It doesn’t feel real,” she told CCX News. “I don’t think I was expecting to do that well. 65 [percent], that’s a big margin, right? That just goes to show you the work that my team has put into this race starting in February — back in February. And just hitting the pavement and putting in the work. And that work has truly paid off.”
There was no incumbent in the race. The seat was previously held by DFLer Mike Nelson of Brooklyn Park, who recently retired from political office.
With her election victory, Hiltsley made history. She’s the first Kenyan-American to hold a seat in the Minnesota House.
“That is history in the making,” she said. “Not only the first Kenyan-American in the Minnesota Legislature, but the first Kenyan-born in the whole entire U.S. to be elected into office.”
She’ll represent southwestern Brooklyn Park and Osseo in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Hiltsley won an August primary, narrowly defeating former Brooklyn Park City Council Member Wynfred Russell by a 50-vote margin.
“So I’m excited to get to work,” she said. “There’s a lot of good work that’s been done already, and we want to continue that work. We want to continue, you know, fighting for equitable housing. We want to continue to fight for public safety that actually makes sense and that is rooted in community. We want to make sure that we are fighting for healthcare. We want to make sure that we are fighting for our unions, right? So I could go on and on — I’m just excited to have this opportunity to represent this very diverse community.”
She heads to the state legislature as Democrats and Republicans are projected to split the House 67-67. Heading into Election Day, the DFL Party held a 70-64 edge over Republicans in the Minnesota House.
Vang Re-elected in House District 38B
Voters in House District 38B re-elected Samantha Vang, a DFL candidate from Brooklyn Center on Tuesday.
Vang captured 74 percent of the vote, defeating Republican challenger Robert Marvin, also of Brooklyn Center. It’s the third time both candidates have faced each other with Vang winning each time.
This will be Vang’s fourth term in the Minnesota House. She was first elected in 2018.
House District 38B covers Brooklyn Center and southern Brooklyn Park.
Hortman, Current House Speaker, Retains House District 34B Seat
Voters re-elected Melissa Hortman, the DFL House speaker of Brooklyn Park. She defeated Republican Scott Simmons, a former Brooklyn Park City Council member.
Hortman was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2004.
State representatives serve two-year terms.
House District 34B covers the northern and eastern part of Brooklyn Park as well as two precincts in Coon Rapids and one in Champlin.
