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On Friday, the longest serving member of the Ramsey County Board, County Commissioner Rafael Ortega, announced he would not seek reelection. That prompted West St. Paul’s state legislator Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega to announce her campaign for the seat. That will make Minnesota House district 65B an open seat going into the 2026 election.
Why it matters: It’s yet another open seat in what will become a year of transition. Other open seats representing West St. Paul include the district 65 and 53 senate seats.
Who’s running: So far no one has announced a run for the 65B seat. The district leans heavily DFL, with Pérez-Vega winning with more than 76% of the vote in 2024.
65B context: Starting in 2022, West St. Paul was divided in half for representation in the state legislature, with the northern half in district 65B. Pérez-Vega won the seat in 2022 and 2024. Previously all of West St. Paul was in the same district and represented by Rep. Rick Hansen since 2005.
Ramsey County Race
Retiring: First elected in 1994, Ortega initially said he planned to seek reelection next year, but opted not to run: “It is with mixed feelings that I share that I will not be seeking reelection next year,” Ortega said, according to the Pioneer Press. “This was not an easy decision for me because we are working on so many important, exciting things this year and I would love to see them through.”
Challengers:
- Rebecca Noecker: St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker announced her campaign last week, after expressing interest in running last month.
- María Isa Pérez-Vega: The state legislator announced her campaign on Friday and is already endorsed by Ortega.
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