Olson holds slim lead over Ruud

Newcomer Mary Olson, a rural Bemidji attorney, held a slight lead in her race against Rep. Carrie Ruud, R-Breezy Point, who sought a possible upset of the first-term GOP state senator.

Olson, 48, the Democrat candidate, led 11,726-10,193 with 70 percent of the precincts reporting. She said early Wednesday morning the remaining few hours would be tense as she and her supporters at the Hampton Inn in Bemidji awaited final results.

"The bottom line is that by (Wednesday) we'll know who the senator is going to be," she said. "The important thing is that they reach out to everyone regardless of their party affiliation."

Olson said the campaign for the Senate District 4 seat made 2006 a rewarding year, regardless of the outcome of Tuesday's race.

Ruud, 54, a real estate broker and the former mayor of Breezy Point, could not be reached for comment after repeated messages were left for her.

The Democratic candidate said that her campaign focused on four issues: health care, education, the environment and jobs.

Olson, who formerly practiced law in Baxter, kicked off her candidacy in February with a four-day, 21-stop snowmobile tour of the district.

A graduate of the University of North Dakota Law School, Olson is a former captain in the Air Force, a former assistant Crow Wing County attorney. She and her husband, John, have four adult children and one grandchild.

MIKE O'ROURKE can be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.