The wife of a Republican state lawmaker cruised to victory Tuesday night in a special primary election in Minnesota’s 6th Senate District, where the seat was vacated after the arrest and resignation of GOP Sen. Justin Eichorn.

In the eight-candidate Republican field, Keri Heintzeman won about 47% of the vote. Retired Grand Rapids veterinarian John Howe was in second place with about 15% of the vote. Former state Republican Party chair and current Nisswa Mayor Jennifer Carnahan was in third place with about 11% of the vote.

Other Republican candidates were Steve Cotariu, a Merrifield veteran and businessman; Josh Gazelka, a Brainerd resident who is the son of former state Sen. Paul Gazelka; Doug Kern, a Brainerd business owner; and Angel Zierden, a former Breezy Point mayor.

Heintzeman’s husband, Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, represents House District 6B.

In the DFL primary, Denise Slipy, an environmental health and safety professional from Breezy Point, ran unopposed.

Slipy will face Keri Heintzeman in the April 29 special election. The outcome won’t affect the balance of power in the Senate, where Democrats currently have a two-vote majority. District 6, which stretches from Brainerd and Baxter north to Grand Rapids, has shifted Republican but Democrats hope political winds might be shifting.

Eichorn resigned last month after he was charged with attempting to solicit a minor in what turned out to be an underage sex sting operation in Bloomington.

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It would have been bad enough for the Twins on Tuesday if they had just lost Matt Wallner.

The right fielder, who has been among their most productive players this season, started limping after legging out an infield single in the first inning. He walked off the field alongside head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta and manager Rocco Baldelli.

But with the way things are going this season for the Twins, things managed to get even worse. In the fifth inning, after fouling off a pitch, Carlos Correa did not even attempt a practice swing, coming out of the game mid at-bat.

Wallner, the Twins say, left the game with left hamstring tightness. Correa left with left wrist soreness.

The Twins won the game, beating the New York Mets 6-3 at Target Field, a badly-needed jolt on a day when the injury news was less than ideal. But if Wallner and Correa are lost for an extended period of time, the Twins’ task — climbing out of a deep hole they’ve dug for themselves — just got a lot harder.

Tuesday, a night after collecting just three hits, the Twins had 13 and provided plenty of offense in support of starter Bailey Ober. The Twins scored two runs in the third and then a run in each of the next four innings as they put some distance between themselves and the Mets.

Ryan Jeffers, who just missed a two-run home run in the fourth inning, finished the day with three hits, including a pair of doubles. Harrison Bader added three hits of his own, and Byron Buxton had two, also scoring a pair of runs.

Ober did his part, as well, working into the seventh inning after allowing two solo home runs — one to Pete Alonso, another to Juan Soto. He left with a pair of runners on in the seventh, one of which scored before Cole Sands extracted the Twins from the jam.

While the Twins did a good job tacking on runs, the Mets were still within striking distance, bringing the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth inning before Jhoan Duran got Mets star Francisco Lindor to strike out swinging to end the game.

Harrison Bader #12 of the Minnesota Twins steals second base against Luisangel Acuña #2 of the New York Mets in the third inning at Target Field on April 15, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck initially smiled when asked about what he anticipates when the NCAA transfer portal reopens Wednesday.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Fleck said after the U’s 12th spring practice at Athletics Village on Tuesday. “I really like this football team — it just dictates what happens over the next the next however many days.

“We are going to focus on the players that want to be Gophers, focus on guys who are truly invested in the Gopher family, in what we do and how we do it,” Fleck added. “Everybody’s got their own rhyme or reason and, respectfully so, to stay or leave. We support everybody in what they do. It’s just part of our new world.”

Fleck added he doesn’t anticipate a “plethora of things we are going to do — if (the roster) stayed the same” after the portal closes April 25. Some players are bound to leave if the U needs to get under the 105-player roster limit that is expected to come with the House settlement.

One scholarship player, freshman linebacker David Amaliri, said Tuesday he is transferring out. The 6-foot-4 and 210-pounder from Winnipeg, Manitoba, was a member of the 2024 recruiting class; he did not play in a game last fall and redshirted.

After finishing his high school career at Clearwater (Fla.) Academy International, he has four years of eligibility remaining.

“I am forever grateful for my time at Minnesota,” Amaliri wrote on social media, thanking head coach P.J. Fleck, assistant coaches and teammates.

One of the biggest names to enter the portal so far is California running back Jaydn Ott, who rushed for 1,315 yards in 2023 (14th-most in the nation) and then 385 last season. He is headed to Oklahoma.

The U travels to Berkeley, Calif., to play the Golden Bears on Sept. 13.

Curious about quarterbacks

For a second straight open-to-reporters practice, redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey took the majority of the first team reps at quarterback. He was followed by walk-on Max Shikenjanski and then Dylan Wittke.

