Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson and Justice Karl Procaccini both won election in the only two contested races on the state’s high court.
Throughout the whole statewide judiciary, only nine sitting judges were up for election against challengers, and the results of some of those races were released Wednesday morning. Six of the contests involved district judges in the Twin Cities, central Minnesota and up north.
On the state’s Court of Appeals, Judge Diane Bratvold comfortably beat Jonathan Woolsey of Chaska. She began serving on the Appeals Court in 2016 and was elected to a six-year term in 2018.
Supreme Court
Hudson, appointed as the court’s first Black chief justice last fall, was challenged by Stephen Emery, who has run for multiple offices. Hudson garnered about 63% of the vote. She has served as an associate justice on the Supreme Court since 2015 and previously served 13 years on the state’s Court of Appeals.
Procaccini, appointed in August 2023 by Gov. Tim Walz, was running against lawyer Matthew R. Hanson, who two years ago ran unsuccessfully against Scott County Judge Charles Webber. Procaccini served as general counsel to Walz for four years beginning in 2019, helping the governor navigate the pandemic.
Hanson stressed in his campaign that he would be independent from the governor’s office. He drew almost 43% of votes to 57% for Procaccini.
Supreme Court Justice Anne McKeig, first appointed in 2016 and elected in 2018, was on the ballot without opposition.
District Courts
In the 10th Judicial District, Judge Helen Brosnahan won her first election after being appointed to the bench by Walz in 2022. Her challenger, Nathan Hansen, is a solo practitioner who received Republican Party assistance as the party’s recommended candidate. The 10th Judicial District covers Anoka, Washington, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne and Wright counties.