NEW ULM — Former Minnesota legislator and U.S. Department of Agriculture official Brad Finstad, R-New Ulm, won the Congressional District 1 Special Election Tuesday with 59,797 votes.

Austin Democrat and former Hormel Foods CEO Jeff Ettinger finished second with 55,053 votes.

Wednesday canvassing of Congressional District 1 votes reflected 27 spoiled ballots from Tuesday night’s reported unofficial results.

Election results are not offical until canvassing. Brown County primary votes will be canvassed at 8:15 a.m. Friday in the courthouse commissioner’s room.

Finstad will serve the remaining three months of the term of late U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died of cancer in February.

“We’re starting to hear communications with the U.S. Congress Speaker’s Office about swearing in. It could be as soon as Friday in Washington, D.C.,” Finstad said.

“I’m excited for this next step,” he said. “I look forward to serving my neighbors in Congress.”

Finstad is a family farmer and fourth-generation resident of the New Ulm area.

“I am humbled to receive the support of my fellow southern Minnesotans in Congress. I entered this race in March because I believe it is so important to get engaged in the battle for the future of my family, your family and our country,” he said.

“First, I ask everyone in our district to take time to remember the late Congressman, Jim Hagedorn. He fought tirelessly for our conservative values during his time in Washington, D.C.,” added Finstad. “I am honored that voters have given me an opportunity to continue the fight for our shared values in Congress.”

Finstad promised “to fight the extreme Biden and Pelosi agenda that is devastating our families,” saying he will work to “slash inflation, get control of the border, restore American energy independence and put our families first.”

He thanked his wife, Jackie, seven children and their extended families for their support during the campaign.

A news release from Ettinger’s office pointed out that he came within four percentage points of winning, calling the upcoming election for a full term in November “a dead-heat race.”

“The voters of southern Minnesota have spoken,” Ettinger said. “I want to congratulate Brad Finstad on winning the Special Election (Tuesday) night. Though I had hoped to celebrate different news with you all, there is plenty for which to be hopeful. We won big in our primary, we outperformed pundits and polls, and we have momentum in a new, advantageous district.”

Ettinger thanked the thousands of supporters across the district.

“This was always going to be a double-header, two-stage election, with November likely to have three times the turnout of the August election,” Ettinger said. “Our campaign continues to believe this district is ready for a common-sense problem solver. We look forward to bringing that message to every corner of Southern Minnesota in the months to come.”

In Brown County, Finstad received 3,692 votes. Ettinger got 1,579. Richard Reisdorf had 48 votes and Haroun McClellan 25. There were 20 write-ins.

Brown County voter turnout was 33.64%. Of the ballots cast, 68.17% were Republicans and 28.56% were Democrats.

For more information, visit sos.state.mn.us, click on Congressional District 1 Special Election.