MARSHALL — A rural Ghent resident with long-time ties to the agricultural community has said he plans to run for the Minnesota Legislature in the district currently represented by Rep. Chris Swedzinski.

This week, Brad Hennen announced his candidacy in House District 15A, which includes Lac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine and Lyon counties and part of Chippewa County.

“I believe it is important that our area is represented adequately, by someone who will gather as much information as possible and form an informed opinion,” Hennen said Tuesday. On his campaign website, Hennen described himself as “a principled conservative, guided by common sense and a commitment to doing what is right for our communities.”

The news about Hennen’s candidacy comes after Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent, announced over the weekend that he will not be seeking reelection to the Minnesota House of Representatives at the end of his current term. On Wednesday, Swedzinski told the Independent there were a few different things that factored into the timing of his announcement.

“I kind of left it to the end,” Swedzinski said. He said the fact that several other area legislators have also announced they will retire was part of what led him to hold back on making a decision.

“I thought about trying to keep some continuity at the Capitol,” Swedzinski said. But in the end, he said, he wanted to be able to spend more time with his family.

“Obviously, it was a surprise for quite a few people,” Swedzinski said of his choosing not to run again. He said he wanted to announce his decision with enough time for new Republican candidates to come forward in House District 15A.

“Ultimately, I think the people in the district will choose someone good,” Swedzinski said.

“I was as shocked as anybody,” Hennen said of hearing the news about Swedzinski not seeking reelection. However, he said that he would be committed to building on Swedzinski’s leadership.

Hennen said he has lived and farmed near Ghent for almost all his life. He raised hogs for about 26 years, and is now working in agricultural sales. Hennen and his wife Barb raised nine children on the family farm. Brad has also been active with the Minnesota Pork Board and the Lyon County Farm Bureau, and is active at his church.

Hennen said if elected, some of his priorities would include safeguarding the tax dollars that Minnesotans pay to the state, and upholding Constitutional rights.

Currently, there are two Republican candidates who have announced they will run in District 15A. On Sunday, Granite Falls resident Hunter McFall announced his candidacy. McFall is a paramedic and an EMS educator.

“Public service is not just an occupation — it is a calling,” McFall said in his announcement. “Through my work in EMS and education, a few things have become very clear: rural healthcare disparities are growing, fraud in St. Paul must be addressed with stronger accountability, and our aging population requires proactive solutions. We must also create meaningful incentives for families to put down roots and grow in our welcoming communities.”

A Democratic candidate has also said he will run in District 15A. Minneota resident Nathan Schmig announced his candidacy during the Lyon County DFL convention on March 14.

Swedzinski’s announcement that he won’t seek reelection came as area Republicans were already holding an endorsing convention for state Senate District 15 and House District 15B. There would now need to be an additional endorsing convention this spring for House District 15A, said David Sturrock. Sturrock served as the 15th Senate District chairman at last weekend’s convention. Sturrock said the new convention would be “a lot smaller” than the SD15 convention, because it would only involve delegates from House District 15A, he said.