Minnesota District 2 and 5 candidates to face off in debates Oct. 17-18
Oct. 12—BEMIDJI — The Bemidji Pioneer, Park Rapids Enterprise, Lakeland PBS and Northern Community Radio are partnering to show live debates for the races that matter to Beltrami and Hubbard County residents — Districts 2, 2A, 2B, 5 and 5A.
In partnership with the Park Rapids Enterprise and Northern Community Radio, candidates for Minnesota Senate District 5 will square off Monday night in a live forum hosted by Lakeland PBS. The forum can be viewed on Lakeland PBS or
Due to redistricting, Senate District 5 now includes the southern two-thirds of Hubbard County as well as all of Wadena and Todd counties and portions of Cass, Morrison and Becker counties.
Beginning at 8 p.m. on Oct. 17, incumbent State Sen. Paul Utke, R-Park Rapids, will debate DFL challenger A. John Peters from the Long Prairie area.
Krista Knudsen, the GOP candidate for Minnesota House 5A, declined to participate due to prior commitments. She is the mayor of Lake Shore and a restaurant owner. The DFL-endorsed candidate for House 5A is Brian Hobson. He currently teaches third grade in the Laporte School.
The Senate District 2 debate will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Republican Steve Green faces Democrat Alan Roy.
Having served House District 2B since 2012, Green is a Fosston native.
Roy is a U.S. Army veteran, a major in the Army Reserve and an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation.
Again due to redistricting, Senate District 2 now represents the Fern, Rockwood, Helga, Farden, Lake Hattie, Schoolcraft, Guthrie, Hart Lake and Lake Alice townships of Hubbard County, along with Lake of the Woods, Beltrami, Clearwater and Mahnomen counties and portions of Becker, Itasca and Cass counties.
The Bemidji Pioneer and Northern Community Radio will team up with Lakeland PBS for this live forum.
At 8 p.m., House 2A candidates will participate in a debate.
Matt Grossell, R-Clearbrook, has been the state representative for Minnesota House 2A since he was elected in 2016.
His opponent, Reed Olson, DFL-Bemidji, is a Beltrami County Commissioner, Executive Director of the Nameless Coalition for the Homeless and owner of the Wild Hare Bistro in Bemidji.
At 9 p.m., House 2B candidates will answer questions from panelists.
Matt Bliss, R-Pennington, has served as a state representative in District 5A since 2016.
He'll face Erika Bailey-Johnson, DFL-Bemidji, an enrolled member of the Red Lake Nation and the Sustainability Director at Bemidji State University.
