Rosing, Frederick advance in county auditor, treasurer primary
News | Published on August 20, 2026 at 5:45pm EDT | Author: Chad Koenen
0By Chad Koenen
Publisher
Amy Rosing and Kim Frederick have advanced to the November ballot in one of the more hotly contested primary battles in Becker County.
Rosing received 2,287 votes, or 37.72 percent, to finish in first place in the primary for Becker County Auditor/Treasurer. Kim Frederick received 1,519 votes, or 25.05 percent, to finish in second place.
Zac Baer took third place with 1,048 votes, or 17.29 percent, Nathan Martin received 531 votes, or 8.76 percent, Darin Halvorson received 463 votes, or 7.64 percent and Brent Benscoter received 215 votes, or 3.55 percent to finish in sixth place.
In Becker County, incumbent Paul Utke easily won the county vote in the primary election for the state senator seat in over Mike Wiener. Utke received 928 votes (67.44 percent) over Wiener 448 votes (32.56). However, Wiener received the most votes in the overall primary race to unseat Utke by a 5,741 votes (50.92 percent) to 5,533 votes (49.08 percent) margin.
He will face DFL challenger Skylar Fynbos who received all 552 votes cast in the DFL primary.
Other Becker County primary results included:
• US Senator- Republican- Michele Tafoya 1,267 votes (33.99 percent), Royce White 891 votes (23.9 percent), Adam Schwarze 842 votes (22.59 percent), Tom Weiler 326 votes (8.74 percent), Joyce Lacey 119 votes (3.19 percent), Patrick Munro 119 votes (3.19 percent), Patrick Munro 98 votes (2.63 percent), Cynthia Gail 96 votes (2.58 percent), Bob Carney Jr. 68 votes (1.82 percent), Ahmad Hassan 21 votes (.56 percent); DFL- Peggy Flanagan 1,435 votes (58.52 percent), Angie Craig 900 votes (36.7 percent), Kurt Anderson 53 votes (2.16 percent), George Kalberer 25 votes (1.02 percent), Billy Nord 25 votes (1.02 percent), Peter Murgic 14 votes (.57 percent)
• Governor- Republican- Mike Lindell 1,844 votes (48.56 percent), Lisa Demuth 1,015 votes (26.73 percent), Kendall Qualls 751 votes (19.78 percent), John Krhin 88 votes (2.32 percent), Ross Nova 53 votes (1.4 percent), Raul Estrada 33 votes (.87 percent), Loner Blue 13 votes (.34 percent); DFL- Amy Klobuchar 2,290 votes (93.28 percent), Kobey Layne 49 votes (2 percent), Ole Savior 36 votes (1.47 percent), Thomas Evenstad 28 votes (1.14 percent), Bill Gates JR 25 votes (1.02 percent), Po Vang 16 votes (.65 percent), Mohammad Wazwaz 11 votes (.45 percent)
• US Representative District 7- Republican- Michelle Fischbach 3,118 votes (100 percent); DFL- Erik Osberg 1,367 votes (67.31 percent), Steve Carlson 664 votes (32.69 percent)
• US
• Secretary of State- Republican- Wendy Phillips 1,797 votes (50.92 percent), Tad Jude 1,732 votes (49.08 percent): DFL- Steve Simon 2,254 (100 percent)
• State Auditor- Republican- Scott Jensen 2,301 votes (63.49 percent), Nate George 1,043 votes (28.78 percent), Will Finn 280 votes (7.73 percent); DFL- Zack Filipovich 2,220 votes (100 percent)
• Attorney General- Republican- Ronald Schutz 3,418 votes (100 percent); DFL- Keith Ellison 2,021 votes (84.31 percent), David Madgett 376 votes (15.69 percent)
Otter Tail County
A pair of challengers have advanced to the general election ballot after receiving nearly 73 percent of the vote in the Otter Tail County District 4 primary election last week.
Jim Stewart received 992 votes, or 42.12 percent of the primary vote, to lead the way last week, while Stephen Springer received 726 votes, or 30.83 percent of the primary vote, to finish in second place. The two Henning area residents will compete in the general election for the right to represent District 4 on the Otter Tail County Board.
Incumbent Robert Lahman received 511 votes, or 21.7 percent of the vote, while another challenger, Roger Walvatne, received 126 votes, or 5.35 percent of the vote to finish in fourth place.
In District 2, incumbent Wayne Johnson was the top vote getter with 1,036 votes, or 51.52 percent of the vote. He will face challenger Jeff Gontarek on the ballot as he received 694 votes or 34.51 percent of the vote. Another challenger Kyle Lehmann finished in third place with 281 votes, or 13.97 percent of the vote.