Up in the air

Half past midnight, most Crow Wing County commissioner races were too close to call except one.

In District 4, incumbent Gary Walters was defeated by challenger Rosemary Franzen by 110 votes - 2,711 to 2,601.

"I had a wonderful four years," Walters said. "I congratulate the opponent. It was a great time. I'm proud of what I did. I served the county well and I hope she serves the county well."

Franzen, a first-term Baxter City Council member, was unavailable for comment.

Franzen, 56, retired from the Brainerd School District in May where she worked at a variety of jobs, including the PACE program, the Minnesota Learning Center and the Central Minnesota Juvenile Center. She also has been ticket manager for the Brainerd schools for many years.

Walters, 41, owner of Fiducia Benefits Group in Brainerd, was running for his second term as county commissioner. He defeated then-Commissioner Gil Dewes for the District 4 seat in 2002.

The votes moved back and forth in District 2, where incumbent Ed Larsen faced challenger Paul Thiede in a flip-flop of the 1998 election. Thiede was elected to the county board in 1994, serving one term until 1998, when Larsen defeated him for the seat.

Larsen, 65, Pequot Lakes, is a retired high school administrator. Larsen has served on the board for eight years. He was first elected to the commissioner's seat in 1998.

Thiede, 59, rural Pequot Lakes, is a salesman for Northern Tool and Equipment in Pequot Lakes.

In another tie-in to county board candidates, Thiede, a Republican, upset Don Samuelson, a DFLer, and was elected to the state House in 1978. Samuelson won the seat back from Thiede in 1980 and then began a long Senate career with his election to that body in 1982. Thiede was elected to his old House seat in 1982 and served until he was defeated in 1988.

In District 3, Rachel Reabe Nystrom had a 17-vote lead over Samuelson at one point. Nystrom and Samuelson, 74, were seeking the seat left open by Terry Sluss' candidacy for Senate District 12.

RENEE RICHARDSON can be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.