Georgia Tech transfer Zach Pyron was conspicuously further down the pecking order. He didn’t appear in team reps until the very end of Tuesday’s practice, but had success with touchdown passes to Kenric Lanier and Cristian Driver.

Similar to last Tuesday, Fleck said: “We are rotating a lot of the quarterbacks. Don’t read into who’s getting reps when because you will be in a circle and it doesn’t necessarily matter.”

Bowden improving

Cornerback Jaylen Bowden has needed some time to adjust in spring practices after making the jump from FCS-level North Carolina Central. But he appears to be acclimating.

“More than any other week, I think this week he took a giant leap,” Fleck said. “… I think Mike Gerald took a giant leap. Za’Quan (Bryan) has been out with a minor injury. He should be back in the next day or so, but it’s allowed some of the guys who haven’t had a ton of reps to get those reps. Ryland Kelly is working.”

Gerald, a redshirt freshman from Houston, benefitted from a pass-breakup from Emmanuel Karmo to intercept a pass and return it for a touchdown on Tuesday.

Briefly

Defensive end Jaxon Howard was the most notable absence from Tuesday’s practice. … The U welcomed fans for Tuesday’s practice and hundreds watched from the sidelines of the indoor practice facility. “On a Tuesday, it’s kind of crazy that many people come out,” said guard Greg Johnson of Prior Lake.  … The Gophers hosted a handful of recruits on Tuesday, including Jayden McGregory, a top player in Iowa in the 2026 class. The four-star recruit has more than 15 offers from Power Four programs. … Minnesota has three more spring practices, but will not hold a spring game again this year.

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A 26-year-old Hopkins man arrested outside the UnitedHealthcare headquarters in Minnetonka on Monday morning had told the FBI he was going to “shoot up” the inside of the building if his past criminal charges were not dismissed, charges filed Tuesday say.

After Ian Stanley Wagner surrendered to law enforcement without incident, the charges say, a search of his Volkswagen turned up a loaded .38-caliber revolver and a bag with 16 additional rounds, both on the front passenger seat.

Ian Stanley Wagner (Courtesy of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office)

The incident comes months after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York City on Dec. 4 as he was walking to an investor conference in midtown Manhattan. The alleged killer, Luigi Mangione, 26, faces both state and federal charges.

However, police and company officials said Monday there was no indication that Wagner had specific grievances against UnitedHealthcare itself.

Minnetonka police knew of Wagner’s mental health issues and harassing behavior, the criminal complaint says.

Court records show that in February, Wagner was convicted of threats of violence in Hennepin County. At the time of Monday’s incident, he was wanted on arrest warrants in that case and in connection with two others that allege restraining order violations.

On Tuesday, Minnetonka police filed a petition for an extreme risk protection order against Wagner, noting that he is a risk to himself and others.

He remains at the Hennepin County jail in lieu of $500,000 bail ahead of a Wednesday initial court appearance on four felony charges: two counts of threats of violence and two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person who is not eligible due to a conviction for a crime of violence. A defense attorney is not listed in the court file.

‘Shoot up’ UnitedHealthcare

According to Tuesday’s criminal complaint, Minnetonka police were sent to UnitedHealthcare headquarters at 10:55 a.m. after the FBI reported being in real-time contact with a suspect “manifesting intent to enter and ‘shoot up’ corporate facilities.”

The FBI said the suspect identified himself as Wagner and stated he was parked at UnitedHealthcare with a loaded firearm.

An FBI negotiator spoke with Wagner while additional law enforcement officers secured the scene. Law enforcement contacted eight nearby commercial buildings to go into lockdown.

Wagner surrendered to law enforcement about 11:45 a.m.

Law enforcement’s investigation revealed a recorded 911 call from that morning in which Wagner told a 911 dispatcher that he would be firing into the UnitedHealth building if criminal charges against him were not dropped. According to the complaint, “Wagner said, ‘Do you want an evacuation on the news?’ or words to that effect,” the complaint says.

He was on house arrest

Wagner was sentenced to four months of electronic home monitoring and three years of probation Feb. 28 after pleading guilty in Hennepin County District Court to two counts of threats of violence relating to an Aug. 9 offense in Minnetonka. The details of that case were not clear Tuesday. He was given a home monitoring strap on March 10 and ordered to return to the county jail on April 3. He failed to do so, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Wagner has two other open criminal cases.

He was charged by warrant Jan. 24 in St. Louis County for allegedly violating a restraining order two days earlier. He failed to appear at an April 8 remote arraignment hearing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He was charged April 1 by warrant in Hennepin County with violating a harassment restraining order on March 29.

According to Tuesday’s petition for an extreme risk protection order, Wagner’s harassment involves someone he met at a college campus. In 2023, Wagner threatened to burn the victim’s home down. Last year, police were called when he took a BB gun with him to confront the victim.

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