Steele Republican chair cites campaign ‘nastiness’ in blowout victory

If you looked at the numbers shortly after polls closed Tuesday, you might have thought the 19B Republican primary featuring Tom Sexton and Mick Ditlevson was a close race.

Then results came in from Waseca, and Sexton, who was endorsed by the district committee and outgoing state Rep. John Petersburg, won handily with 66.5% of the vote.  

“Yesterday, we participated in a very important step in our democratic candidate validation process as participants in the primary election,” Sexton wrote in an email to the Steele County Times. “This is only the first lap of the race as we must still win the general election in November!”

Ditlevson, when asked for comment, provided a link to a Facebook post, which read in part, “While I will not be advancing to the General election, I feel I’ve won in so many other ways.” “I want to thank all the volunteers, supporters, and mentors that have worked tirelessly throughout the last few months to support my campaign,” he wrote. “Your efforts were invaluable.”

‘Nasty campaign’

Publicly, both Sexton and Ditlevson were cordial in their statements about each other, despite early tensions between their campaigns.

“Mr. Ditlevson should be commended on his performance as our constituents should have several choices as this is the democratic process our forefathers intended,” Sexton wrote in his statement.

As of Thursday, Sexton said he had not heard from Ditlevson.

Ditlevson was also complimentary of Sexton following the election results.

“Congratulations Tom Sexton on winning the 19B Republican Primary. I wish you the best of luck as you transition to the General and work to win back the Minnesota State House,” Ditlevson wrote on Facebook.

Originally Ditlevson, Sexton, and two other candidates faced off for the party’s endorsement. After Sexton won the nod, Ditlevson decided to run anyway, causing a rift among those within the party.

Steele County Republican Chair Pam Seaser also alluded to issues between the candidates in a statement to the Times.

"Congratulations to Tom Sexton on winning the primary election,” she wrote. “We wish him well in the general election. I hope the nastiness of his campaign committee stops, now that he has won."

A review of the Waseca County Republicans Facebook page found at least one post calling out the Ditlevson campaign.

“The Steele County Republican committee is supporting the non-endorsed candidate which in turn helps the Democrats and as a result increases campaign costs for the endorsed candidate,” county chair Richard Stagman wrote. “Sad to see this happening in our own party.”

In July, as part of the Times election series, he had this to say about political rhetoric:

“Early-on in seeking the Republican endorsement I was bombarded with outside smears. I was besieged with false claims on a negative political platform,” he wrote in part. “Even during the endorsing convention papers were strewn about that may have been funny—but were concerning. I was ridiculed for attending junior high ‘Space Camp’; rumored to be in collusion with ‘Russians’ and was called a cardboard cutout. Such negative political rhetoric dumbs us all down and, frankly, demonstrates lack of courage to come forward by the naysayer. I refuse to respond to this discourse. I will not muddy another to win.”

When asked to elaborate further on his comments, Ditlevson declined.

“I appreciate the offer but would prefer to keep a positive message going into the last few weeks,” he wrote. “I felt it was appropriate to mention in the column but I would rather not dwell on it.”

Tale of two cities

In total, Ditlevson received 875 votes with most of them coming from Owatonna. In Waseca, however, Sexton received 603 votes compared to Ditlevson’s 37.

Comparatively, Edel Fernandez, the DFL endorsed candidate from Owatonna, received 189 votes out of Waseca in the uncontested primary.

“I would like to thank many people, starting with my wife of nearly 38 years, Jeanne, our core campaign team, our very supportive volunteers, our election judges and county staff members, and the constituents of House District 19B,” Sexton wrote in an email. “Jeanne and I sincerely enjoy meeting and talking to all the constituents of House District 19B as we knock on your doors, visit you in a store parking lot, or meeting you after religious services. You are the reason we want to serve!”

Despite the blowout loss, Ditlevson, the son of an elected judge, said he is sticking around politics for a while.

“To all my friends here on this page, stay tuned. I plan to be politically engaged for years to come,” he wrote on Facebook.

Steele County Times reporter Kay Fate contributed to this report.