FAIRMONT – The Martin County Republican and Democratic-Farmer-Labor parties each held their caucuses on Tuesday night to determine delegates and their preference for Minnesota’s next Governor.

Martin County Republican Party Co-Chair Rochelle Krusemark said the delegates and alternates that were elected Tuesday will get to attend and vote at the endorsing conventions for the Minnesota House and Senate Districts. Bjorn Olson is currently unopposed as a representative, while Jeremy Munson and Michael Woletz are running for Rich Draheim’s senate seat, as he is retiring.

In order to have the caucus, Krusemark said it takes several hours to make sure everything is in line.

“You have to make sure you contact your county auditor so many days ahead of time,” she said. “There are rules you have to follow according to the state Republican Constitution at the caucus, because the caucus is mandated by state statute for both Republicans and Democrats. You have to convene exactly at 7 p.m. and be done at 8 p.m.”

While they do not have a total attendance figure yet, there were at least 115 attendees, as that many voted in their straw poll for who the GOP should choose for Governor. Kendall Qualls won the poll with 47 votes, Lisa Demuth had 22, Mike Lindell had 18, Scott Jensen had eight, Patrick Knight had four, Peggy Bennett had two and Jeff Johnson and Kristen Robbins both had one. Eleven were undecided.

From here, Senate District 22 and House District 22A have their convention February 14 at the Mankato Ballroom, where they will endorse either Munson or Woletz, as Olson is running unopposed. The Martin County convention will be March 7 at the Red Rock Center for the Arts in Fairmont.

The Martin County Democrats had over 100 people in attendance, which Martin County DFL Chair Karen McConnell said is the largest turnout they’ve had since 2018. Their straw poll had 91 votes for Amy Klobuchar, eight who were uncommitted and one for Angie Craig, who is currently running for Senator, not Governor.

Overall, McConnell said the caucus went very well.

“We had lots of people who were first-time caucus attenders,” she said. “There was lots of excitement, more young people.”

Even so, McConnell said they would like to continue ironing out the kinks to ensure everyone knows they can get involved.

“Getting people to know about the caucus, what they entail, and participate in the caucuses,” she said. “We sent out postcards, put up flyers, sent out press releases and did some social media. Still, it’s an area I struggle with, how to reach people so they know how to get involved locally.”

The next major event for the Martin County DFL is their County Convention, which will be March 28 at the Red Rock Center for the Arts in Fairmont.