Minnesota election results: Michael Holstrom Jr. projected to win Senate District 29

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Republican Michael Holmstrom Jr. running for Senate District 29. (Facebook)

BUFFALO, Minn. (FOX 9) - Michael Holstrom Jr. is the projected winner of Senate District 29, a seat previously held by Republican Sen. Bruce Anderson, who died in July 2025.

With nearly 92% of the vote in, Holstrom Jr. had a 62%-37% lead over Louis McNutt, a Democrat. Senate District 29 is seen as a safe Republican seat after Anderson won his seat 68%-32% in 2022. The seat represents areas west of the Twin Cities, including Maple Lake, Buffalo and Monticello.

Senate District 29 special election results

Find election results below. Results will start coming in after polls close at 8 p.m.

Race for Minnesota Senate District 29

Local perspective:

Voters in Senate District 29, which includes parts of Hennepin, Meeker and Wright counties, including cities such as Maple Lake, Buffalo and Monticello, will head to the polls on Nov. 4 to decide who will finish Sen. Anderson's term, which runs through January 2027.

Anderson, a Republican, died unexpectedly on July 21, 2025. He began his legislative career in 1995, focusing on issues such as agriculture, energy, rural economic development, broadband access and public safety. He was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2012, and was actively serving at the time of his death.

Who are the candidates?

Dig deeper:

The race is between Michael Holmstrom Jr., a Republican, and Louis McNutt, a Democrat.

Holmstrom, who is endorsed by the GOP, is a father of five children and a small business owner from Buffalo. He ran unsuccessfully for a 2024 seat on the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose School Board. Holmstrom defeated two Republican challengers in the special election primary.

McNutt, who is endorsed by the DFL, has lived in Buffalo since 2016 with his wife and three children. He is a heavy equipment mechanic for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. HE is the secretary of AFSCME Council 5. He ran unopposed in the special election primary.

Senate District 29 is seen as a safe Republican seat. Anderson won his seat 68-32% in 2022.

Big picture view:

The outcome of the election could impact the balance of power in the Minnesota Senate. Democrats currently have a 33-32 advantage with two open seats, but with special elections in Senate District 47 and Senate District 29, that could change.