Jason Lewis Beats Angie Craig In 2nd District

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- There will be a new leader in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District after long-time seat holder John Kline announced last September he would not seek re-election.

It was a hotly-contested seat between radio personality Jason Lewis on the Republican side and Democrat Angie Craig. The district has a history of being red, and that trend continued as Lewis held off a late charge from Craig to win the seat, according to the AP.

Lewis takes over for Kline, who served seven terms in the district that represents the south Twin Cities metro, including Scott, Dakota, Goodhue and Wabasha Counties as well as parts of Rice County.

Lewis kept a relatively low profile but was still a busy man in the days leading up to Election Day. He hosted a rally at his Burnsville office on Saturday, and volunteers were kept busy on the phones and in neighborhoods in the Eagan and Lakeville areas among others.

Lewis spoke to an American Government class at Burnsville High School Tuesday morning. Then, he made calls to get people to the polls.

He's best known for spending two decades as a conservative radio host and isn't shy about sharing his opinions on the most controversial issues.

Craig, a medical technology executive with St. Jude Medical, made campaign stops over the weekend in Eagan, Burnsville, Rosemount and Apple Valley. One of her calling cards may have been her downfall in the district. She's a proponent of the Affordable Care Act and wants to expand it, a program that has come under much scrutiny with MNsure and its problems.

The 2nd District was one experts thought could be flipped to the Democratic side in 2016, but Craig's efforts came up short.

Craig released a statement on the race Wednesday morning, acknowledging Lewis's victory.

"I'm incredibly proud of the race that we ran over these past 17 months. We knew it would be tough to win the second congressional district. Unfortunately, we came up just a little bit short last night," Craig said. "I want to congratulate Jason on his victory. We may not agree on many things, but the one thing that we've always had in common is that we both worked diligently to share our vision of how best to fight for Minnesota families. I also want to thank everyone who contributed to this campaign in any way. This was never about me. This was about how best we serve our community. The foundation we laid for the future is strong. And I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of building that foundation. Thank you."

Lewis also released a statement via Facebook, saying: "Received very gracious message from @angiecraigmn. Appreciate the hard fought campaign and now it's time to get to work for #MN02!"

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