Facing his first primary election challenge in his more than 20 years in the legislature, State Sen. Ron Latz defeated Lynette Dumalag in the Senate District DFL primary Tuesday night by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin. He will face Republican Kayla Wright in November’s general election.
“No one ever accomplishes anything on their own,” Latz said to a gathering of friends, family, and Senate DFL colleagues at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park. “It’s the nature of politics that there’s one person out front, but there’s only one way to do it, and that’s with the team, and with the support of all of you.”
Latz is no stranger to close races, although it’s been a while: The first time he ran for office in 1993 to represent Ward 3 in the St. Louis Park City Council, he won by 66 votes. In his first race for the Minnesota House of Representatives, he won by less than 2 percent.
“This was not an easy one,” Latz said. “I thought this was going to be one of those nailbiters.”
The race also took a turn in the last five days of the campaign, after an independent expenditure group dropped literature at homes in the district, which encompasses St. Louis Park and parts of Edina and Hopkins.
The literature from a group that backed Dumalag called “SD46 Residents For Change” claimed that Latz “doesn’t share our DFL values” and accused him of being a “far-right sympathizer.” The piece attacked Latz for his comments about the way Hamas indoctrinated Gazan children, which he mentioned in a November 2023 press conference.
“Some people were more upset by the fact that Ron Latz called out the Hamas indoctrination of Palestinian children than they were upset about the Hamas indoctrination of Palestinian children,” said Ethan Roberts, the deputy executive director at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas. “There are people out there who absolutely hate him, or at least can’t abide by, Senator Latz being an unapologetic Jew who supports Israel’s right to exist.“
A second literature drop the following day complained that Latz wasn’t on the front lines during Operation Metro Surge.
“He’s been a highly effective senator on a whole host of issues,” said Roberts, who has worked closely with Latz and legislators of both parties as he’s lobbied on behalf of the Jewish community. “He is the leader on gun violence prevention [which is] something that we’ve supported at JCRC, [as well as] red flag laws and background checks. He’s been a leader on holding ICE accountable.
“You can’t win an election anywhere in Minnesota if you’re just the Jewish candidate; you have to be able to be effective on issues which everybody cares about, not just the Jewish community.”
Roberts said one of the key areas that Latz, the chair of the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, has helped lead is with getting state funding for the supplemental non-profit security grant program, where he’s either been the lead author or suggested which colleague should take the lead. The program isn’t just for Jewish community organizations; mosques, Black churches, Hindu temples, and others have taken advantage of the program.
“Without the support of the chair, we wouldn’t have a program.”
As the staff of Park Tavern were about to close up, Latz thanked the party-goers and volunteers who were knocking on doors into the last hours of the campaign Tuesday afternoon.
“I’m just enormously grateful to all of you who have stepped up to the plate,” he said. “It’s humbling to be the object of your work and your confidence. And I try every day to live up to those standards to deliver for all the communities that I represent, and that’s what I’m committed to.”
Other notable results
- In Ramsey County, St. Paul City Councilmember Rebecca Noecker will advance to the general election in her bid to be the District 5 county commissioner. With nearly all the votes counted, Noecker trails State Rep. Maria Isa Perez-Vega by less than 4 percent in a three-person race. The top-two vote-getters advance to the November ballot.
- In the U.S. Senate race, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan easily defeated Congresswoman Angie Craig by more than 20 points, with more than 97 percent of precincts reporting. Flanagan will face former sports reporter Michele Tafoya in the general election.
Congratulations to Ron!
I supported Ron Latz for his long track record, experience and Senate seniority which brings a lot of power to this district. Doesn’t mean I agreed with every vote or word. On the other hand I also love Lynette Dualog for her community service and track record. Hard choices when your political friends run for the same seat. I hope Lynette Dumalog continues to run for public office.