Aaron Peterson will return for a third term as the state representative for District 20A.
The final unofficial vote, according to the Secretary of State's Web site showed Rep. Peterson, DFL-Appleton, winning over Mike Bredeck, R-Madison, by 9,030 to 6,765.
"Happy, satisfied, I feel real good,'' said Peterson as the numbers pointed to a victory.
Peterson, 36, said he is looking forward to returning to the Legislature to continue to promote renewable energy development. He believes that his support for renewable energy, and voter concerns about rising property taxes and health care needs, aided his campaign effort.
"Voters smelled right through the 2003 budget,'' said Peterson, explaining that the budget has led to rising rural property taxes. He said the growing need for local levies to support struggling rural school districts was also on voters' minds as they entered the polls.
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Peterson also said that his election reflected the voters' rejection of what he said was negative campaigning aimed at him by the Republican Party leadership.
Bredeck, 57, was making his first campaign for office. He brought 35 years of experience in education with the Madison and Lac qui Parle Valley school districts to the campaign trail, and relatively high name recognition in a sprawling, rural district. The district includes Lincoln, Lac qui Parle and Big Stone counties along the South Dakota border, as well as Swift County. Bredeck serves as a Catholic Aid Association insurance representative for the area.
Bredeck promoted himself as a moderate Republican familiar with the needs of the district, and as a candidate able to reach across the aisle to get things done.
Bredeck offered his congratulations to Peterson Tuesday night. The first-time candidate said he feels good about having worked hard campaigning and involving many young people in the political process.
Bredeck said it was apparent that voters were turning thumbs down on Republican candidates, and he suffered for it. "People went to the polls and said we had enough of the Republicans,'' he said.
Bredeck said he tried hard to get out the message that he was a moderate or centrist, but he was painted in the campaign as a hard-nosed conservative.
Peterson said he felt that his campaign put him up against the Republican leadership, as well as large utilities opposed to his renewable energy efforts.
He is the third generation of his family to hold a House seat from Lac qui Parle County. He maintains the Peterson family reputation as a rural populist.
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The legislator is hoping the Democratic gains will help him resume his effort to repeal the $2,000 fee on nursing home admissions. District 20A includes more nursing homes than any other district, and Peterson has charged that Republican House Speaker Steve Sviggum has blocked his efforts to eliminate the fee.
