WILLMAR - Minnesota Democrats and Republicans are both reeling from Tuesday's election results.
Despite massive wins by DFL candidates in legislative races and constitutional offices, DFL'ers are in shock Wednesday due to the defeat of the Sen. Majority Leader Dean Johnson of Willmar.
Republican excitement from the narrow re-election victory of Gov. Tim Pawlenty was offset by significant GOP losses in the state House and Senate as well as Mark Kennedy loss for U.S Senate.
Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, called the election results "very, very bitttersweet."
Rest, who has served as assistant majority leader alongside Johnson for the past two years, said the DFL caucus "is just reeling" from losing Johnson. "It's a huge blow to me personally as well as our caucus," said Rest.
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"It was a bittersweet evening for everybody," said Rollie Nissen, co-chair of the Kandiyohi County Republican Party. While pleased by the election of Joe Gimse, D-Willmar, and Pawlenty win, Nissen was disappointed with Republican losses elsewhere in the state.
