State Rep. Mary Liz Holberg to run for re-election in new Lakeville House District 58A
Redistricting meant her current district would be mostly in Burnsville
By Aaron Vehling, Thisweek Newspapers
State Rep. Mary Liz Holberg, of Lakeville, announced in an email obtained by Thisweek that she will move to a newly created Lakeville House district to run for re-election.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairwoman Mary Liz Holberg, R-Lakeville, studies a bill during a hearing about county transit sales tax money. Photo by T.W. Budig
The new district, 58A, makes up most of Lakeville and has no incumbent. Redistricting split Lakeville into three House districts, meaning Holberg would have to run for re-election in a primarily Burnsville district with the Orchard Lake area the only piece of Lakeville left for her to represent. The third district, which Valley Park in Lakeville and some of Apple Valley comprises, is the third new House district.
“As I pondered the map, it was very hard to know that so many good friends would be split up by lines on a map,” Holberg wrote in an email to supporters. “It has been a difficult process with no easy answers. I love Lakeville. I grew up here and we raised our family in Lakeville. It has been a true honor and privilege to represent such a great community that has so much to be proud of.”
She wrote that Burnsville was also a great town and she saw great potential there, but “after much thought, I have decided to seek the endorsement of the Republican Party to be the candidate in House District 58A (in) Lakeville.”
Holberg’s redistricting also meant that she would have had to run in a new Senate district. By moving to the new 58A, she ostensibly maintains the trifecta of herself, state Rep. Pat Garofalo of Farmington and state Sen. Dave Thompson of Lakeville. She also then is able to run for re-election in more familiar territory.
State residency requirements likely mean that Holberg, the current House Ways and Means Committee chair, will have to move to the new district upon winning the seat. She currently lives in northwest Lakeville.
“I will miss those of you who will be in the new Senate District 56,” she wrote, “but will be working with you to make sure that the Republican candidate in the open seat in Lakeville/Burnsville will join me in the 2013 Republican majority House Caucus.”
Speculation abounds as to who will run for the Republican nomination in the new House District 56B, into which Holberg was originally redistricted. Former Rep. Will Morgan of Burnsville is the only confirmed Democrat. No Democrat has announced a run for 58A yet. Thisweek will have more on this story as details become available.
Update (2:19 p.m.): When reached for comment, Thompson said he was glad she seeks to remain in his district.
“She has been a model member of the House for all the years she has been there,” he said. “I look forward to continuing to work with her, both personally and professionally.”
Vehling is at aaron.vehling@ecm-inc.com and www.facebook.com/thisweeklive.
