Brad Finstad

Democratic candidate Jake Johnson lost Waseca County to incumbent U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad, but he ran ahead of Democratic Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan's pace in the county even as Finstad built a commanding margin.

Johnson claimed victory Wednesday, while Finstad waited until Thursday to release a statement seeking a recount permissible under Minnesota law due to the margin of victory being under 0.25%. If the totals don't change, it will be the first time a Democratic candidate has won in the state's 1st Congressional District since Tim Walz in 2018.

Countywide, Finstad won 5,136 votes to Johnson's 3,240. In the Senate race, Republican Michelle Tafoya took 5,297 votes to Flanagan's 2,805.

Johnson won one Waseca precinct and lost the rest. In Waseca Ward 1 Precinct A, Finstad took 356 votes to Johnson's 286. In Ward 1 Precinct B, Finstad won 230 to 226. In Ward 2 Precinct A, Finstad won 570 to 505, while Johnson took Ward 2 Precinct B by a narrow 205 to 201 margin. Finstad carried Ward 3 Precinct A 142 to 110 and Ward 3 Precinct B 338 to 258.

Outside the city, Finstad won Janesville 615 to 453, New Richland 318 to 213 and Waldorf 61 to 35. Elysian split evenly at one vote each.

Johnson's performance in Waseca County outpaced Flanagan's. Countywide, Johnson ran 435 votes ahead of Flanagan, while Finstad ran 161 votes behind Tafoya.

The most recent data from the Minnesota Secretary of State's office shows Johnson with a lead of 322 votes with all 750 precincts in the 1st Congressional District reporting. In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Finstad called for the recount process to proceed.

"The vote total in our race currently reflects less than one-half of (the recount) threshold. We will allow the recount process to proceed and await the results," Finstad said.

The Republican has represented the district, which includes the entire southern border of the state, since 2022.

Johnson, a 20-year math teacher, made his background a central part of his campaign. The Democrat criticized Finstad for being out of touch with issues affecting southern Minnesotans by not holding public forums in his home district. Finstad was one of four congressional Republicans to be endorsed by President Donald Trump ahead of Tuesday's midterms.

Johnson's campaign noted that it has been 40 years since an election result with such a margin has been changed by recount and added they were confident Johnson will be southern Minnesota's next representative.

Marco Rivero Luna is a reporter for the Faribault Daily News. Reach him at 815-981-5389. © Copyright 2026 Adams MultiMedia of Southern Minnesota. All rights reserved.

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