A Republican legislative leader who supports same-sex marriage said she will run in a primary after failing to win her party's endorsement over the weekend.
"This is a democracy and people are able to throw their hat in the ring," said state Rep. Jenifer Loon, of Eden Prairie. "I don't see this as a huge issue, honestly."
Local GOP activist Sheila Kihne emerged to challenge Loon at their local convention, with neither candidate able to get enough votes to win the endorsement.
Kihne said she is weighing a primary run after her strong showing at the convention. Loon was one of four GOP House members who voted to legalize same-sex marriage last year.
"Here locally, it was an issue of trust or integrity," Kihne said Monday. "We do not feel like we have good leadership."
Activists who oppose same-sex marriage had worked behind-the-scenes to defeat Loon, a deputy minority leader.
"Life, marriage, and religious freedom are values for which there is no compromise," said John Helmberger, CEO of the Minnesota Family Council. "Jenifer Loon tried to compromise these values-hurting the families in her district who trusted her to uphold them. And her constituents have spoken."
House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt said he expects Loon will prevail and win a fourth term.
"Jenifer Loon—and I don't know anybody who would dispute this—is very well-liked by the constituents in her district," said Daudt, R-Crown. "I'm very confident that she will make it through a primary and easily win a general election again. She does a great job representing her community and I think that support will definitely be there for her."
Just over 40 percent of voters in Loon's district supported a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in 2012, a factor that Loon said she considered when she voted to legalize same-sex marriage last year.
Kihne said she is not a single-issue Republican, and noted that Loon is among several GOP leaders who have faced a challenge from within the party, including Daudt.
"It speaks to the fact that we are looking for more principled leadership and representatives who do what they are say they are going to do," she said.
Of the four GOP House members who supported same-sex marriage, Loon is not the only one facing challengers.
First-term Rep. David FitzSimmons, R-Albertville, lost the endorsement at his convention and is considering a primary run.
Rep. Andrea Kieffer, R-Woodbury, is not seeking re-election.
Only Rep. Pat Garofalo of Farmington breezed through his convention without trouble.
Staff writer Abby Simons contributed to this story.
