Minnesota Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, said he will bypass the Republican district convention and go straight to a primary.

"It has become clear to me that the same group of people within my own party who tried unsuccessfully to defeat me in 2006 are trying again to unseat me," he said Friday.

Former Rep. Paul Gazelka of Brainerd is running against Koering, who let people know a few years ago that he was gay and has voted with Democrats on some issues.