"ALBERT LEA, Minn. — Former Hormel Foods CEO and Jennie-O Turkey Store President Jeff Ettinger won the endorsement of DFL delegates from the newly drawn 1st Congressional District, emerging as the clear favorite in a crowded field in his bid to succeed the late Rep. Jim Hagedorn in Congress."

 After an opening paragraph used in the above Crabgrass headline, the West Central Tribune adds:

 

Ettinger received the support of 68 percent of delegates in the second ballot at the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's 1st District convention held at Albert Lea High School, defeating a half-dozen other candidates.

The endorsement means that Ettinger has the party’s backing heading into the election season, although he may face Democratic challengers in the primary election in August.

[...] Republicans do not have an endorsed candidate for the general election. GOP delegates were unable to reach agreement on a candidate at their party convention two weeks ago, although state Rep. Jeremy Munson, with 55% of the delegates, emerged with the most support. A candidate must reach the 60% threshold to win the party’s endorsement.

Brad Finstad, a former state representative, came in second with 35 percent of the GOP delegates. The GOP candidate for the general election will be elected in the Aug. 9 primary, the same day that the special election will take place.

Ettinger said [...] it was an embarrassment for southern Minnesota that “our own Congressman (Hagedorn)" voted not to certify the election.

Hagedorn's widow, running a GOP candidacy for the vacant seat, is being sued by some of Hagedorn's blood relatives in a dispute over responsibility for a part of the late Rep.'s cancer treatment costs. Strib reports detail.