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The Hennepin County Board's tenuous balance of power will be tested Nov. 4, when all four DFL commissioners face reelection.
Although some of the incumbents are expected to win easily, the Independent-Republicans need just one victory to reverse the 4-3 majority.
For the past four years, the DFL commissioners have maintained a majority on most issues, although DFL Commissioner John Derus has broken from the caucus to vote against most phases of the downtown garbage-burning plant.
DFL Commissioner Jeff Spartz, whose opponent has dropped out of the race, said he is now helping the other candidates, to assure that the DFL stays in control. "It's nearly as important to me to see the other (incumbents) elected as it is to see me elected," he said. "It's all for one and one for all."
Andrew-Hancock
The most competitive of the races is between one-term incumbent Mark Andrew and challenger John Hancock in the Seventh District, which includes parts of St. Louis Park and south Minneapolis.
DFLer Andrew won a close and bitter race in 1982, beating incumbent Nancy Olkon. Now he is the established candidate, facing a tenacious opponent who is challenging his four-year record.
Hancock, who has IR party endorsement, is a graduate of the Hamline University Law School, and has been in private practice for 3 1/2 years. He ran unsuccessfully against District Judge Chester Durda two years ago. If elected, Hancock said, he will not continue practicing law.
Andrew is a former aide to State Sen. Roger Moe. He cofounded the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group at the...