Carlson wins Senate 4 seat over incumbent Olson

Bemidji insurance agency owner John Carlson won the Minnesota Senate District 4 seat over incumbent Mary Olson as nearly all results came in Wednesday morning.

With all but three of the 140 precincts reporting as of 8:25 a.m., Republican Carlson held an insurmountable lead over DFLer Olson. He tallied 18,906 votes, or 54.55 percent, to Olson's 15,696 votes, or 45.29 percent.

Carlson, who lost to John Persell in a 2008 race for State House, rallied this time after trailing around midnight.