Minneapolis (AP) Republican Tom Emmer has won the congressional seat being vacated by Michele Bachmann.
Emmer defeated Democrat and Sartell Mayor Joe Perske and law student John Denney of the Independence party.
Emmer, who lost a close race for governor in 2010 to Mark Dayton, was seen as a shoo-in for Minnesota's only congressional seat after he easily won the GOP nomination. The 6th is Minnesota's most conservative congressional district. Emmer raised far more money than his opponents combined.
Emmer served six years the Minnesota house. The Delano lawyer styled himself as a tea party conservative when he ran for governor but presented a less ideological face in this race.
The 6th district includes the St. Cloud area and the northern and far western Twin Cities suburbs.